Page 69 of Breaking the Sinner

She scoffed, throwing her arms up. “Are you kidding me? Why would you just let this job go?”

Cobra looked over his shoulder, as if checking to make sure nobody watched them. He stepped closer then, lowering his voice. “I’m not kidding. You need to leave. I don’t want people to see you here.”

“Why?”

“It’s not safe.”

“And you live here?”

Cobra opened her driver’s side door, pointing to the seat. “Go.”

She watched him a moment longer, unwilling to let this be the way she left. So many questions remained. But she’d been pushy enough. Her brave reserves were spent. It was time to go home and crawl into her bed.

“Don’t disappear, Cobra,” she said softly. “I want to see you again.”

His jaw worked side to side for a moment. “Go, Gen.”

She huffed and sat inside the car. He shut her door before she could say another word. When she started the car, he headed back to the building but must have thought better of it because he turned around and came back. She rolled down her window, and he pressed his forehead to the doorframe. Searing her with a look that made her tense, but hopeful.

“I’ll come over this weekend,” he said. His voice had lost the razor edge. The anger had ebbed. “Tomorrow. Maybe. Okay?”

She nodded, unable to fight the victorious smile.

“Now, get the fuck out of here.” He sent her a stern look, and she rolled her window up promptly. He watched her from the sidewalk as she pulled out, his dark-chocolate gaze sending electricity through her even as she watched him through the rear-view mirror.

Once she hit the highway, she finally relaxed. She wasn’t sure if that had been a blazing success or failure. The only thing she knew was that she’d followed her gut.

And that, more than anything, was the real success.

Chapter 28

Cobra stared at the wall of produce. Shiny green bell peppers, gleaming, long carrots. He’d come to the supermarket for a peace offering. But with so many options in front of him and so many different ways to sayI’m sorry, he wasn’t sure where to begin.

Vegetables seemed the best option. Red would like vegetables the best.

He picked the shiniest bell pepper he could find and a bunch of carrots with the tops still on. Then he added a bunch of kale—whatever the hell kale even was—and a lemon, topped off with a head of garlic.

It still didn’t seem like enough. She’d caught him with his pants down yesterday, showing up at his house like that. And he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t replayed what he’d said to her damn near a million times. That kept him up late last night, per usual, along with the other hundreds of negative things coursing through his head.

Truth was, part of him was touched. Nobody had ever sought him out. Nobody had ever checked in on him like that.

He owed her a thank you, but he didn’t know how to say it yet.

So he’d shower her with gifts instead. As much as his meager disposable income would allow. He picked up a container of bella mushrooms as well. It would be nice to make more stir-fry. She’d like that. On his way to check out, he scooped up a bouquet of white daisies. And then added a second bouquet in a pretty pink color. He would have bought her ten bouquets, if he had the money.

When he knocked on her apartment door, she pulled the door open immediately, as if she’d been standing there pacing. The relief on her face nearly sent him to his knees. God, she fuckingcaredabout him. That sent warmth trickling through him. The dangerous kind.

“Hi, Cobra.” She stepped aside, waving him in. “What’s all this?”

“Peace offering.” He revealed the two bouquets he had hidden behind his back. She inhaled sharply.

“Aww! Thank you!” She pushed up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He felt a dopey grin come on—she was the only one who could inspire that shit in him.

“So let’s see, this is the second time you got me flowers, and you got me two bouquets this time. Does that mean that next time there will be three?” She looked over her shoulder as she carried the bouquets into the kitchen. Water ran, and then she was arranging them in a vase. He brought the bags in, setting them down on the island.

“Could be. You’ll just have to find out.”

She sent him a private smile across the island. One that made his heart squeeze. He shouldn’t be making it up to her like this, but he couldn’tnotdo it either. Something about her made him want to go against the grain of his regular life. No matter how much friction it caused.

---