Page 237 of Vicious Temptation

Just like that, she has me grinning like an idiot.

Remi knows exactly what she’s doing. When the light turns green, she shoots off first, and I fall in behind her.

I told her to meet me at Lachlan’s because I wanted her to be the one to give me my first tattoo in three years. What she doesn’t know is that this one means more than any other piece of ink I’ve ever gotten.

My phone lights up with a message from a number I haven’t seen in weeks

Elena: STATUS.

A thousand thoughts crash through my head at once. Is she back? What does she want? What happens now?

It’s been weeks, and the tracking devices are still sitting inside the envelope exactly where I left them, unopened. I stare at the message until the words begin to blur. Then I delete it, block the number just for tonight, and set my phone face down on the passenger seat. Elena can wait. This moment belongs to Remi, and I refuse to let anyone take that away from us.

By the time I pull into the lot, she’s already off her bike, tucking her helmet beneath her arm as she shakes out her hair. I glance at my phone one last time before shoving it into the glove compartment and climbing out.

“Got a little lost back there in my dust, huh?” Remi asks, using the curb to give herself a few extra inches.

It puts her at the perfect height for me to wrap a hand around her throat, pull her against me, and kiss her until she forgets every smart-ass remark she planned to throw my way.

“Come on, get in my chair,” she says, smiling against my lips. “Let me hurt you.”

I bark out a laugh. “I’ll never deny that tattoos hurt, but if anyone’s going to hurt me, I’d rather it be you.”

“That’s what they all say.”

She takes my hand and tugs me toward the side entrance while I follow behind her, still caught on that comment.

“Who’s they?”

“All of them.” The teasing in her voice tells me she’s fucking with me, but that doesn’t stop my mind from conjuring images I don’t particularly enjoy.

The thought of other men fantasizing about my girl has a way of bringing out the worst in me. I avoided the precinct’s website after her mugshot leaked because I wasn’t prepared for the obscene number of vile comments beneath it, many of them from men who lived right here in the city.

An investigation was launched to find whoever leaked the unauthorized photo, but it went nowhere. Whoever did it covered their tracks too well.

I wouldn’t put something like that past Elena or even Grey. I just hate that I can’t prove it.

“You’re making me second-guess this idea, you know that.”

“Too late. No deposit refunds and no special treatment.”

I lean in, brushing my lips against her ear. “I’m probably still leaking out of you as we speak, fera. I think that makes me pretty special.”

Remi shudders against me. “Always so cocky, Officer Braga.”

I grip her chin and bring her eyes to mine. “Oh, I’m Officer Braga again?”

“You’ve still got that badge, don’t you?” she challenges, arching an eyebrow as she takes a step back.

“That’s not the name you were screaming a few hours ago.”

She grins as she continues backing away, silently daring me to follow.

“My memory’s a little hazy.”

I play along until her back meets the wall, then brace my palms on either side of her head, boxing her in exactly where we both know she wants to be. “You’re really trying to test me tonight.”

“Maybe I am.”