Page 79 of Wicked Lies

“Probably because it was the first time someone ever said them to me.”

“Well, it was the first time I ever said them to anybody, so we’re even.”

“Just so you know, I love you too,” Cheryl murmured against his lips. “When I saw Carlos with that gun, I was so worried I’d lose you and never get the chance to make things right or to let you know how I felt.”

“I want you in my life when we get back to New York. Like, for real.” Again, her silence rattled him until he saw the fresh tears in her eyes. “Please tell me those are happy tears.”

“Oh, yeah.” She hugged him to her. “Definitely happy tears.”

“And from now on, we got no secrets from each other.”

“It’s like fate wanted us together.” She snuggled closer to him. “The crazy way we met—you collecting for Frank and me working at the Pit.”

He tugged her closer and squeezed her ass. “I tried to forget you, but I couldn’t.”

“And the last thing I needed was more drama, but here we are—together.”

He held her tighter, covering her mouth with his. Her hair fell forward, and the flowery scent of her shampoo made him forget all the shit they still had to work out. Cheryl’s velvety skin against his palm was almost enough. Almost. Because until he straightened out his shit in New York with Frank, there would be no chance of any happy ending for either of them.

* * *

Cheryl snuggledinto Nick’s warmth, basking in pure relaxation, which always seemed to elude her. Her mind tripped back to the last forty-eight hours with dizzying speed. Seeing Nick held at gunpoint was surreal and frightening. With all the cons and heists Cheryl had pulled, she never handled a gun or had one pointed at her. Cons and scams were more about finesse and timing. Luckily, Nick wasn’t hurt, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think they were out of danger. Frank Barnett didn’t give up easily, especially when he suspected he’d been wronged.

Then she and Nick declared their feelings and actually used the word—love. He’d said it was a first time for him, and it definitely was a first for Cheryl too. She’d like to believe what all the fairytales and romance novels preached about love conquering all, but she was way too street-smart for those lies. Although, a small part of her clung to some faraway wish that this would work out and they’d at least get their “happy for now.”

She forced her brain to stop spinning and concentrated on the rhythmic sound of Nick’s breathing.

* * *

A constant buzzinvaded Nick’s sleep. He blinked his eyes open to a pitch-dark room, the sound of rain still hitting the windows. Easing Cheryl to his side, Nick reached for the vibrating phone on the bedside table. He checked the time, just past midnight, then swiped at the screen.

“Hey.” He stifled a yawn and rolled to his side.

“What the fuck is going on down there?” Samson’s usually calm voice was jacked up and anxious.

“Everything’s okay.” Nick shoved the phone between his shoulder and ear, grabbed a pair of sweatpants, yanked them on, and headed for the bathroom.

“Okay? Word is Carlos tried to take you out.”

“Shit’s been crazy, but I’m good,” Nick muttered. “Gotta admit, though, I nearly lost my shit when he pulled that gun.”

“What the hell happened?”

Nick settled on the edge of the tub and proceeded to explain how Frank blackmailed Cheryl, and when that didn’t work, he used Carlos’s family as leverage.

“I don’t fuckin’ believe it.”

Nick was having a hard time wrapping his head around Carlos’s betrayal too. “Frank knows how to push buttons, and in the end, Carlos had no choice. It was either me or his family. I get it.”

Carlos never made it home. I wouldn’t be surprised if he don’t pop up as gator food in some swamp in the Everglades.”

“Frank doesn’t like mistakes, and sadly, Carlos was dispensable.” Nick drew a ragged breath filled with anger. No matter what went down, he would always remember Carlos as a friend who got in over his head. “Frank sucks people in with promises of power, but we both know how that goes.”

Samson’s silence told Nick he was remembering his own regrets when it came to Frank.

“Has Frank been by the club?”

“Nah, I got all this from Jax. You could’ve at least fuckin’ called to let me know you were still alive.”

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