Page 137 of Body and Soul

“You’re goddamn right,” Xander muttered.

Shepherd turned his attention back to me. “Are you ready to go?”

I nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted. Shepherd must have seen something in my expression, because his gaze softened. He reached out, cupping my cheek.

Xander leaned in and said in a dramatic, low voice, “Now, kiss.”

I shot Xander an exasperated look, but couldn't stop the blush from rising in my cheeks.

Xavier elbowed his brother. “Bro, don’t be a dick.”

Xander just shrugged. “Can’t help it. You know they say you are what you eat.”

“We should get going,” Shepherd said, his voice losing its softness.

“Rain check on that weekend hang out?” Xander asked.

I nodded, trying to ignore the way my stomach fluttered at Shepherd's touch. “Yeah. Rain check.”

We said our goodbyes to Xander and Xavier, promising to text when we got back, then headed for Shepherd's SUV. The leatherseats were cold as I slid into the passenger side, the chill seeping through my damp jeans. Shepherd cranked the heat as he pulled out of the warehouse lot, the vents blasting blessed warmth over my numb fingers and face.

The drive home was quiet. I was too tired to do much talking, and Shepherd had spent the day preparing for the next semester’s classes that he was teaching. We were both probably pretty tired. I couldn’t wait to get through the shower so we could cuddle on the couch…and maybe get my mouth around his cock.

We arrived at the apartment building, took the elevator up, opened the front door…

And froze.

Leaning against the wall across from the door, arms crossed over his chest, was FBI Agent Valentine.

“Agent Valentine.” Shepherd put a hand on my shoulder. “I didn’t think breaking and entering was your style.”

“Shepherd,” Valentine returned with a nod. His gaze cut to me. “Eli.”

I just stared at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. Why was he here? Had something happened? My mind raced with possibilities, each more dire than the last.

Valentine pushed off the wall and uncrossed his arms. “You’d be surprised what kind of access a badge can get you. For what little good it does me these days.” He took several limping steps forward before pausing and leaning against the counter. He tried to play it off as a threatening move, but I saw it for what it was. Valentine was in pain and trying to keep the weight off his right knee.

“Why are you here, Valentine?” Shepherd growled.

Valentine's gaze flicked to Shepherd, his expression unreadable. “Easy. I’m just the messenger.”

“For who?” Shepherd demanded.

Valentine shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “Algerone.”

Wait… Valentine was Algerone’s delivery boy? Since when?

Shepherd must’ve thought the same thing because he drew his lips into a thin line. “I didn’t realize you’d thrown your lot in with him.”

Valentine snorted. “More like he came to me.” Valentine pulled a thick folder out of the inside pocket of his coat and slapped it onto the counter.

My eyes widened as I stared at the folder. The weight of it seemed to fill the room, the air suddenly thick with tension. Shepherd reached out and flipped it open, his jaw clenching as he scanned the contents.

Page after page of damning evidence. Surveillance photos, bank statements, intercepted emails and texts. It was all there, laid out in black and white. The Laskins' entire operation, every dirty deal and bloody kill, every connection to the Russian mob.

There was enough in that folder to bury them all. Xavier's hacking, the shell companies Warrick used to launder money, even the details of Daniella's captivity and abuse at the hands of the cult. But even more than that, it had information on Shepherd himself. Photos of him meeting with known Vory leaders, transcripts of wiretapped phone calls discussing “jobs” and “cleanup.” His entire double life, exposed.

“What is this?” I breathed, my voice sounding far away to my own ears.

---