“Cane…” She released the breath she was holding and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. She held on to me tightly and buried her face in my chest. Her legs hooked over my waist, and she breathed deeply, subduing her own panic. Like a frightened cub looking for protection, she clung to me like I was the only thing that could keep her safe.
“I’m right here.” My hand moved into her hair, and I kissed her on the temple. “It’s alright.” My lips moved to her cheek then her neck. “It’s just you and me inside these four walls.”
She moved closer into my chest and slowed her breathing. Her normally soft skin was covered with sweat and her body was scorching hot, but I didn’t push her away. She closed her eyes and slowly returned to a state of calm.
I continued to stroke her hair and stare at her features. They were contorted into a look of pain before they slowly began to soften once more. All the things I loved about her face began to return, like the slight glow of her cheeks and the softness of her mouth.
My fingers traced her soft strands then moved to her neck. I touched her pulse in her veins and felt it vibrate under my fingertip. It was like a lullaby to me, feeling that rhythmic sound slow until it reached gentle pace. I never wanted that vein to go quiet, for those eyes to close forever.
It seemed like such a waste.
I kissed her on the mouth again, even though I was certain she was already asleep. I loved those lips like they were made for me to enjoy. My breath escaped my mouth and entered her throat, feeling just right.
I had to stop myself before I woke her up again.
I stared at her eyes until mine grew heavy. When I couldn’t keep them open any longer, they closed and I slipped into a dreamless slumber.
And I think she did too.
I examined the handgun my designer created. Not as heavy as a typical weapon, the steel had been blended with a lighter material, making the gun a quarter lighter than average. They would sell like hot cakes no matter what I priced it at. “Good work.”
Vox nodded in appreciation. “I can get it a bit lighter. Need to tweak a few things.”
“Let me know when you do.” I returned the gun to the table just as Crow approached. I didn’t know he was on base because he was secretive with his visits. I did most of the work with the production and shipments. He stopped by whenever he felt like it. “What do you think?”
He examined the gun then opened the barrel. His fingers slid along the metal before he shut the barrel again and set it on the table. “Fine piece of weaponry. I’d like one once it’s out of production.”
“Sure thing, Crow,” Vox answered.
I walked away since the conversation was over.
“How’s she doing?” Crow’s voice came up behind me since he was following me.
I stopped and turned around, standing with Crow in the assembly warehouse. The police knew exactly where we were and what we did for a living, but they didn’t bother us. While we committed crimes every day, we respected the police and never worked against them. The only kind of organized crime we did involved other criminals. The police came after us once a long time ago. They quickly learned to turn their cheeks and mind their own business. “She’s fine.” I assumed he was talking about Adelina and her emotional breakdown at the house the other day.
“Pearl is concerned about her.”
“She doesn’t need to be.” Crow and I would never figure out where Lizzie was being held unless we questioned Tristan ourselves. For the sake of our business relationship and any further transactions, we didn’t stick our noses where they didn’t belong. It was bad business. “She’s a strong girl.”
“I can tell. She reminds me of Pearl.”
The jealousy shot through me at the comparison. I didn’t want him to view my woman in the same light as his wife.
Crow must have caught the look on my face because the corner of his mouth rose. “She’s pretty, but not my type.”
Even that comment made me angry.
Crow grinned harder. “Forget I said anything.”
If I said Pearl was pretty, he wouldn’t like it one bit. I walked off again, not in the mood to talk to him.
Crow trailed behind me. “Two weeks left…that’s going to go by quickly.”
It already had gone by too fast. “Did you want something? I thought you weren’t a fan of girl talk?” I tried to talk to him about Pearl a few times when his head was shoved up his ass. He wasn’t fond of it.
“Are you really going to give her back to Tristan?”