Page 225 of Vicious Temptation

“Do you think this ended with him?”

“Is there a reason you think it didn’t?”

Shit.

I’ve already said too much.

“No.” I force myself to loosen my hold on the photograph. “I just found out someone was secretly taking pictures of me. I think I’m allowed to be a little paranoid.”

“You are. And I’m not going to tell you there’s nothing to worry about when I don’t know that yet.”

I nod, even though my mind is already racing through everything I need to tell my family. Then another question hits me.

“Wait. If this is evidence, why do you have it?”

Thiago hesitates before answering. “I took it because I didn’t want your name ending up in the case file. The drugs, the guns, the money, we got all of it. We didn’t need that photograph to put them away.”

It takes a second for me to understand what he’s admitting. “You took evidence from an active investigation?”

“I did.”

“For me?”

He cups my face. “I didn’t want anyone asking why Rafe had a photograph of you or digging into your life because of it.” His thumb brushes my cheek. “So yeah, chama. I did it for you.”

“You know you could get in serious trouble for that.”

“I know.”

“And you did it anyway.”

“I did.” A small, incredulous laugh escapes him. “But you know what’s even crazier?”

“What?”

“I don’t know if there’s anything I wouldn’t do for you.”

I dig my fingers into the front of his shirt and draw him closer. “That has to terrify you.”

“It should.”

“But it doesn’t?”

“No.”

I kiss him, breathing him in because I don’t know what else to do with the weight of everything I’m feeling.

“I brought you something,” he says.

He walks over to my workbench, where he left a bag I hadn’t even noticed, and turns it upside down. Several dozen watermelon lollipops spill across the stainless-steel surface.

“I also stocked more of these at my place.”

I laugh. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I’ve been told.”

I shake my head, grinning like an absolute fool.