Page 60 of Tapped

I turn for my car. “I’m not telling you shit.”

“Why not?” he calls after me.

“You must have a shit memory, Cruz. Because you didn’t tell me shit and then showed up in love with the mafia princess.”

“Don’t call her that,” he warns. “That was a whole different situation. I couldn’t talk to you at all without the risk of being tortured and killed.”

I turn on my car and roll the window down. “Are you going home or to the office?”

“Office for a couple hours. I’ve got some shit to do.”

“I’ll see you there.”

“Hey!” he calls one last time. “Act surprised when Landyn asks you to be the Godfather.”

“I will, as long as you don’t tell her I spent the night with someone last night.”

“Just tell me, are you seeing someone or was it a one-off? Because I don’t know when you’ve had the time to meet anyone to do either.”

I roll up my window and put it in drive. There’s no way I’m telling him shit.

Not that there’s anything to tell.

Yet.

15

DONUTS ARE THE NEW TACOS

Evie

“I’m her sister, dammit.”

I didn’t have a chance to say hello. All I hear is my older sister arguing with a man on the other end of the phone.

“Cadence, are you okay?”

“When my father finds out that you are trying to keep me from my baby sister in her time of need, he will have your ass.”

I roll my eyes.

“Cadence,” I bite. “Who are you talking to?”

“Bitch.” And there it is. She’s turned her attention to me. “I am at your door and this guy that Dad hired is threatening to take me down on your lawn. Little does he know, it’ll be a knock down drag out. He’ll be embarrassed when I kick his ass. I don’t work out two hours a day for nothing. Now get out here and tell him I’m not the killer before your HOA has a hissy fit.”

“Don’t you dare get into a fight on my porch,” I warn, as I run down my stairs on bare feet. “He’s only doing his job.”

I turn off my alarm, flip the deadbolt, and open the door to find Cadence Litchfield Patterson in a standoff with the new guard who started his duty shortly after Micah left this morning.

“There she is.” The guard has positioned himself between her and the door. She points to me over his shoulder. “Tell him I’m your sister and to get out of my way so I can come in. We have cocktails to shake and shit to talk about.”

“I’m so sorry.” I hope my eyes express my remorse. “She’s my sister. She can come in.”

The guard shakes his head but looks relieved he doesn’t have to go to blows with a woman. “I had to make sure, Dr. Litchfield.”

Cadence pushes past him and rolls her eyes. “I told you.”

I let my sister pass and keep my attention on the guard. “Thank you so much. Are you sure I can’t get you anything to drink or eat?”

---