Page 75 of The Lies We Tell

I can’t help the chuckle that escapes. “Fair point.”

“I’d have to check. Seem to recall tampering with evidence in Ohio was something like a third-degree felony with up to three years. I might be wrong. Would need to check what it is here.”

“Can’t imagine prison is a safe place for an ATF agent.”

He shrugs. “Definitely not. But they often take that into account when choosing the prison. Likely wouldn’t get sent to a USP, a high security federal prison. We’re often kept segregated. Law enforcement can be sent out of state and sometimes given a fake name and backstory so only the warden knows who they really are.”

“You know I’d come visit you.”

“Prison isn’t a place for you.”

“It’s not the place for you either. But this, you and me, Saint, it’s bigger than temporary, bigger than prison, bigger than the troubles you’re facing right now. I’m not making that up, am I?”

Saint reaches for my hands. “No, sweetheart. You’re not making that up.” There’s a pause as he simply looks at me. “Plus, I’m a big guy. I’m not gonna get hurt. I’d like to think I could take care of myself.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better. I hate the idea you could get hurt.”

He circles his thumbs over my knuckles. “I don’t think any option is painless. Not even faking my own death and disappearing, which, believe me, I’ve considered. It’s going to hurt, Briar.”

“Then I’m going to be here to patch it all back up.”

“You mean that.”

“Yes. I mean that. Plus, we can role-play. If you get hurt, I’ll be the hot young nurse. You can be the grumpy old man patient.”

Saint grins at me. “Less of the old.”

I laugh. “I’ll even get one of those short, white nurse’s uniforms.”

“Stockings?”

“Sure.”

“Fuck,” Saint grunts. “Unless you plan to do something about this boner, you gotta stop talking.”

Perhaps the kindest thing I can do right now is give him a safe place to land. Give him the warmth of my body, the security of the two of us intimately entwined in the safety of our bed.

I pull my tank over my head, smiling as his eyes go straight to my breasts. “Maybe I want to do something about that boner. We can come back to this conversation over breakfast.” I turn, place my elbows on the counter, and lock my hands behind my head as my forehead touches the cool surface. My ass juts out.

The sound of his stool scraping along the floor tells me his answer.

When he drops to his knees behind me, biting my ass, I get my answer.

He needs to escape as much as I do.

And when he places his palm between my shoulders, stroking my skin as he eases his cock inside me, I wonder about the universe and everything that had to happen so I could be here for him like this.

So I could feel every inch of his length and the very depths of his heart.

No matter what plan we make, my life will never be the same again.

28

SAINT

Church. One hour.

The message on my club phone three days later is from Spark. I’ve never known anyone other than King to send a message calling for us all to get together. Over the past few days, I’ve seen Spark’s strength come back. I’ve driven Iris to her school occasionally. With the splint on her arm from her accident and her car still in the shop, she’s needed the ride and has been spending every night at the club.