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She wipes crumbs off the counter and doesn’t meet my eyes. “Thought you were friends now.”

“We’re allies.”

She looks over her shoulder. “There’s a difference?”

“Yes.”

Leaning her ass up against the counter, she looks genuinely curious. “How?”

“You lay down a life for a friend. A friend calls you, you drop everything and go to them. A friend has a kid—they’re your blood. An ally means you don’t fight, doesn’t mean shit about actual loyalty.”

You take a brand for a friend.

You bury the body of a guy you fucking loved out of loyalty because he broke the code.

No. Cillian O’Rourke is no friend of mine. I don’t like that he’s sniffing around, asking questions about their missing forger.

“I love how you frame it all so generally,” she says with a sad smile. “And no, people don’t treat each other that way for friendship.Youdo.” Her gaze flickers away. “That’s you, boo. Not everyone.”

Doesn’t matter.

She goes on. “Alright, so today we buy me clothes, and we go find Mr. O’Rourke. Make small talk. We meet him, and I’ll tell you exactly why he’s here.” She smiles sweetly and clucks her tongue. “And here you thought you were just bringing me back for my pussy.”

Jesus.

But she’s right. Who better to ferret out O’Rourke than the woman who worked by his side for years?

“So I need clothes. Makeup. Nighttime eye cream before I developbags.God.Shoes. Maybe a mani-pedi. Do they have gel polish here?” She winks at me. “Lingerie. Can’t exactly keep wearing nothing but your oversized tees, can I?”

No, no, she cannot.

“So what’s around here? I want options. Youdowant me to look presentable, right? And go ahead, tell me your greatest fantasy. School teacher? Sexy librarian? I can do that too.”

My greatest fucking fantasy is standing in my kitchen.

“Why the long face?” she asks curiously. “Afraid the brutal Brava enforcer’s become a glorified shopping assistant?”

My fucking god, I will tattoo my name across her ass before she steps foot outside of this house.

She’s playing me, but I already know I’m going to let her win.

Anissa’s back’s to me as she’s rifling through my fridge. She spins around with a carrot stick in her mouth. “And also, this might be theonlytime I ever admit your mother is right, but you do have a serious lack of food in this house. Can we get some food?”

I should’ve left her in the cage. Could’ve fed her fucking triangles of toast right through the metal bars.

The dryer buzzes down the hall.

“Go get changed. We’re heading into town.”

* * *

Chapter13

ANISSA

It’s kindainteresting going into town with a guy like Matvei. He parts the crowd with a look. I’m not even sure he knows he’s doing it.

His hand rests on my lower back, a sign of possession. Men don’t even look at me. Women stare at him, then me, wide-eyed and fascinated. Andmanyobviously recognize him.