Page 103 of Bitter Arrangement

“All this over a stupid lock.”

“I think all I needed was the proper motivation in the end.”

“Exactly. And you thought I wasn’t a good teacher.” I reach up and lightly kiss him.

He returns that kiss with a surprising hunger. “You’re a perfect teacher,” he whispers, staring at me with pure adoration. “Listen. I need to tell you something.”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” I shimmy off him and get to my feet. “You’re not about to say what I think you’re going to say, are you?”

He seems amused and stretches his arms above his head. God, he’s such a beautiful specimen, it’s unbelievable. “I might. Why are you reacting like this?”

“You’re not saying… you know what… right after sex. Absolutely not.”

His eyebrows raise. “Why not?”

“Because! It cheapens the whole thing!”

“Cheapens it? Baby, we’re living on borrowed time right now.”

“I don’t care.” I grab my clothes and start getting dressed. “Tell me when it means something.”

He rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t argue. And he doesn’t say that I’m wrong and crazy for thinking he was about to say those three stupid words, which means?—

That’s how he feels.

It’s a strange revelation. I feel my cheeks turn pink, and I have to go get a glass of water to hide the sudden rush of emotion that hits me.

He loves me. Alexan loves me. I thought he did; I mean, I figured he did, but?—

Now I’m sure.

Helovesme.

A rush of giddy excitement runs into my belly. I glance at him as he pulls on a shirt and picks up the practice lock again. He gets back to work, concentrating this time without all the heavy baggage weighing him down.

Alexan loves me. He loves me, for real. Not as some forced bribe bullshit or a way to enforce a peace treaty, but as a partner and a wife.

He loves me, and I love him too.

“Got it,” he says, grinning and holding the lock up. “Fuck, woman, you are truly a great teacher.”

“Don’t call me woman. And thank you.” I drink down my water, fighting back the rush of toe-curling joy. I’m smiling like a moron, and he probably thinks it’s about the lockpicking. When really, I’m grinning because I’m in love. “Now do it fifty more times before we move on to the harder locks.”

“There are harder locks?”

“Better get back to work.”

He groans, shoves the lock closed, and obeys.

Chapter38

Riley

“You know I don’t like this,” Alexan says, frowning at my father’s house. He glances away and looks around the block, searching for threats.

“I know, but it’ll be quick. Brenden needs some stuff from his room and I have a set of lock picks I want you to use hidden under my bed. It’ll just take a minute, okay?”

“I should come with you.”

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