Aly’s voice cuts through the murmurs and the sound of taxis and rideshares passing on the street.
“Are you done?”
She sounds strained, furious, and scared.
I straighten and turn, slowly. She stands just to the side of the door, Devin crowded next to her in a way that would be laughable if it weren’t so sincere. I hate that Alyona has found her way here; but I’m grateful that she has friends like this littlelisa,red like a fox too, with a pointed nose and sharp eyes.
Aly’s bare shoulders are tense. Her hands clutch the fabric to her chest, eyes blazing. The sight of her like this—defiant, furious, alive, scared—sends a fresh surge of heat through my veins.
Every part of me wants to step forward and touch her.
But I’ve never touched her, and I never can.
A short, dark man appears, puffing slightly, cell phone in hand. He takes in the scene and by the tilt of his head, I know he hears the wheezing too. A collapsed lung, maybe, or something worse. “Hey—that’s enough. You can’t?—”
His words die when he looks at me properly.
I see the recognition settle in, the calculation that takes place in the next few moments. No police; but the boy will need attention. If he’s still a boy and not just a body.
“Take him,” he says, gesturing sharply to the bouncers who have stood by and watched. “Get him out of here.”
One of them hesitates. “Boss?—”
“Now,” Jak snaps. His eyes lock on mine, that recognition again, a slight nod of his head.
They move quickly, hauling the tech mogul up from the ground. His feet drag uselessly but he moans. The crowd begins to disperse, murmurs rippling as interest wanes.
Aly wraps her arms around her chest. “Not you too.” There’s disbelief in the words as Jak avoids her eyes.
I’ve done my research, learned everything the moment I learned she took a position here. Jak Kaminski, a second-generation immigrant, his father the owner of a series of laundromats that made a small fortune. Jak opened The Foundry twelve years ago. It has done well, and is generally respected – until people like this boy step foot inside.
“—you sure?” The little fox is talking to Aly, a hand still on her arm. Aly only nods. And then there’s just the two of us in the alley, brick walls closing in.
The air is thick with the metallic tang of blood and wet asphalt from this morning’s rain. But already the moisture steams, night bringing with it summer heat.
I become acutely aware of how close she is. Of how small the space feels with her in it, and the fact that this is the first time we’ve ever truly been alone.
She looks up at me, jaw set, and something twists low in my gut. I shrug out of my jacket and drape it over her shoulders. She stiffens, but doesn’t pull away or reject it.
“Are you hurt?” I ask, my voice low.
Her arms tighten around her chest. If there’s a bruise where he grabbed her, I’ll hunt him down.
“I’m fine,” she scoffs.
I don’t believe her. I crowd her back, until she hits the brick, my hand lifting to her chin before I can stop myself. Her breath hitches. That small sound is enough to make my body ache with want.
I tilt her face up, scanning, checking for bruises, fear, any sign that I was too late. Even in the same building with her isn’t close enough. “Did he touch you anywhere else?” I ask, rougher than I intended because I expect her to lie.
She hesitates for only a moment.
And then her arms drop away.
She’s bare before me, from the waist up. So close that her full breasts brush against my chests and I bite back a groan. The covers she wears do almost nothing to hide her dark nipples, but even the slight attempt makes her somehow more attractive. I want to get on my knees and worship her. I want to peel the lace off her body and lavish each nipple with attention until she’s crying out for me.
She’s Liev’s daughter.
I stare down at her body, frozen by the thought. “I’m fine,” she whispers again, but her shoulders tremble. Relief and guilt crash through me. I pull the jacket back up around her shoulders, look away until she covers herself again.
