Page 29 of Sunshine & Sinful

He pats the side of my ankle in reassurance. “She volunteered, Sweets. If we didn’t have Cell, we’d have to wait for a qualified brother to ride here, break in, and do the same shit she was able to do. Dark kept her safe. She even transmitted the encrypted files to Gunz and his kid for them to dig through.”

I cannot believe they did this. Well, I can. But I’m…ugh.

“Sooo let me get this straight. You both wanted to have this talk today, not about what happened between us, but because of Todd?” I glance between them for an answer.

Showing zero remorse, Dark shrugs up one muscular shoulder and drops it dramatically. “Pretty much.”

“You know I can handle myself, right?” I make sure they realize I’m a grown-ass woman and not someone who needs to be saved. Had they told me about Todd before this, I could have snuck into the dentist's office with Dark.

“Obviously not,” my ex growls. “You’re dating a man hired to gather intel on you for some piece of shit wholikely wants to kidnap you to keep you as a prize, or worse.”

They don’t know that. This is all speculation. Maybe they made all this up because I’m dating someone they don’t want in my life. Maybe this is a bunch of bullshit lies to get them back into my life without having to talk about the real stuff. Blame it on basic Todd. Blame it on something other than their actions. That sounds like a smart cop-out, right?

Wanting them to see actual reason or, at the very least, own up to how far-fetched this sounds, I address my ex. “It’s been a decade, Dark. How many men do you know who play the long game? If he wanted me kidnapped, he could have done it sooner. It’s not hard. I live alone. He must know that.”

Leaning forward, staring straight at his father, Dark says, “I know plenty of men who play the long game, right, Pops?” He scoffs and lifts his chin at his dad, daring him to argue otherwise.

His expression unreadable, Sunshine ignores his son’s comment and presses his thumbs into the arch of my foot. I suppress a groan, loving the massage far more than I should. “We don’t know why all of this is goin’ down. But we know Todd’s involved. You need to remember that.”

Right. Remember that men who lied to me are selling me a story about how the guy I’m dating is some mastermind trying to kidnap me.

“You want me to kill him.” Sure, they said spy, but if I find the incriminating evidence they think I will, it’s obvious what’s expected of me. This isn’t about gatheringintel as much as it is about eliminating another threat if there even is one.

“If you don’t, Sweets, I will,” Sunshine confirms with a shallow head dip.

Great. Just great.

“Just like that?” My voice spikes a dozen octaves.

Nostrils flaring, a low rumble vibrating in his throat, Sunshine nods without hesitation. “Yeah. Just like that.” His lips split into a cruel smile—promising sweet, sweet death. A death he’ll revel in.

Fuck. My. Life.

Dropping my head against the sofa, I squeeze my eyes shut and groan.

Can’t we go back to the lying, cheating drama? I could deal with that. I’ve been dealing with that. Maybe not successfully, but it’s better than adding another line to a laundry list of crap I gotta wade through.

I met an average man with an average life and an average everything—and even he’s a possible threat. None of this makes any sense. Not the stalking, not the intel, not my ex-father-in-law sliding his cock into home base then running away as if my vagina’s diseased.

Sunshine continues his ministrations on my feet, and Dark sees himself to the kitchen, where he makes a plate of food. They leave me to digest the information. The longer I think, the less I understand and the more aggravated I become.

Gripping my crystal necklace in my fist, I drop my chin to my chest, eyes still closed, and breathe.

In through my nose. Out through my mouth.

Expanding my stomach, I hold the air and slowly expel it through my lips with intention.

Having seen me do this a thousand times before, I overhear the man at my side following along. We breathe together. My exhale is his exhale, and my sharp intake of breath is his until the tension in my shoulders bleeds to nothing.

I let everything go.

Pain.

Fear.

Misery.

The unknown.

---