Page 48 of Skeletons in the Closet

He chuckled, helping Faye to her feet and guiding her to the door. “Let me translate the grunting growl for you. Diem will call the minute he knows anything. Take care, Faye. I’m terribly sorry for your loss.”

For the first time since she arrived, Faye sniffled and looked grief-stricken. “It’s hard losing a husband.”

“I have no doubt.”

Faye left, and Tallus shut the door behind her before leaning on it and facing me, grinning with the perfect mix of sultry mischief. “Hey, Guns. You’re chipper as ever.”

I glared. “We aren’t partners.”

Ignoring the comment, he shoved away from the door. “I knew you wouldn’t invite me to this stakeout tonight, but not being part of it didn’t feel right. My brilliance got us this far, so here I am.” And the bastard struck a pose.

“I work alone.”

Tallus shook his head, coy and self-confident. He knew exactly what he was doing, and I willed my brain and body not to react. I would not be seduced.

“I brought food.” He motioned to the take-out bag he’d deposited beside the drink tray. “I spent my hard-earned money on you, and believe me, I don’t have a penny to spare, so this is a treat, and you should be thankful.”

“We aren’t partners. It’s my business. I formed it. Alone.”

“Come on, Guns. You knew I’d show up. Get over yourself.”

I changed tactics since I wasn’t getting anywhere. “And it’s not a stakeout. You watch too much TV.”

Tallus huffed. “Whatever you want to call it. I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. Are you going to keep growling and arguing, or can we eat? I’m starving.”

There was no point in fighting where Tallus was concerned. Once he set his mind to something, I’d learned it would take nothing short of a meteor wiping out humankind to stop him.When I quit arguing, he collected the take-out bag and drinks and took Faye’s chair.

I’d spent all week trying to figure out how to avoid Tallus’s company where Beth’s rendezvous with the elusive bastard was concerned. It meant potential hours of sitting in a car.Hours.All I needed was to have Tallus beside me. It was hard enough concentrating for long periods of surveillance without his loud personality as a distraction. I was hard-pressed to survive ten minutes in his presence. And it was getting worse.

But, as was becoming the norm, I submitted with barely a fight, like a pup rolling to his back and inviting attention. I didn’t like the hold Tallus had on me. Or rather, I wasn’t sure what to do about it.

Dinner was southwest chicken bowls from a trendy restaurant I’d never been to. “It’s their Friday special,” Tallus explained. “One of my favorite places. It’s my payday treat to myself every week. Are you okay with spice? This bowl has a kick to it. I love jalapenos. I always order extra. I had them put the regular amount on yours, but if I know you like bite, I’ll ask for more next time.”

I stared across the desk without answering as Tallus smirked and stuffed a forkful into his mouth. He somehow made eating into an X-rated affair and wasn’t shy about it either. The way he wrapped his mouth around the fork tines and licked his lips was infuriatingly obscene. The noises climbing his throat hit me right in the balls. I would have opened a window if it wasn’t raining and way too fucking obvious.

Something told me Tallus knew exactly what he was doing. Yeah, a night with Tallus beside me in the Jeep would be hell.

“So that was Faye?” Tallus pointed his fork at the door.

I grunted, deciding to eat since it smelled good.

“What did she want?”

“Update.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Not much.”

“Does she know where we’re going tonight?”

“No.”

“How much did you share about the elusive bastard and Olivia and those emails?”

“Nothing.”

Tallus hummed and watched me eat. “Is the bowl good?”

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