Page 35 of Shaken Knot Stirred

I reached for it, but he covered it with a hand. “Twelve,” I countered.

“I have to pry the stones out, melt down the platinum.”

“You don’t have seats for the fights.” I reminded him. Marius might be the best fence in Port Haven, but his cash flow didn’t allow for tickets and gambling. I knew from Emma that he had lost big on the last Swish game.

“Ten and I’ll give you my seat. It’s ringside.”

“Next to Beg?”

I nodded. His grubby little fingers danced on top of the jewels in indecision.

“Come to Vig tonight with a few pieces, and I’ll introduce you around. You know alphas like to splurge right before the Dinghy Races.”

His eyes lit up at the potential for quick cash. Beg would demand a cut or a favor for extending a courtesy like this. I was offering the rare opportunity to fly under the radar.

He pulled a creamy envelope out of his suit jacket pocket and slid it across the table just as Nico sat down.

“Whatever this is,” Nico motioned between the two of us, “it’s over now.” Nico couldn’t use his alpha aura to bully us. That didn’t work reliably on betas. Nico’s growing reputation of giving exactly zero fucks worked better than his aura, anyway.

Marius scooped up the goods, pocketed them, and wedged his large frame out of the booth. It was dumb to do this in Vig. If Beg found out, he’d just take the cash. I was beginning to think he was finally bored with finding creative ways to punish me that didn’t leave marks.

Nico studied me for a long moment before nodding toward the envelope. He was close enough that I could feel the heat rising off his body. After two years, I should be done with this insane hope that there would be more between us than animosity and collective misery.

I swept the envelope off the table, leaving his unasked question unanswered as I slid out of the booth. He reached for my arm, but snatched his hand away before making contact. He didn’t even want to touch me to make me do what he wanted.

Vig was eerie when all the lights were on and the music was dead. Nico’s boots thudded heavily behind me in the silence. He put an arm across the door before I could push it open. I swept my hair off my shoulder and looked up at him.

Two years ago, I would have said Nico wasn’t my type. I was young and dumb and had a thing for surfer blondes with spray tans. Nico’s skin was dark and rich like antique gold and put any tan to shame. He kept his unruly curls tied back. I had a sinking suspicion he took my hair ties. The highlight of my day was catching him coming out of our shared bath with his hair loose, framing his face.

“Tell me, Lana.” It wasn’t a demand or an order, but a plea.

I closed my eyes to take in his faint scent. It was woodsy and clean, not medicinal like Beg’s. When I looked back at him, the pleading had reached his eyes. I could almost believe he was concerned about me.

“Moxie,” I said. I was tired. So tired of all the mind games and the lies. Tired of keeping everyone at arm’s length. “I’m going to buy Moxie out and get her away from here.”

He recoiled slightly, like that was the last thing he expected, and dropped his arm from the door.

“What?”

“She owes Beg money. I’m going to get it for her.”

“Why would you do that?”

I put my hand on the door and pushed it open, but I didn’t move through it. “Eventually, he’s going to use us to hurt her or the other way around. I don’t…” I stopped myself from letting loose this particular truth, “I don’t want to play that game anymore. Not with her.” I bit my lip to keep myself from saying, ‘not with you. I don’t want to hurt someone I love anymore.’

Winding my way down the hall, I could feel Nico following. I reached a finger out to press the code on the keypad. Nico covered my hand.

“We have to be careful,” he said so softly that if I wasn’t 6 inches from him, I wouldn’t have heard him. His thumb lightly stroked the back of my hand. I struggled to breathe and could only nod my head.

Nico punched the code and pushed the door open for me. Our living room was an explosion of tissue paper and garment bags.

Moxie stood in the middle of the room in a vibrant purple floor-length gown. It glittered with a million little jewels. She looked like a dream I knew I could never have.

Chapter 19

Nico

That dress exaggerated allof Moxie’s curves. She cocked her hip and held out an imaginary tea cup, pinky raised.

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