She's quiet for a moment. "I'm still mad at you."
"I know."
"You can't just hold me and make it better."
"I'm not trying to make it better. I'm just..." What? What am I doing? "Here."
Another long pause. Then she relaxes slightly, settling against me.
"You're an asshole," she says softly.
"I know."
"I'm trying. I really am. I don't know why it's not working."
"I know."
"And you asking me like I'm... like I'm deliberately failing..."
I press my face into her hair. She smells like vanilla and something uniquely her. "I shouldn't have said that."
"Is that an apology?"
"It's an acknowledgment."
"You're impossible."
"You like it."
She huffs, but I feel her hand come up to rest on my arm. Holding me there.
We lie in silence. My mind is racing, trying to categorize what I'm feeling. Trying to justify it.
She's useful. That's why I'm here. She's good at planning operations. Good at reading people. Good at gathering intel. Good in bed.
That's all this is.
I appreciate her as an asset.
I hold her tighter. She's a belonging. A possession. And one day, she'll give birth to my son. Until then, everyone can shut the fuck up about it.
CHAPTER 10
Gemma
Five months into our marriage, three months into our partnership, and Saint and I have become unstoppable.
Seven successful operations. Millions in Nero losses. Adrian's security budget has tripled, his paranoia is palpable, and the other families are starting to question his competence.
We started slow with the first hit on the painting, then escalated. By now, month three of our partnership, we're hitting his shipments directly, and Adrian is about to lose his mind.
And through it all, Saint and I have been fucking and scheming like the world is ours for the taking.
It's intoxicating. Addictive. The best I've felt since...maybe ever.
It's not perfect. Saint won't let me get my hands dirty, which is a huge point of contention between us.
And yet, we're in this together. Partners.
