Page 82 of Things We Hide from the Light

“How big and fat are we talkin’?” I teased.

Her smile was feline. “Why? You have a problem making a lot less than your emotional support bed buddy?”

“No, ma’am. I do not. Just curious how much ‘a lot less’ is.”

“I have a brokerage account and a walk-in closet full of very nice designer duds. That sexy Charger out there in the parking lot? I paid for it in cash with last year’s bonus.”

I let out a low whistle. “Can’t wait to see what you get me for my birthday.”

“If memory serves, you and your brother barely spoke for years because he gave you money.”

“Now that’s a dirty lie,” I said, picking up my wine. “We barely spoke for years because he forced money on me, told me what to do with it, then didn’t like what I chose to do instead.”

“Well, in that case, Team Nash,” she said.

“Figured I’d get you there.”

“What exactly did Knox want you to do with the money?”

“Retire.”

Her eyebrows skyrocketed. “Retire? Why?”

“He hates that I grew up and became a cop. We had our fair share of brushes with the law growing up. Knox never outgrew his distrust of authority. He’s mellowed some. But he still likes to dabble in the gray area. Like those illegal poker games I’m not supposed to know about.”

“What about you? Why aren’t you still dabbling in the gray?”

“If you ask my brother, it was a ‘fuck you’ to him and our childhood. Us against the man.”

“But that’s not the truth.”

I shook my head. “I thought, instead of operating outside the system, why not make changes within it? Our scrapes with the law were pretty minor. But Lucian? No one was there to protect or serve him. He was thrown in jail at seventeen and sat there for a week, which never shoulda happened. That’s what changed for me. No amount of hell-raising and lawbreaking was going to help him out of that jam. And all it would have taken was for one good cop to do the right thing.”

“So you’re out there doing your job for all the future Lucians,” she said.

I shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. “And the free uniform. Rumor has it the pants make my butt look good.”

Lina grinned and I felt that warm campfire-like glow in my chest. “Oh, Studly Do-Right, that rumor has been substantiated. It is official fact.”

“Studly Do-Right?”

“Something around town you don’t already know?” she teased.

I closed my eyes. “Tell me that’s not my nickname.”

She fluttered those long lashes at me. “But, Nash, I know how important honesty is to you.”

“Christ.”

SEVENTEEN

PILLOW TALK

Lina

“So you went from a high-profile, roof-jumping assignment with a team and now you’re here?” Nash asked.

We were in my bed staring up at the ceiling. Nash was on the left side, closest to my bedroom door. Piper was curled up snoring in his armpit. I’d shoved a pillow between us to prevent any repeat performances of last night.