Page 71 of Sinful Reality

“That’s your ego. She’s not in danger, and you know she’s not running into his arms and driving off into the sunset with her new man. You want to be there for you, not her.”

“Aubree!”

“This is her journey.” She drops her hand, but pins me with a look that says I’ll regret moving. “Let her walk it.”

Minka turns to continue pacing, her mind still wholly on the mayor, only to skid to a stop when she notices her guest.

Her former lover.

On the wrong side of the country.

“Paxton?” Her eyes sling my way, her cheeks paling and her heart thundering, so her pulse becomes visible in her neck. But then she looks at Paxton again, then down to the envelope he pulls from the breast pocket of his jacket.

I growl. “If that’s a marriage certificate already signed by Cordoza’s judge, I’m gonna set this whole fucking building on fire.”

Aubree snickers, sliding off the counter but leaning back, faux casual. “Doubt he’d have those kinds of connections or that Cordoza would grant the favor. He likes Minka, and he’d be insane to marry her off to Gilbert when he can keep her securely within his own coffers.” She tilts her head and watches as Minka brings the phone back to herear and snaps out a fast dismissal for the mayor. Finally, the call ends and Minka’s eyes drop to the envelope.

“He wants her to sign off as medical examiner,” Aubree murmurs, her voice almost too quiet to make out the words. “It’s like a closure thing for them, too. She was there for Alana, and now he wants her to finish it out.”

“Uh…” Fletch leans forward to eye her. “You reading lips, Emeri. Or minds?”

“Neither.” She dips her chin toward the glass wall. “I’d recognize a death certificate anywhere. Any time. Wouldn’t even have to be written in English.”

“He didn’t have to do that,” I snarl. Adrenaline bubbles in my veins, like popping candy readying to explode. My head throbs and my hands curl into balls. Fuck, I know she’d be mad if I went in there and made a mess. But he didn’t have to fly across the country for this. “He wanted to see her,” I spit out. “And came up with the flimsiest excuse he could find to make it not weird.”

“And she’s a grown woman,” Aubree cuts in. “With a brain in her head and a heart in her chest.” Though, she makes a face, audibly swallowing when Minka andwhatshisfacestep closer together. She glances up into his eyes, their toes almost touching.

Well, they’re two feet apart. But still.

Then she shakes her head and hands the death certificate back. “No thank you, Pax. Your request has been denied.” Aubree makes a joke of their conversation. That’s nice for her. I can barely fucking breathe. “You didn’t have to come to my workplace, Pax. Do you not see my husband? Right over there?”

Like magic, the pair look this way. Though I’ll be damned, Paxton’s smile remains.

“Malone wants to cut your tongue out and feed it to the pigs.And you were already warned that hitting on me would end with a broken arm.”

“He hasn’tactuallyhit on her,” I grumble, the words sour on my tongue. “Technically. His actions till now prove he’s decent and isn’t?—”

Minka swings her arm back, her face burning red and her right foot coming back to create a solid base to stand upon. Then she barrels that arm forward and punches Paxton right in the fucking jugular.

“Oh, shit!” Fletch claps his hands to his mouth, squeaking, then laughing. “Uh…”

“He hit on her,” Aubree laughs, while in Minka’s office, Paxton grabs his throat and folds at the waist, heaving for fresh air and choking when it doesn’t come. His skin turns a dangerous tomato red, while Minka’s lips curl into an unforgiving sneer. “Something aboutfuck that guy,” Aubree cackles. “Why’d you have to think with your dick and prove my husband right?”

“Get out of my damn office!” Minka charges toward her door and swings it wide, the glass almost slapping the man in the ass. “You wasted your time and a lot of air miles coming here, Paxton.”

“But Min?—”

She snarls ferociously. “Get out.”

“Your marriage is more secure than the chastity belt Aubree wore pre-Timothy Malone.” Chuckling, Fletch pushes away from the counter and swaggers into Minka’s office. He folds his arms and bends his knees to get a little lower. Waiting for Paxton’s eyes, he flashes a taunting grin and shakes his head. “You must be the dumbest son of a bitch alive.” He fists Pax’s collar and walks him toward the elevator. “And you’re damned lucky the chief’s wrath is all you felt. If you’d dealt with Archer, your intestines would be dangling from your mouth.” He waits for the elevator doors to open, then pushes him in and leans in to tap the button for the ground floor. “You tried. You failed.”

“You can go to her now.” Aubree’s cheeks fire with a sweet blush, her hair fluttering with how fast I move. “Don’t pick a fight with her, though! She’s feeling sassy.”

Minka’s face pales, her eyes locking onto mine as I stride her way. My expression is hard. My lips firmed into straight lines. My whole fucking soul pounds and aches. But the fact she looks terrified, like she’s the one about to get into trouble, makes my heart squeeze. “I didn’t ask for?—”

I wrap my hand around the side of her neck and yank her closer, folding her back and slamming my lips to hers before she has time to speak. Or think.

Or worse, tell me no.

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