Page 72 of Bitter Arrangement

“Seriously, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Come for a walk with me. Moving around will help with my injuries.”

I want to rage at him. I want to tell him to run away. But Los Sombras will follow, and they’ll leave a trail of death in their wake.

I feel small and powerless. My world is crumbling all around me. Brenden, Alexan, Mantis, Los Sombras. It’s all conspiring to take away the things I care about most.

“Yeah, alright, let’s go for a walk.” I force myself to my feet again. This time, I do my best to smile for him. “Bet you can’t even make it around the block.”

He stretches his back. “I’m not as bad as I look.”

“Bet you’re worse.”

“Let’s go then, smartass.”

I follow him to the door. We head out into the sunshine together. I let him set our pace as we amble around slowly, talking about light and easy things, while everything heavy remains weighing down my back, threatening to crush me.

Chapter27

Riley

Cass looks around the house. “Ilovethis freakish place,” she says, clapping her hands together.

“Freakish?” I pour her a glass of wine. I’m about to get myself one, but I hesitate and decide to skip it. Cass doesn’t comment on my sobriety when I grab some seltzer water instead. “What’s wrong with it?”

“There’s like no stuff anywhere. And we both know you’re a stuff girl.”

She’s got a point. “I brought pillows.” I gesture at a pile of throws at the end of the couch stacked in a very neat pile.

“And they’re doing a lot of work.” Cass arches an eyebrow. “The place is also very… you know.”

“I don’t know. Say it.”

“Clean.” She grins and waves her hands at my glare. “No, no, notclean, I mean organized!”

“Are you saying my old house wasn’t?”

“I’m saying your old room was like a junkyard. No offense.”

“Oh, yeah! None taken!” I stomp over to the pillow pile and toss a couple on the floor. “How’s that? Better now?”

She arches her eyebrows. “How’s the husband going to feel when he finds those?”

“He’ll probably lint roller them and make sure they’re back in their proper place. Got a problem?”

“Not at all. He sounds dreamy.” She pretends to swoon as she falls down onto the couch. “I’m just saying, this place isn’t your normal style.”

“It’s a process, okay?”

“If there’s anyone up to the challenge, it’s you.” I sit down beside her, and she leans on my shoulder. “Seriously, Riley, how are things with him?”

I think about the wound, the blood, the desperate escape, the heist attempt, the raunchy and amazing sex. “It’s not bad,” I say.

“Not bad?” Her eyebrows arch. “I feel like that only scratches the surface.”

“We’re learning how to live together.”

“Wow, I’m getting such a vivid picture of your domestic life.”

“He’s a neat freak, okay? I mean, look at this place; obviously, this isn’t my doing.” I wave my arms and gesture all around.

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