Page 112 of Lion & Lamb

They were back at the bar in the Rittenhouse Hotel. Same low-key bartender, same flirtatious server. But they felt like they were sipping martinis in an alternative universe. Nothing about this world felt right, so they took comfort in each other’s company. Which in itself felt strange. Could Cooper Lamb have imagined doing this with Veena, his former nemesis, two weeks ago?

“Seriously,” she said. “There’s no way Francine would ever be convicted. No jury in the world would punish a woman for protecting her own child.”

“I don’t think there would be a trial,” Cooper said. “I imagine that even a hard-ass like Mostel would cut a deal to keep this family out of the courtroom.”

“Even if I believed that, it’s nothing but a waking nightmare for Francine and those kids.”

“And the monster who beat them gets off the easiest. Death is too good for him.”

“The greatest of all time.”

“And, somehow, the worst.”

They finished their initial round and considered ordering food but opted for another round instead. By the end of the third round, they were ready to hide away from this twisted world. For a little while, anyway.

“How about we go to your place this time?” Cooper asked with what he hoped was a knowing gleam in his eye.

“We can’t.”

“Why not?”

“We’re already here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I currently live here,” Veena said. “At the Rittenhouse Hotel.”

“What, is your apartment being remodeled or something?”

“No. I’ve decided to sell the place and forgo apartments altogether. Hang on, hear me out. I crunched the numbers and realized I was wasting a ton of money on a physical space I almost never occupy. Factor in the upkeep of that space, even if I hired help—which I would never do—and it’s even more wasted time and money. So my plan is to hop from hotel to hotel. I’ll stay until a place bores me, then move on. If I like a place enough, I’ll go back to it.”

Cooper looked as if he’d taken another punch from tight end Jimmy Tua. “Wow. So all this time, we could have been enjoying our drinks in the comfort of your room, which is just a short elevator ride away?”

Veena shook her head. “Nope, not in my sanctuary. Nobody goes inside except me. Oh, and housekeeping. That’s another thing I decided.”

“That is the most Veena Lion thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Besides, I prefer your place.”

“You mean you prefer Lupe.”

“Mayyyybe…”

“And the kick-ass breakfast I make when I’m a little hungover or have escaped the clutches of death.”

“Also very possible. So shall we head to your place?”

“Wait. Exactly when did you make this decision about your apartment? And did it have anything to do with hit men being after us?”

“Cooper, I don’thaveto go back to your place.”

“Let me take care of the check.”

Chapter124

LUPE WASover the moon when he saw—and smelled—Veena. He was not so pleased when Cooper and Veena slowly undressed each other on the way to his bedroom, stopping for frequent make-out breaks, or when Cooper nudged the door almost completely shut, which was his way of telling the pup,No climbing into bed with us. For now.

Something woke Cooper later that night, although he didn’t know exactly how late it was—he’d muted his phone and turned it facedown on the nightstand right before they fell into his bed together so there would be no interruptions.

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