Page 62 of Enemy of the Heart

“How did you get around that?” Sean asks, his chest rumbling against my spine.

“I’m sure they froze my dummy accounts. They’d never be able to lock down my actual finances. Money buys a lot of things, including the best hackers in the world to make sure my wealth remains untouchable. I’ve worked too hard to let anyone—let alone some government—gain access to what’s rightfully mine.”

“Guess that means you don’t pay taxes?”

Mercer and I both laugh loudly and openly at Jace’s question as I shake my head. Give the government my hard-earned money? No, thanks.

Jace claps his hands and grins, glee dripping from his words. “Can we look at the toys now?”

Sean

The giddy sensation spreading through me reminds me of the way I felt as a kid when my mom would take me and Callie to the candy store at the mall in early April, during the three weeks between our birthdays. My stomach would flip like a fish out of water as I took in the sight of the floor-to-ceiling display of glass jars containing every type of candy imaginable. My mom would give us cellophane bags and tell us we could fill them with whatever we wanted, so long as the top still zipped at the end.

Watching Louhi unlock the glass case containing the Ruger Mark IV now, I experience that same elated feeling. But this is better.

The four of us are perusing Lou’s stash of weapons like they’re rare aquatic animals to admire in an aquarium. Mercer even set the computer aside.

While working out, I started chugging water for the excuse to grab another bottle so I could glimpse his screen. It didn’t tell me much. I know fuck-all about hacking and encrypted shit, but I think he’s been messaging with someone or trying to. I want to ask about it, but I’m desperate to keep that smile on Lou’s lips, and I don’t want to be the one to wipe it off. It’s growing difficult to assuage my discomfort, though.

I’m curling my fingers around the pistol before Lou’s even got the key out of the lock. The pad of my thumb glides over the cool metal barrel, caressing the handgun like a fucking freak.

“I lied,” I admit. “I said that a Glock would be my weapon of choice, but that was before I held this gun. I’m changing my answer.”

When Lou giggles, the sound makes my insides flop for an entirely different reason. “Keep it then.”

My head snaps up, my eyes locking with hers. “I can’t, baby. It’s yours.”

She waves a hand through the air dismissively, her onyx fingernail polish catching the bright fluorescent lights of the basement. As she shakes her head, her black bob swishes around her neck. “And now it’s yours. Every weapon deserves to be cherished.”

I smirk at my girl, feeling as though I just overfilled my cellophane bag, and the candy is going to explode at any moment. “Don’t worry, you’ll always be my number one girl.”

She tilts her head back, her bubbly laughter bouncing off the concrete walls like invisible helium balloons. “I better be. While others might worry about their man cheating with a human being, I’ll be concerned about a firearm.”

“Baby, this gun is the second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m offended by that statement,” Jace interjects from where he inspects an AR-15. He sets it down on the counter and continues to peruse the options displayed before us.

Mercer noisily rifles through the previously locked cabinets that contained ammunition, stacking it on the counter. Next, he removes a handful of metal knives in the shape of stars, with four sharp blades, and sets them next to the cardboard boxes filled with bullets.

Lou squeals, reaching for the tiny weapons. “My shuriken! I was wondering where I’d left those. I had to replace them.” Her attention shifts toward her brother. “Want to play darts later? The way we used to.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “Even with one good arm, I’ll still win.”

Louhi rolls her eyes, but she’s grinning. I want to see that look on her face every day for the rest of my life. “Are you guys up for shuriken darts?”

Jace and I share a look that says, what the fuck, but nod all the same.

After a moment, Lou shifts, dropping her hip against the counter. “Well, Honey Eyes, are you going to fall in love?”

His face contorts, and he appears as though she’s just slapped him across the face. “Fuck, I really hope not.”

She rolls her pretty brown eyes again, but her smile is forced. “With a weapon, obviously.”

“Oh.” He considers her thoughtfully and nods. “In that case, I’m ready to fall head over heels.”

I pass Jace the SIG P320, knowing it’s exactly what he’d choose.

“Just call me Mr. Sauer,” Jace quips, holding up the handgun to carefully inspect it. “I’m taking my wife’s name.”