Page 8 of Chloé

She turned to look at Zayne, one arm still hooked around Ethan’s neck. “Well, I can’t walk around naked all the time.”

“Says who?” Ethan nuzzled in under her ear then swatted her denim-covered ass. Just as they parted, Shayla stepped inside.

“Huh.” She looked around the empty foyer before her eyes came to land on Chloé. “This place looks different during the light of day, almost…homey.”

Her eyes then shifted to the sensual artwork hanging behind the front desk.

“Almost.”

Zayne moved over to the artwork that hid the doorway to their apartment and pressed the button. It slid open, and Shayla’s jaw hit the ground.

“Wow…”

Chloé laughed and laced her fingers through his, and Ethan gestured to the hallway. “Please, let us show you around. I imagine you’ll be by to visit Chloé more often than not.”

“Um…” With eyes wide as saucers, Shayla nodded and followed them inside. “Sure.”

They made their way down the hall and stopped at the elevator. Shayla looked around and then stared at the three of them.

“I didn’t even know this place was back here.”

“Uh, you betternotknow it’s back here,” Chloé joked. “Or that would be a very awkward conversation at this point.”

Shayla shook her head. “What I mean is, I didn’t realize there was an apartment upstairs.”

“No one does,” Zayne said as the elevator dinged. They all stepped inside, and when he put the box on the floor and hit the button, he winked at Chloé. “Unless they’re personally invited.”

Shayla sighed. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: lucky bitch.”

Chloé laughed as the elevator ascended. When they reached their floor and walked into the main living space, Shayla’s disbelief continued.

Chloé led her cousin over to the windows that overlooked downtown, and Zayne put the box off to one side and moved in to steal a kiss from him.

“Hmm,” he said as he nipped at Ethan’s lower lip. “How was your day?”

Ethan smoothed his hand into the back pocket of Zayne’s jeans and pulled him in. “Productive. I got the books done. But I have to admit, I missed you two while you were gone.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mhmm.” His eyes lowered to Zayne’s mouth. “It seemed like days, not hours.”

“Aww. Well, we’re back now.”

“So you are, and I assume everything went well with packing and Priest?”

“Yeah.” Zayne nodded and looked over to where Chloé was pointing at something out the window. “Like she said, there wasn’t too much—a set of drawers I think will go well in the closet for her, and a whole lotta boxes Priest helped us load up. But he figured this part was something we might want to do on our own, and honestly, I don’t think he really wanted to move his daughter into an apartment above a sex club.”

Ethan smirked. “I figured. I’m surprised he let her move here at all.”

“I don’t think there’s muchlettingwhen it comes to Red.”

“I think you might be right. Plus, she’s just across town. It’s not like she’s moved across an ocean.”

Zayne nodded. “Agreed, and he did make me promise pasta night next week.”

“That I think we can do. Well, we better go get the rest of her things. I cleared out half of the walk-in for her. Do you think that’ll be enough?”

Zayne winced and looked to the box on the ground. “Um…well, that’s one of twelve.”

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