Page 36 of Loving Lex

Her gaze slid back to mine. “I told you I would, Lex.”

“I know that. But saying something and doing it are two different things.”

She shook her head in a tiny movement. “He was your brother.”

She seemed shocked that anyone might’ve done differently, but I knew anything was possible. Especially in a place like Cameo, where some people could be bought by the highest bidder or silenced with threats of violence.

“He was, but not everyone thinks that way,” I said. “And I didn’t know if you did. If that meant anything to you... ifImeant anything to you. If you’d be swayed by loyalty to your co-workers or maybe scared something bad might happen to you if you spoke up.” I caressed her face with my gaze. “I wouldn’t have blamed you if that was the case. Women were brutally murdered inside Cameo not that long ago, and some dangerous people run it.”

Her mouth fell open, but she didn’t seem to have any words. Instead, she rose up on her tiptoes, placed her small hand to my cheek, her eyes glued to mine as she inched forward and brushed her lips across mine. Once, twice, three times.

Then she drew back, her palm on my chest, just above my heart. “My loyalty is to you, Lex,” she murmured. “I told you. The queen always protects her king.”

I was offthe following day, so I took the opportunity to meet with Lucky for a late lunch and fill him in on all the details I had on my brother’s case. Afterwards, we went back to my place to have a conference call with the rest of his team to pool our resources and come up with a game plan.

Basically, his buddy, Maverick, would be our intel guy and keep digging, while Lucky and I would be the boots on the ground. I would be the eyes and ears inside Cameo, and while Lucky could come and go on occasion as a guest with his wife, he would be more of a middleman, helping on the outside. And, while we hadn’t said it out loud, he’d also be my backup if the shit hit the fan. I didn’t ask how long his leave was, or ask any questions about how any of this could tangle with his military career—hell, I knew the answer to that, which made me all the more grateful he was willing to help simply for the sake of shared brotherhood. Still, I figured if we didn’t get a break soon, I’d be going it alone.

That first day, we scoured all the information I’d managed to get from the cops, top to bottom.

The second day, we dug deeper into everything Maverick sent over about Cameo and all of its players, including a new little tidbit—that prick, Randolph Sloan, who’d harassed Shay upstairs, not only worked with her dad, but also used to be on the Kane payroll. Maverick couldn’t find any proof that he still was, but he was still a shady fuck if you asked me.

And if he wasn’t working for them anymore, why not?

A couple days later, I went back to work and convinced Daisy to meet me off the clock, even buying her lunch. All of it had turned up absolute jack shit.

For two long weeks.

Everything was a dead end, and the people who might know something weren’t talking. Either they didn’t know anything or the Kanes had everyone so goddamned scared, they would rather swallow their tongues than cross them.

Literally the only thing keeping me sane was Shay.

When we weren’t working, we were together. She tried to help with Stone’s case, but there wasn’t much she could do. Honestly, just having her warm, willing body close to mine every night was more than enough to keep me grounded.

Some of her clothes and toiletries had migrated to my place. Her scent had infiltrated my sheets. Her snacks were in my cabinet. I even found some girly stuff under my bathroom sink I never thought I’d see in my life, and—strangely—it was beginning to feel entirely too comfortable.

“So, I was thinking...” she called one afternoon over the running water in the bathroom.

I sauntered over and leaned against the doorjamb, crossing my arms over my bare chest as I took in the sight—Shay Steele, in my bathroom, in nothing but tiny pink panties, her hair up in a messy bun, shaving her legs in my bathtub.

She smiled over her shoulder at my obvious amusement before turning back to her task. “What?”

“Nothing.” I lifted a brow. “You were thinking?”

She stopped mid-stroke and looked at me again, her gaze thoughtful. “I’m happy. Here. With you. I’m really happy.”

My heart began to beat double time in my chest. “I’m happy, too, baby.”

She smiled sweetly, then turned back to her shaving. “But that’s not what I was thinking about.”

“No?”

She rinsed her razor. “No.” She glanced up. “I was thinking that maybe we could invite Lucky and his wife over.”

That was unexpected. “Really?”

“Why not?” she said. “You and he have been working so hard on the case lately, and I thought it would be nice to have a little break. Cook some food to eat and hang out by the pool or something.”

Well, I’d been looking forward to a night alone with her and fucking her until neither of us could see straight. But she was right. Plus, I owed Lucky more than just a steak.

---