Page 59 of Shifting Gears

“Let’s go,” she said as she led the way back to my car.

We got inside, and before I could say anything, she put in an address on her phone and placed it on my dash.

“Time’s ticking.”

We drove in silence to the next stop. It was an old-ass traditional building, and when we parked, she grabbed my wrist as I went to open my door.

“Stay here. I won’t be long.”

I raised an eyebrow and settled back into my seat as she nodded and left the car. I watched her walk up the stairs to a big wooden door. Fuck, she shared the same sexy ass as her sister, except her walk was more assertive, wasting no time to get where she needed to go.

The door opened, and she disappeared inside for a few minutes before reemerging. She slid into the passenger seat. Her energy shifted, and excitement filled the space.

“The first meeting was a success. Two more to go!” she said as she buckled in and grabbed her phone, no doubt putting in a new address.

“Gonna fill me in?” I asked as I started the car up.

She leaned over and the seat belt locked, forcing her to strain to try to place the phone back on my dash. She went to unbuckle. Which meant, at the angle she was leaning, she basically fell onto my lap as the belt snapped back. I wrapped my arm around her so her face didn’t hit the steering wheel.

“Damn, baby. Thought you weren’t interested?”

I chuckled as I teased her. The hand she had placed on my thigh gripped slightly. Only her hand wasn’t on my thigh. I felt my dick twitch under her warm palm as she peered up at me, a look of embarrassment on her face.

“Oh shit! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to …” she mumbled, trying to move her hand and slipping more, and it came down on my balls, causing me to groan and grip the steering wheel tight.

“Dammit! I can’t believe this is happening.” She was panicking and doing her best to be careful as she untangled herself from my arm and lap, flustered as fuck.

She looked out the passenger window, holding her cell out toward me. Her face, in the reflection, was bright red.

It was sexy in a way. Here was this woman, who had been oozing confidence and malice from the moment she thought I’dkilled Raven, fumbling around like a damn girl with her first crush. Something about her behavior reminded me of Rosalie the first time we’d had sex. She’d been so nervous and needed a bit of reassurance, but damn was that night unforgettable.

I couldn’t help but tease her, especially since she’d been giving me crap since the day we had met. “Well, if you’re that sorry, you could always kiss it and make it better, baby,” I said, lowering my voice to a sensual growl.

I smirked as I leaned toward her, grabbing her phone to put it on the dash.

“Oh, shut up! It’s not like I was intentionally trying to grab your … you know what? Just forget it and drive already!” she snapped as she buckled up once more.

I chuckled and put the car in gear, driving to the next place in a better mood than I’d been in for weeks now.

CHAPTER 21

SYDNEY

When I had toldAJ at the end of the night a few days ago that all those stops had been to set up matches for him, he acted surprised that he hadn’t been asked to go in as well. Maybe he was even annoyed with me. But when I explained he wouldn’t know anything about Kaito’s new fighter either before his match and that he needed to be prepared for anything, walking into the ring, he smirked.

I thought he might have changed his mind about helping me, but instead, he asked if there was any cash on the line. I’d said only if he wanted bets to be placed, and his response made me smile a little as I thought back on it.

“Only if you want to make out like a bank robber.”

I leaned back in my bed against my soft pillows, exhausted from all the preparations of the funeral, on top of planning Kaito’s demise. But today was a new day and the first fight I’d set up for AJ.

AJ really is an interesting man. I can’t seem to figure him out in the slightest. He doesn’t want revenge in the same way I do, but he cares enough about people he doesn’t even know to still lend a hand. Then there’s the flirting. I can’t tell whether or not to take him seriously.

My mind wandered to when we sparred a few nights ago. He’d landed a particularly well-aimed punch to my torso before I spun and kicked him in the chest. Then I swept his leg, and down he went, giving me the opportunity to straddle him and pin him down. I’d thought I’d won until he wrapped a leg around mine and twisted, switching our positions before I could counter.

I dragged my hand over the tops of my breasts, remembering the weight of his chest pressed against mine as we had panted, our lips inches apart as he pinned both of my wrists above my head with one of his strong hands.

His eyes had danced with amusement as he pressed his body into mine harder. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. He leaned his head toward my ear, his deep voice almost a whisper as he’d said, “Almost had me, Syd.”

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