Page 60 of Leo, My Partner

When he’s spent, Leo lowers himself until we’re chest to chest, taking my lips in a slow kiss. He pulls back, rubbing a thumb under my blue eye. “You okay?”

I smile. “Are you sure you’re a psychopath? Are you supposed to be worried about my well-being?”

A rumbling chuckle leaves his throat, washing over me. God, I love this man. “I wouldn’t care enough to ask anyone else. Only you, kotenok.” His smile is replaced with a deep frown. “I was rough with you. I?—”

I put my hand over his mouth. “You were perfect, baby. Really fucking perfect.”

Leo rolls us over until I’m lying on top of him, his half hard dick still inside me. “Want to clean up now or in the morning?”

We’ll probably regret not doing it now, but I’m too boneless to move. “In the morning. I don’t think my legs work at the moment.”

Leo barks a laugh, gliding his hands down my ass. “I would say I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t mean it. Next time, I’ll be gentler.”

“You don’t have to be but thank you.” I lean up and give Leo a quick kiss before I lay my head back against his chest. “We have to be up early tomorrow to make more sweets for the coffee shop. And to prepare a separate batch of cookies for Blu.”

“Anything you need from me, kotenok. I’m yours.”

Those words play in my head as I drift off to sleep, a smile on my face.

CHAPTER 20

TYSHAWN

The week flies by, with only one kill in between. Our mark was involved in a hit-and-run that was intentional—striking his ex-girlfriend and their child—but he got off on a technicality. Luckily the kid survived, but sadly, without their mother. So Leo had some fun cutting off a few fingers, and he let me use a garrote that time. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I don’t want to use that again. It took close to five minutes and all my strength to kill him.

Before I know it, the weekend rolls around, and I have to go see my dad like I promised. The day before, my stomach is in knots, and the kitchen is overflowing with cookies, cupcakes, muffins, croissants and Danishes. When I’m stressed, baking helps me channel my thoughts. Usually.

It’s not working this time. No matter how much I bake, my mind is still clouded. It’s like the ghost of my mom is telling me to let it go and give my father some grace, but my heart isn’t ready to hear it.

For some reason, I feel like he betrayed her, which is stupid because he can’t be in mourning forever. I think I’m hung up on the six months part, not that he moved on. It just seemed like it was too fast.

A light knock sounds at the door, but it opens before I can answer. June comes around the corner, smiling widely at me. I try to return it, but my lips only twitch. Yeah, far from convincing.

“Uh oh. Did Leo fuck up?” He looks around the kitchen, his eyes brightening when he spots the red velvet cupcakes. “Maybe he should fuck up more often if you bake like this.” He glances over his shoulder and winks, biting into the cupcake. He groans, and I chuckle, feeling lighter already. “God, Ty. If you were single, I’d marry you just for the baking.”

A full belly laugh erupts from me as I put a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven. “Don’t get me wrong, June,” I mutter, wiping my hands on the apron Leo bought me that says, ‘Cutie on Duty’, “you’re handsome as fuck but definitely not my type. I’m more interested in psychopaths.”

June laughs, climbing on one of the barstools in the kitchen. “So what’s up? Why the lone man bake off?”

I sigh, leaning my hand against the counter and lowering my head. June and I aren’t close, not like me and Sam. But I want us to be. I want June and I to become good friends, someone I can talk to about the kills me and Leo might do or when I have questions about Leo’s behavior that June can give me some insight on. And June just seems like a positive person. His vibe radiates friendliness and happiness, someone I can come to if I have life issues, and I wouldn’t have a problem being that same person for him.

Glancing up at him, his expression is open and welcoming but also a little concerned. I decided to tell him all my issues. Hopefully he doesn’t think I’m dumping on him.

Exhaling roughly, I say, “I’m going to see my dad tomorrow.”

“Are you close?” June asks, resting his arms on the counter.

“We were. More so to my mom, but we still had a strong bond. My mother died a few years ago, and I expected him to work through his grief alone, ya know?”

June nods, giving me his undivided attention.

“But six months later, he’s introducing me to his girlfriend. My parents were married for twenty-five years and he moved on in six months. I just … I’m having a hard time reconciling that.”

June is silent for a moment, finishing off his cupcake with a thoughtful expression on his face. When he’s done, he folds the paper up into a small square. Only then does he look at me, eyes filled with compassion. “My parents have been married for almost thirty years, and I know if one of them died, the other would be devastated. Can I be frank though?”

“Please.”

“If your mother is anything like mine, she wouldn’t want your father to be alone. He’s not replacing your mother. He’s probably just trying to find a new form of happiness that protects him from the pain of losing his life partner.”

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