Page 84 of Wilde In His Arms

“You would?”She sounded surprised and dubious.

“This is the first time you’ve asked me to do something like I’m your boyfriend.Like we live together.It just makes this all finally seem real.”

She chuckled.“My stuff all over the bathroom counter wasn’t real enough for you?”

“I like seeing your stuff mixed with my stuff.”

“I’m glad, because I worried that you’d never lived with a woman so it might be off-putting to have me invade your space.”

“That’s just it, sweetheart.It’sourspace.We moved into a new place so we could make it ours.”

“Does that mean I can start decorating?Because the walls are bare and so are most of the rooms.And while I love the hardwood floors, some big rugs would add color, texture, and warmth to the spaces.”

“Let’s plan to do it together over the next couple of weeks I’m off.”

“Sounds good.”

His phone dinged with the incoming text Aria sent of the grocery list followed by a heart emoji.

“I’m headed out now.Be home before you leave for work, so I can kiss you goodbye and you’ll remember it.Unlike when you were asleep and I kissed you before coming here.”

“Lucky me.”

“No.I’m the lucky one to have someone like you.”

“Let’s call and check on Stacy when you get home so she can see us together, here.”

“Great idea.She’ll love that.”It was all coming together.Finally.

Chapter thirty-five

Nickwasjustfinishingup with his interview about the shooting when his brother knocked on the front door.Nick saw him on the new video doorbell he’d installed when he returned from town.He’d gone by the hardware store, the garden center, and then hit the grocery store.He hoped taking care of a few things around the house showed Aria that he really was excited about buying the house, making it theirs, and being with her.

“Please excuse me for a second, my brother is at the door.”

Agent Whitson nodded as he typed in more notes from their conversation.

Nick went to the front door and opened it to his scowling brother.“I hate that piece of shit.”

Nick assumed he was talking about Javier and his early morning call.“Join the club.Come in.Be quiet.I’m finishing up my interview with Agent Whitson.”Nick waved Mason toward the kitchen.“Help yourself to whatever, I’ll be done soon.”He took a seat at the dining table he’d moved from his apartment and unmuted his side of the video call.“I’m back.Thank you for waiting.Did you have any further questions?”

“After Javier Lopez threatened you, you said he used Toby as a shield to get away.”

“That’s right.”

“Why didn’t he take the child with him?”

Nick shrugged, relieved all over again that Javier had left the boy behind.“I don’t know.Because it would add another level to a manhunt for him if he had the kid.Toby was also severely injured.He needed medical help.Lopez probably didn’t want to deal with that.When I find Lopez, I’ll be sure to ask him.”Thank God Lopez left Toby behind.Nick didn’t want to think what might have happened to him if he hadn’t.

“And since Javier Lopez escaped after issuing the threat, have you had any further contact with him?”

“First of all, like I already said, I didn’t have a shot with him holding a kid in front of him.And I was in no condition to run after him with a bullet through my leg.But as to your question…yes.This morning Javier Lopez contacted me.He left a note on my back door and called me on a prepaid cell phone he left on the ground.”

“What did the note say?”

“Basically, that he planned to kill my brother and girlfriend to get back at me for killing his sister.”

“And on the phone?”

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