Page 94 of Fire for Effect

I tilted my head to one side, then the other, as if I was really contemplating that option.

“Shut the hell up,” he said, placing a kiss to my lips. “And you won’t be a Guerro for too long, anyway.”

“Oh? You think I’d change my name?” I said, poking me in the rib. “I didn’t change it for Heath. Why do you think I’d change it for you?”

“I dunno, I assumed you weren’t that attached to it because of your Dad. But I’d take a hyphenate, or hell… don’t change it at all, and just go by Mrs. Griffith socially. I don’t really care.”

I pursed my lips, thinking for a moment about what I would say next. He had brought my ex-spouse into this. So maybe it was safe to bring his into it as well.

“Kristin changed her name,” I said, carefully. “I think she still goes by your last name now.”

“Are you stalking my ex?” His smile was low and broad as he looked at me with mirth in those dark eyes. “Jealous?”

“No!” I tried to squirm out of his hold, btu the more I tried to pull away, the tighter he held me. “But she shows up on socials sometimes. We still have mutuals, and shit.”

“You’re cute when you’re jealous,” he said with the teasing smile as he rubbed his nose against mine. Then he sang, “I think you liiiike me. You wanna fuuuuck me. You wanna—oof!”

I punched him in the sternum. Not hard, just enough to get him to shut the hell up.

My phone chimed.

I pulled it from my pocket and looked as the cameras picked up a red Corvette coming up the road.

“Friend of yours?” I asked, turning my phone to him as he closed his eyes, and groaned.

Chapter 25

Wifey

Griff

“Listen, you’re about to meet someone important to me, but I also want you to know that she’s…” I was lost for words. “She’s a lot to deal with.”

“What does that mean?” Taz put her phone away as a second car came up the driveway. “Are you introducing me to your mother?”

“No!” Christ that would be a totally different conversation. “At least not yet. Sierra is actually… worse.”

An ostentatious, fire engine red Corvette drove up the narrow path, and I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose before Hurricane Sierra stomped all over the newly tranquil existence. I had a few minutes of peace, and now, it would be blown to hell again.

“She’s a walking disaster, but amazing at her job, which is the only reason I interact with her,” I said, bracing myself for impact as I tried to step between Agent Sierra and Taz.

I wasn’t going to discuss the strange intimacy between me and Sierra.

She wasn’t a lover, and we would never, ever hook up. But at moments when I needed Veder, or someone like him back in my life, she was there. She was… my best man. But how would I explain that? How could I possibly say that in a way that didn’t look bad for me?

Taz and I were in a good fucking place.

What we didn’t need was this feral monstrosity of a woman to come barreling in with her big mouth and…

“Wifey!” The \ Sierra, traipsed in with skin-tight leggings tucked into black knee-high boots. A scarlet red jacket showed off her thin frame. Her thin, platinum hair was pinned behind her ears as she sauntered over to Trinity with absolutely no regard for decorum. “So good to meet you! I’ve already seen your whole biography. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure this Heath Carlin pays–”

“Sierra!” I said, ready to punch her in the face.

Christ, I already regretted this.

“Was that supposed to be a secret, Kilo?” Sierra’s eyes went wide, as she placed a dainty hand over her heart. “Oh no!” Her sarcasm was as thick as pond water, and full of as much shit. “What happened to the handsome Riley? I liked him for Wifey. He was hot! Put that man on a calendar!”

She batted her eyelashes at me, her full face of makeup a stark contrast to my Trinity’s natural appearance. In many ways, Sierra tried to act like she was a “type” like Kristin. Material. Superficial. A caricature of a real person.

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