"Okay," she says slowly. "But what happened last night?"
"Dad showed up with some of the business partners. They needed me right then. I didn't have a choice."
"Okay," she says again, stretching the word out.
"Okay?" I stare at her. I just laid everything on the line, and all I get is okay?
She steps closer. "Okay. I forgive you."
"Really?" I ask, barely able to believe it.
She grabs my face and kisses me hard, lips crashing into mine with a hunger that borders on punishment. Her nails dig into my jaw, sharp little crescents that sting just enough to make my blood roar. I taste the lime on her tongue, sharp and citrus-bright, mixed with the heat of her anger still simmering under the surface.
My hands find her waist on instinct, fingers splaying wide over the curve of her hips, pulling her flush against me. She gasps into the kiss, body arching instinctively, her breastspressing soft and full against my chest. The alley's shadows swallow us, but that golden light still clings to her skin, making her glow like sin made flesh.
I back her up against the rough brick wall, the scrape of it against her back drawing a low moan from her throat. My thigh slides between her legs, pressing up firm against the heat radiating through her tight jeans. She grinds down on it, deliberate, her breath hitching as friction sparks between us.
"Raul," she murmurs against my mouth, voice husky now, laced with need instead of fury. Her hands slide down, fisting my shirt.
My phone interrupts us, pulling me back into reality.
It's my dad.
Olivia glares at the screen with me.
"Answer it. I have to get back anyway. Thank you for talking to me."
One more parting kiss.
I start down the alley toward my car and answer the call.
"Status report?" Dad asks bluntly.
"Diego is on it."
"How do you know? Go see him. I have some runs for you tonight anyway."
"Fuck, okay." I run my hand down my face before texting Diego so we can do a few runs together tonight. I'll take him out for a drink or something after.
Diego and I wrap up the night in a way I never saw coming.
He's completely caught up in this girl. The one tied to the hit. I'm trying not to let irritation bleed into my voice. This jobwas supposed to be clean. Simple. Adding someone else into the mix? That's a fucking catastrophe waiting to happen.
I try to pry more out of him, digging for details, but Diego's locked down tight. Won't give me shit.
A pretty little blonde getting roofied in Miami? That's nothing new. So why the hell is he so hung up on it? On her?
Who the fuck is she?
His answers come vaguer than the half-truths I fed Olivia earlier. I'll need to keep eyes on this. Make sure she's not a liability for him. For us.
We drop her off at Aunt Val's coworker's place for safekeeping. My mind spins the whole drive back, questions piling up like bad debt.
I've never been suspicious of my cousin. We tell each other everything. But he's holding something back. Clear as day.
What a fucking hypocrite I am for even thinking it.
No one knows about Olivia. And I'm perfectly content keeping it that way.
