Adam waited patiently. Watching. Hoping.
After what seemed like forever, she whipped back toward him to stand eye to eye.
She had a nasty scowl on her face, but he wasn’t sure who it was directed at. Him or herself. She collapsed into him, stretching up to wrap her arms around his neck.
It took him a second to relax, but when he did, he sank down with her, placing his hands around her waist. Her head twisted in his hold, and she ran her nose up the column of his neck. It must’ve been an assassination attempt because that move? He was seconds from dying.
They held each other for an impossibly long time. He held her like his life depended on it, knowing if given the chance, he would never want to let go.
Just as suddenly as she initiated the embrace, she pulled away, unable to look at him.
“I suppose we can be friends,” she said.
“You think?” Adam laughed. “How generous of you.”
“Don’t make me regret it.” Her eyes brightened.
“I am a good friend,” Adam said.
“I know.” Staring into his eyes and flashing him a crooked smile, she reached out her hand to shake. “Just friends?”
For now, sure.
Looking down on her outstretched and open palm he grinned, grabbing her hand with his and shaking. “Deal,” he said.
* * *
Dorian arrived home in a sleek black limousine, his most preferred mode of transport. If he was going to be the mayor, he needed to act like it. It’d take one hell of a show on his part to expunge the dirt from his fingers.
His shoulders dropped when he headed up the stone front steps to find three men surrounding a bloodied man sitting on his porch. He was about to be thoroughly pissed off, he sensed.
Yani and Antonio followed behind as Dorian loomed over the inconvenience.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“This guy works picking up cash from the prostitutes,” Yani said.
“Right, right, right.” Dorian brushed Yani away. “Thenwhatthe fuck happened to you?”
The guy was blubbering, looking right over Dorian’s shoulder at Yani. Dorian’s jaw ticced as he looked back at his Seconds, at Yani who seemed to be imploring the imbecile to speak with just his eyes.
“Everyone is dead.” The man whimpered. Fucking pathetic. “They’re all dead.”
Dorian massaged his temples as he pulled up his sleeves. He really didn’t fucking have time for this today.
“Get him in the house,” Dorian said.
Doing as instructed, Yani and Antonio dragged the broken man inside the mansion foyer. They dropped him at Dorian’s feet right in front of the decorative flower vase that stood center against black-and-white checkered tiles.
Continuing to remove his watch and tie and primp in the hall mirror, Dorian said, “So, who is dead?”
“Everyone.” The man whimpered again. “We were ambushed and they killed them all.”
Dorian snapped his fingers and Yani held the man up by his hair, forcing his eyes high. Dorian straightened his suit pants, pulling them tight so he could bend to look him in the eye.
“Start from the beginning.”
When again the man was too nervous to speak, Yani slapped him to bring back his attention.
