Page 55 of Vicious Temptation

A sudden clatter from somewhere inside my condo stops me, making every thought in my head disappear. I drop to one knee and unlock the hidden compartment beneath Hannibal’s enclosure, where I keep my Benelli M4.

Right day, wrong condo. If there was ever a perfect moment for live target practice, today, the day of Estela’s funeral, is definitely it.

I ease through the crack in the door, careful not to let it creak, then slip into the hallway. Light footsteps move closer, but I’m too numb to feel the adrenaline that should be kicking in. I rack the shotgun and swing around the corner, my finger hovering near the trigger until the smallest gasp stops me.

And I’m staring straight at my favorite person.

“Valentina…”

The tears I haven’t cried all day flood my eyes, stealing the rest of my voice. The shotgun slips from my hands as my knees give out, and I would’ve hit the floor if her arms hadn’t wrapped around me.

“Baby,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I’m so sorry.”

“Y-You came.”

She presses a kiss to my temple and holds me tighter. “Of course I came. I would never let you do this alone. Not without me.”

I cling to her and finally let myself fall apart, because if there’s one person in this world I don’t have to pretend with, it’s her. We stay like that until my breathing evens out and the worst of the tears pass. When I finally pull back, my gaze drops to the shotgun lying on the floor beside us.

My stomach twists.

“Fuck, Val. I almost shot you.”

“But you didn’t,” she says, already knowing exactly where my mind is headed. Like always. “And I probably should’ve announced myself before sneaking into the home of a woman with enough weapons to arm a small country.”

She glances down at herself and smooths a hand over her dress.

“You were this close to ruining my outfit.”

A breath of laughter slips between us, and I finally feel steady enough to pull away.

“I missed you so much, pendeja,” I say with a sniffle, wiping beneath my eyes with my thumbs.

“Me too. So why the hell are we living so far apart?”

“It’s Maksim’s fault. Ditch him.”

She laughs, soft and breathless. “Absolutely not.”

“How is he?”

“Good. Hated that he couldn’t come with me, but there was no way he could leave work right now.”

I smile because as much as I miss having her close enough to show up whenever I need her, Valentina deserves every bit of happiness life has given her. I’d never begrudge what she and Maksim have, even if I occasionally want to kidnap her and bring her home.

“Tell him I said hi.”

“I will.”

She throws her arms around me again, and I hold on tighter this time. Another wave of sobs breaks through, and I bury my face against her shoulder.

“Let it out, baby. It’s okay,” she murmurs against my hair. “I’ve got you. I’m not going anywhere.”

By the time I pull back again, I’m exhausted from crying but lighter than I’ve felt since the bank.

“Okay. No more crying.”

“No more crying,” she agrees, gently wiping the last of the tears from my cheeks. “Do you need a few minutes before we leave?”