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Apparently, you do.

I’d been doing a lot of things aside from the tasks on my to-do list. Chasing after Vivian had been a fun distraction at the beginning. She was a mystery that had called me, like a mission I had to complete. But now she was something else. There was this pull I couldn’t resist. The closer I got to her, the more the mystery grew. She was like a compelling book that sucked me in the more I read it, and I had to find out what happened next.

More than anything, it was the way she made me feel. The other details might not be as prominent as how my heart hammered when I looked at her or how my fingers yearned to touch her.

The damn kiss was the catalyst that cranked up my desire for her. I licked my bottom lip, still tasting that mysterious sweetness that made me feel like an idiot.

I used to make fun of my friends when they talked about their significant others. They had all seemed foolish. But here I was, standing in that same emotional pool, wondering what the hell had happened to me.

I had no explanation for my actions. Like buying the building she lived in so I could have access to all the cameras. Like paying off the customers at the café so I didn’t have to wait in line and miss her conversation with Calvin. Like “bumping into” her when she went for coffee at that café across from her apartment or ensuring she was safe when she went walking at the butt crack of dawn. Not only that, but I’d also asked the owner of the Martial Arts Studio to alert me when Vivian went to the gym. I’d told them I wanted to ask her to be my private martial arts instructor.

My focus had been on The Trogyn, but now that concentration was also on Vivian and The Triad, specifically The Taipans. Were they working with The Trogyn? Was Calvin also a member of that organization?

Vivian could get hurt by these dangerous people. Was I being overprotective? Probably. But it was better than being sorry.

This was all my speculation, but I had to see everything from a bird’s eye view. I had to imagine the possibilities because that was how my mind worked. A strategy had to be established and implemented to eliminate disasters. A well-thought-out strategy could steer a dangerous situation to have a different outcome.

However, Vivian was someone I couldn’t steer my way. She had seemed unaffected by me until recently. The kiss and the handholding changed everything.

Since when had I been obsessed with holding her hand?

I laughed out loud to myself. The sound bounced around the walls of my office. I could imagine all the furniture, paintings on the wall, and even the hardwood floor laughing back at me.

The fool who wouldn’t give up.

Did she have feelings for Bullseye? It was still me, but an uncomfortable feeling stirred, knowing she had feelings for another man while holding my hand.

But he’syou.

Butshedidn’t know it was me.

When I held her hand, it felt so right. She also welcomed it because she didn’t extract it from my grip. I hadn’t expected the dating app to reveal so much to me.

Vivian had confessed she had trouble trusting. I had to tell her the truth soon. But how could I do it without appearing untrustworthy? I didn’t want her to think I was toying with her emotions.

I got up from my desk, walked to my wine cabinet, and poured myself a glass of CheckMate Black. The dark liquid slid down my throat, warming my stomach.

I returned to my desk and thought about the man I’d seen at the crime scene.

What was he doing there looking at the dead body of that little girl? Was he just a regular bystander who walked by? I doubted it. I’d seen him at the wine convention, and he’d offered me a nod.

Who was this man?Did he know me? Had we met, and I’d forgotten?

No. I had an excellent memory, and I would remember if I’d met him. He wasn’t some regular guy who went unnoticed. He was well dressed both times I’d seen him. Money and power oozed from him. I had to find out who he was.

Who was that little girl? She appeared to be eight or nine, maybe even younger. Perhaps the authorities had her information in their missing children’s cases. The DNA test would confirm that.

Did The Triad have Aimee?

I didn’t want Vivian anywhere near The Triad, but she was already immersed in it, whichmeant I had to keep a closer eye on her.

The PI could help locate Aimee quicker. He had exceptional resources that the police didn’t have. Besides, the city had too many cases to work on. He’d been instrumental in helping me and my friends destroy The Trogyn’s businesses.

I finished my wine, grabbed my phone, and called him at his current number. He changed phone numbers every two weeks to protect us and himself.

He told us to call him O.R., but we were used to just calling him our private investigator.

“Can you prioritize a missing child’s case?”