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“I heard from a buddy that Homicide got a search warrant on one of their clubs a few days ago,” Kane says. “They think a girl found at the harbour was killed in their club and dumped there. They think it’s their smoking gun.”

She was the fifth body.

“Know anything about that?” he prods.

“Maybe” I say evasively.

“And let me guess, the reason why you were late this morning has something to do with Rowan?”

“I’m being careful,” I assure him, but even I don’t believe it. If it wasn’t for a tattoo I got on a drunken whim, I’d be dead.

Next to me, he sighs, the same disapproving sound Halle gave me this morning. “You have to know you’re playing a very dangerous game, Alex.”

I open my mouth to assure him, but Tanya walks in. “What are you two gossiping about?”

He smiles fondly, holding out his arm to her. She easily folds herself into him, leaning down and giving him a quick peck on the lips. My chest tightens watching them. For a second, I wonder what that might be like, having a family, someone to come home to. I don’t know if I’ve ever considered that to be on the cards for me.

“Oh, just work stuff,” Kane says. “Got a pretty tricky case right now.”

“Always work,” Tanya says, rolling her eyes. “The girls want to say goodnight to you.”

I take that as my cue to leave, depositing my bottle on the table. “Thank you for dinner, Tanya. The food was delicious, as always.”

She smiles. “Of course, the girls were happy to see you. You should come by more often,” she says. “We love having you around.”

I laugh feebly, pushing myself out of my seat. “I will,” I say. “Tell them I said goodbye.”

“I’ll walk him out and I’ll head upstairs,” Kane says.

She stands and pulls me into a tight hug, the scent of a floral perfume engulfing me. “It’s good to see you, Alex.”

“Yeah. You too.”

Kane walks me out to my car. The temperatures have dropped again and clouds of air escape as I breathe in the evening air.

“I’ll see you Monday?” he says. It sounds more like a question—like he’s checking if I’ll show up.

“Yeah. Monday.”

“Be safe, okay? Anything happens and you let me know. I don’t care how bad it is. I’ve got your back. Always.”

“I know.” I nod. “Thanks for inviting me to dinner. This was nice.”

“You’re part of the family. You know that.” He gives me a final pat on the back before he heads back into the house. I watch him close the door behind him, going back to his family and locking the doors.

You have to know you’re playing a pretty dangerous game, Alex.

I do know that, but I’m determined to win, no matter how formidable my opponents seem to be.

Chapter Nine: Rowan

On Saturday afternoon, I find myself back at my parents’ house. Anxiety prickles at my skin when I make my way upstairs. It’s not the house or my parents’ summon that has me on edge. It’s not my lack of adequate sleep or Haze either. It’s Alex and that damned tattoo.

And no matter how hard I try, I can’t figure out why he would do that, why he’d immortalise the one day I always thought we both wanted to forget.

After fleeing Alex’s apartment, I dreamt of him again. This time it wasn’t a dream, more a memory, and somehow that made me wake up more pissed off than usual.

It was December, six months after we met. Alex had pulled me into the freezing night air, the riverside alive with holiday cheer. He’d pointed to a tattoo shop under the bridge, eyes bright with mischief. “We should get tattoos,” he’d said.