Page 94 of Vicious Temptation

If she only knew.

I’m standing here pretending to be Remi’s friend while using the trust she’s given me to gather information that could eventually be used against her and everyone she loves.

And she has no fucking idea.

“I know,” I say.

Valentina holds my gaze for another second before her attention shifts past me, and relief washes over her face. I turn and see Remi stepping through a thick steel door, an officer trailing behind her, looking less than thrilled about letting her walk free. Whatever orders came down clearly weren’t optional.

Remi doesn’t acknowledge him.

She spots Valentina and heads straight for her, exhaustion and irritation written all over her face. Her hair is a mess, dried blood stains her knuckles, yet somehow, she still looks as beautiful as ever. They wrap their arms around each other, and I give them space even though I want to cross the room and touch her myself, make sure she’s okay instead of taking everyone else’s word for it.

When Remi finally lifts her head from Valentina’s shoulder, her eyes meet mine. Any relief I feel at seeing her vanishes as her expression hardens, and she walks straight past me without a word.

Valentina gives me a slight shrug before following her outside. I stand there for a moment, wondering if coming here was a mistake. After everything she’s been through tonight, the last person Remi probably wants to see is another cop. But I’m too selfish and too worried about her to care, so I head outside after them.

“Remi, wait,” I call out as I cross the parking lot.

She keeps walking.

“Remi, come on. I didn’t arrest you.” I close some of the distance between us. “That wasn’t me.”

She finally slows and says something quietly to Valentina, who gives me a long look before getting into the car.

“I’m exhausted, Braga,” Remi says. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of having the day from hell.”

She still won’t look at me.

I step in front of her, gently turn her toward me, then take her hand. I expect her to pull away, but her fingers remain loosely curled in mine.

“You hit someone?” I ask, inspecting her bruises.

“They deserved it.”

I nearly laugh because I’m not even remotely surprised by that answer. My attention drops to the dried blood on her knuckles before I notice she’s favoring one side.

My hand moves to the exposed skin along her abdomen. “They hit you?”

Anger rages through me at the thought of anyone putting their hands on her.

“Lucky shot,” she mutters with a small smile, finally lifting her eyes to mine.

My jaw clenches as I look her over again, making sure there isn’t any other injury she’s hiding from me.

Then the cop in me asks the question before the man standing here with her can think better of it.

“Why’d you run from the cops, Remi?”

I know I fucked up when her expression sours. Whatever softness she allowed between us disappears as she pulls her hand from mine and steps away.

“Goodnight, Officer Braga.”

“Remi, I didn’t mean it like that.”

But she’s already opening the passenger door, climbing inside without looking back. A second later, it slams shut.

Twenty-Six