Page 56 of Play Fast (Brooklyn Dawn 2)

Skilled enough at using a razor she could lop off my balls if she found out I’d excluded her.

Hey, self-preservation was important.

I waited until we’d placed our orders—steaks for all three of us—before turning to Noah.

“We want to know what’s going on here.”

Daisy sighed and set her napkin in her lap. “He didn’t tell me he intended to ask.”

“When I’m at liberty to say—”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” My voice whipped out louder than I’d intended. I immediately lowered it. This was not the conversation to be had at top volume. “I did some research this morning, and I read about what happened with that crazy fucker Snake, and how he’d roped in one of the Ripper sales reps to do his bidding. There was talk of the mob pulling strings behind some of the shit that went down and—”

“What?” Daisy’s eyes widened. “The mob? Are you serious?”

“Enough,” Noah snapped. “If you can’t sleep, let me suggest some Tolkien for next time. It’s no more fiction than what you apparently found on those conspiracy theory sites.”

“What do you mean, he couldn’t sleep?” She frowned and glanced at me. “But you were in bed—I mean,” she flushed delicately and glanced at her plate, “I thought you were with me.”

God, she was so beautiful and sweet. And here I was, ruining lunch with talk about stuff I didn’t know squat about. How could I? No one came forward with anything concrete. We were one of the biggest jewels in Ripper Records’ crown, but by damn, they weren’t going to tell us what was at risk.

“I got up early,” I said in lieu of everything else I could have said.

Like…

That hour or two I slept beside you was some of the best sleep I’ve gotten in years.

We’d stayed out on the boat for a couple of hours last night. Talking sometimes, just sitting for the rest. Not groping each other, not making out. Just…quiet. Peace wasn’t something I found often in my world, yet with her I had. It had continued when Noah came out to make sure we hadn’t been kidnapped, and we’d gone in to play cards before bed.

Sex hadn’t even been on the table. We were both tired, and I was well aware of the condom issue. I used to always carry them, because hey, rockstar necessity, right? Until I’d discovered in the past year that I’d rather face myself in the morning than a stranger.

So, we’d slept. I’d been wary about holding her in case of more lashing out, not to mention spooning kind of blurred the boundaries. But what the fuck were they anymore? We’d had sex. I’d taken her virginity. And all the lines were wavering.

Including mine.

Especially mine.

Turned out spooning wasn’t all that bad.

Until I dragged myself awake, still caught in a dream—this one of Daisy fighting off a deranged man with his hands around her throat—and nearly kicked out of the sheets.

Maybe someday I’d be able to just sleep like a normal person again. But obviously, not this weekend. Not when everything was so close to the surface. Add what had happened to Daisy, and I was on edge.

Rather than wake her, I’d just rolled out of bed and found Noah already up d

oing planks while listening to NPR.

A rocking morning indeed.

“So, I had some time,” I said when no one spoke.

Daisy sat up straight. “And just how did you do this without internet?”

“Sat phones have come a long way. Especially if you throw enough money at coverage plans.” Noah answered for me. “Or work for a tech giant like I do.”

Daisy crossed her arms. “Well, aren’t you two fancy.”

I’d smooth her feathers later. “I decided to do a little digging. I knew some of it before, but everything is such a huge freaking secret. Clearly, I didn’t know enough.”

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