Page 20

I glance back at Nicole who’s tugging the T-shirt I left on the counter down over her pretty curved frame. I hate that tonight went like this. She deserves more. “Go to the back room, baby, and get my pistol. I left it on your desk.”

“Your pistol? You have a gun? You don’t need a gun. He’s just an asshole. He’s leaving and he’ll be back tomorrow with the money for this very expensive door. Right, Aaron?” She steps toward the banker slowly. “What the hell is your problem?”

“You wanted something outside of routine. Here it is!” The scrawny guy with buzzed hair and a suit turns red. “Plus, I came to check on you because I left you in the rain. I didn’t think you’d be on the town hitman the second I drove away, or has thisbeen going on? You two seemed to know each other pretty well earlier.”

She tilts her head to the side and crosses her arms over her chest. “We weren’t a thing while we were together. Nothing else is any of your business.”

The banker glances toward me, running his gaze down over my frame and locking at my cock. It’s fair. My cock is sizeable and deserves recognition. “You could put some pants on.”

“Don’t think I need to. You’re leaving, and I’m not finished just yet.”

He lets out a breath and sizes me up again before glancing toward Nicole. It’s still raining outside and there’s a cool breeze whipping in with it. I’ve never had the urge to pull a woman close for the sake of keeping her warm before, but here it is, barreling at me like an uncontrollable urge.

I reach out for her, wrapping her trembling frame against the heat of my naked body.

“She’s cold, and we’re done with this conversation. You had your chance with her. Two years, and what did you do with it?”

I’d slam the door in his face, but there isn’t one, so I lift the bat onto my shoulder instead. “Get the fuck out and get us that money by morning, with interest, or you’ll have problems.”

He tilts his head to the side and smiles coyly as though he’s got the upper hand. “I’ll bring the money for the door, but I know things about you, hitman, and I’ll make sure everyone in town knows them too. Nicole should know who’s she’s messing with.”

I laugh him off. “Something tells me you don’t know shit about fuck, little boy. And if you think you do, you should know you’re fucking with five grown men who hunt people for a living. Stay the fuck away or you’ll see what happens when you play games with the wrong people.”

The silence stretches unbelievably long. This dude is such a fucking asshole. His jaw tightens, and his fingers twitch. They’re small tells, but they’re enough to let me know he’s weighing his options, deciding how much this moment is truly worth.

He hesitates, just for a second, but I catch the moment. The flicker of doubt racing through his head. The realization that he never cared about Nicole enough to risk his own life or routine for any of it. And just like that, I know he won’t be a problem anymore.

The tension lingers as he steps back into the night. “Whatever! Good luck with this fucking bitch.”

I should murder him for that statement alone. The urge manifests fast and instinctively. My fists tighten, but I let him leave.

Not because he doesn’t deserve it, or because it wouldn’t be easy, but because Nicole is watching. If I do what I’ve done so many times before, I know exactly what she’ll see, and I refuse to look like a monster in her eyes.

“Oh my God.” Nicole grabs the flannel bottoms off the floor and hands them toward me. “You really like showing that thing off, don’t you?”

I grin and tug them on slowly. “I mean, if the opportunity presents itself.”

I’m not sure where to go from here. I’m terrible with emotions and relationship shit, but I want to get better at it for her. That said, I have no right dragging her into my world of depravity. She’s young. She’s got her whole life ahead of her.

“I’m gonna text my buddies. They’ll come fix the door tonight.”

“No, it’s okay. I mean, where would we even get a new door?”

“It’s just the glass that needs replacing. We’ve got a bunch of it up at the shop. Tennessee will cut a piece for me, and we’ll get this sealed back up. You’ll have every bear and raccoon for miles in here if you don’t.”

I see hesitation in her eyes, but we both know what she needs, and I plan on taking care of it.

She stares up at me, pinches her lips together, and narrows her gaze. “What exactly are we doing here?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we were supposed to be a one-night thing. An adventure. You don’t need to fix my door or my shop.”

“I want to. I also want to finish what we started. You still deserve your adventure.” I’m trying to speak it into existence, though I’m getting the sense that the vibe has changed.

“So, you’re the guy who helps me with home repairs and services my engine?” She exhales as though she’s been holding everything in. “I can’t make any promises right now, Ghost.”

“Okay, I’m not asking for one.” My jaw tenses with the weight of whatever’s happening between us. I fully understand the concept of a one-night adventure, it’s what we agreed on, but if that’s all this was, we’re standing too close, and the words are hanging with far too much fucking weight.