Page 56 of Force At Third

“Might be true, but she needs to know you aren’t just a dick or a tongue to ride.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“She comes knocking, tell her you want more.”

“She knows that,” I growl.

“You have history, deep history. Fix what was broken. Make her fix what she broke or let him win what could be the biggest game of your life, man.”

“Fuck him. That motherfucker knows she and I have always had this thing. He’s not fucking her; he’s fucking me through her. It’s a game to him. One he’s played with many others. He doesn’t get to hurt her.”

“You need to tell her that.”

“Told me I wasn’t allowed to speak to her again. Then she pushed me down on the couch, rode my dick, and left.” I pull my feet off the railing, toss the empty in the cooler, and grab another. “Don’t wanna talk about this anymore.”

“All right, let’s talk about tomorrow’s games,” he suggests.

I scrub a hand over my face and lean back. “Question.”

“Shoot.”

“You in love with CeCe Shaw?”

“I’m in deeper than I’ve ever been before with anything in my life.”

“But not love?” I ask.

“That will be something I admit to her first.” He winks. “Not you.”

“You’re fucked.” I hold my beer out.

He taps his to mine. “Pot, meet kettle.”

Girls Night

11

This afternoon was a cluster fuck, but at least we know that William Center is in town. How do we know this? Rome showed up with flowers at Wags, where CeCe decided she’d call off the date they’d planned when he got back from their six days on the road. And she did so by cutting herself open wide and bleeding it all out, honestly expecting he’d take the out she was giving him by insisting she couldn’t focus on dating and everything else that was going on.

He didn’t take them out; the man stepped up his game. He came to Marks and my make-shift little office behind Wags and devised a plan to do something with her, Cora, us, and her friends. It would take some maneuvering, but CeCe deserved this.

Rome went to O’Donnell’s to ask Fawna to get the girls together and assist in his little surprise. She wasn’t there, but her father was. When Rome left O’Donnell’s and was getting in his truck, Abe pulled him back right before the driver of a white vehicle attempted to run him over.

We have yet to tell CeCe any of that, or about Rome and Abe chasing the car through downtown Trenton because he was dead set on giving her a fun night.

Mission accomplished, and bonus, Abe knows, which means more eyes.

Marks and I have hired more people to watch over Rome’s family, and CeCe’s wealthy friends’ families already have people on them because they thought we were a danger.

The girls all decided they were staying over, and CeCe, who’d kept her friends at arm’s length, had just finished telling them everything. You could visibly feel the weight lifting off her shoulders as they surrounded her and Cora, the way true friends do.

Standing at the sink to wash my hands before preparing a tray of leftover wraps for the girls to munch on, I see Rome and Locke on Rome’s back deck with Elle. I also see the reflection of a tall, stunning, model-like form standing behind me.

I turn and start preparing the tray. “Hungry?”

“Starving,” she admits. “Need some help?”

“I’m good.”

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