Chapter 26
ONYX
Waking up beside Lucero was my normal now. I realized that with a startling clarity that should have sent me running for the hills. Instead, I smiled as I watched his chest rise and fall. His round tummy poked above the blanket. I touched it gently as I stared at him.
The leash had come off last night, but he refused to take the collar off. I still thought he should. Gently, I reached up and released it. Carefully, I navigated it off his neck and laid it on the nightstand. My nail marks were all over his skin—marking him as mine.
My heart swelled with pride. I knew I was supposed to be finding out who framed him, but I had been too busy stuck on him. And maybe… I didn’t want to know. Not now. It felt good to have someone around that took not just the charming me. But all of me, anger issues and all.
Carefully, I slipped out of bed. Padding to the bathroom, I peed and washed up for the day. When I was dressed in a pair of simple yellow cotton shorts, and a pink tank top, I sat at my desk in my office. My phone rang.
“Hey, Cara.”
“Hey, bitch,” she said. “Did you get your invitation?”
I frowned. “To what? Why are you speaking in riddles? It’s too early in the morning and my ass is way too sore to figure them out.”
She laughed. “That’s because of that insane husband, huh?” She paused. “But now that you’re refocused, maybe it’s not such a bad thing. You having some companionship. He’s strong. I’ve looked into him. He’s much less killable than other people you could date.”
I stiffened. Hearing that my husband was much less killable wasn’t a comfort.
I didn’t want him getting hurt at all. Not because of me.
The only thing that helped my guilt was the fact that he was already in the business of blood and death.
This was nothing new for him, and he knew how to handle himself.
“Cara, what invitation?”
“Right.” She cleared her throat. “There’s a charity gala tonight to support child abuse awareness. I know how much you like to go and donate?—”
“I’ll go,” I said without hearing the rest of the details. “What time?”
“Seven sharp. There might be a few new targets there. The biggest spenders are always the guiltiest, aren’t they?”
My hand clenched around the phone. I knew she didn’t mean that to be directed at me, but it felt like it. Adam flashed through my mind. I pitched forward, holding onto the desk with my left hand to keep myself steady against the onslaught of dizziness that had suddenly assaulted me.
“Oh God. Not like that,” she said quickly. “No one blames you, Onyx.”
Was that true? No. If it was, Adam would have taken me up on my offer to move in ages ago.
I knew he was struggling where he was. That it was dangerous.
But he refused to move in with me, instead living off a measly disability check.
I paid for everything else, secretly. He didn’t even know how much his rent really was.
He paid it and then I paid the rest, a deal I had worked out with the super.
And he pocketed a little extra for himself every month. Win-win.
“I know,” I said, soothing her worry. “It’s fine. Things have just been rough lately but… good in some ways too.”
I heard her smile through the phone. “Good. You deserve it.” She sighed. “I miss us hanging out.”
“Me too,” I whispered. “You have no idea.”
“Maybe when the job is done,” she said wistfully.
We both knew that would never happen. The world was full of scum. Rot. Perverts. Child abusers. They didn’t deserve a wink of sleep. And while I worked hard, they worked harder. I could only go so fast. But I played into the sentimentality because I wanted it too.
“Yeah.” I smiled. “Maybe.”
“I’m sending you the invite,” she said. “Seven sharp. It says you can bring a plus one. Maybe it’ll be a good date for you and the hubby.”
My stomach tightened. “Yeah,” I said. “I think that would be nice.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, babe,” I said.
When I hung up, I smiled. Taking Lucero anywhere would never be hard to do. He was always happy to be right on my heels. I left the office and went back into the main house. And there he was.
“I left you asleep,” I said.
“The minute you leave, I wake up.” He smiled. “It’s like I can feel you gone.”
My chest ached. “Fucking cringey.”
Lucero shrugged. “I know. I still love you.”
My face heated. I took the cup of tea he extended in his hands. The lemon ginger coated my tongue and throat. It felt good. A hint of sour, a bit sharp from the ginger, and sweet from honey. I stirred and took another sip.
“There’s a gala I want to go to tonight,” I said. “The proceeds go to victims of child abuse. It’s… important to me,” I said without revealing too much.
Lucero studied my face a little too closely. For someone who pretended he couldn’t hear on a good day, he had genuine moments of looking as if he could see into your soul. He nodded finally.
“What time will you be back?”
My chest ached. “Actually, will you go with me? It might be nice to have some company.”
Lucero had turned back to the stove. I saw the rigid set of his shoulders, the way he locked up. And then, slowly, he turned around and stared at me.
“Really?”
I laughed lightly. “Just don’t wear your ring. I’m supposed to be undercover, remember?” I said. “We can put them back on as soon as we leave. And if you find me a target?” I grinned. “I’ll let you take control for one night.”
Lucero stumbled back against the cabinets. His hand went to his chest, and I saw his shaking.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.” I laughed. “You coming, then?”
He stared at me. “Fuck yes, bella!”
My chest clenched. How was I supposed to ever get rid of him when he made that face at me? It was pure bliss. And I wanted to capture it in a bottle and snort it whenever I got sad. I was really screwed.
*********
The lights were low, the night was young, and the chatter was already flowing as Onyx stepped into the party with Lucero on his arm.
For once, he’d gone masculine. Well, with his own spin.
The suit was fitted, tailored. There was no shirt beneath his jacket; his chest down the middle is on display.
And of course, he wore his heels. Why not?
He didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought of his gender.
And he was more comfortable this way. Especially with Lucero by his side.
As they walked around, Onyx talked to Lucero quietly. He was surprised, his husband was actually good at talking quietly, even as his head stood above everyone else in the crowd. That probably shouldn’t have made him proud.
It did.
Onyx picked up a glass of champagne and drank it as he walked around. He noticed Lucero didn’t.
“You don’t want a drink?” I asked.
“I don’t drink much,” he said. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t do it here. I have to make sure you’re safe.”
My body shivered. I’d never had anyone to look out for me. Well, my mother had before she passed, but ever since then, I had been on my own. My heart did a stupid flip and my stomach felt funny. I laid a hand on it as I walked around, chatting, laughing, flirting. Work.
When I went back to Lucero, he snatched me against his side. I glanced up in surprise at him.
“Don’t flirt so hard,” he snapped. “I almost broke that man’s neck.”
I grinned. “All I did was ask how he was.”
“No,” he growled. “It was the way you said it,” he bit out. “Don’t make me cause a scene.”
Hot. No, Onyx no.
I cleared my throat. “You’re a little crazy.”
“You say that all the time,” he said.
“Just have to point it out so you know.”
“Everyone says it,” he muttered. “But if one of these bastards touch you and they’re not a target? I’m smashing their face into the asphalt out back.”
I choked on my second glass of champagne. “What has gotten into you?” I asked.
Lucero looked around and shrugged. “You ever just get a feeling something’s not right?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Not right now, though. Sure you’re not just being overprotective?”
“Maybe,” he said with a sigh. “There’s Nash. I’m going to check the perimeter reports with him.”
Okay, I had to admit it: Lucero was pretty damn hot when he was working. He was all hulking muscle, scowl, and seriousness. I’d never seen anything but his crooked smile, and him on his bullshit. It was sexy.
“You go do that,” I said. “I have to pee so bad it’s not even funny.”
Lucero was about to move, but then stayed still. “Can I go with you?”
“Is it for something perverted?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
He was quiet. “Yes.”
“Then no.” I laughed. “Go talk to your brother. I’ll be right back.”
Lucero leaned down and kissed my cheek. I didn’t pull away.
When he walked over to Nash, I floated through the gala, talking and smiling at people.
Cara was currently scanning the crowd based on their invitations, past arrest records, and social media posts written about them.
She was thorough. I slipped into the bathroom and peed before I moved to the sink to wash my hands.
“Louis.”
My head snapped up. A feeling of unease wrapped around my spine. There were only three people who called me that: Adam, my mother, God rest her soul, and him. My father.
Régis Monet.
Immediately, my hand shot down into my bag.
I had been after him for longer than anyone on my list. He was my first, and hopefully last, mission one day.
The man that had assaulted my brother repeatedly.
The man that had stolen his life. The reason I hunted scum, and the man that had tainted me with his legacy.
“Why are you here?” I asked, my hand shaking.
“Keep the needle in the bag,” he said. “I’m here to make you a deal.”
“I don’t want it,” I spat.
He frowned. “Come on, son. You don’t mean that.” When he stepped closer, I shoved back. “I want this war between us to end. You already got me once. I don’t think we need a repeat.”
My father lifted his head. On his neck was a long, ugly silver scar from where I had drawn my knife. But I had been younger then. I had never killed anyone. As soon as the blood started to flow, I’d run. Now, I had to live with that mistake.
I should have ripped his throat out. I had failed Adam. And when my father fled? I had lost him. I had no choice but to occupy myself. To wait. To purge the Earth of people like him until he was back. And he was here.
“Don’t,” he said with a smile. “I’m protected now.
You wouldn’t understand how much political influence can keep you safe, mon fils.
” He smiled even wider. “You’ve been pulling on the wrong threads.
Playing vigilante when you shouldn’t be.
Let’s stop this now, and I’ll keep you, your empty-headed husband, and your dear big brother safe. ”
My entire body seized. I stared at him. He had been here for longer than I had thought. I knew that like I knew the sky was blue and Lucero would be texting me in the next twenty seconds. I swallowed around the lump in my throat.
“The nerve of you to show up here of all places,” I spat.
“Who do you think organized and threw it?” He shrugged. “I put the governor’s name on it, but it’s still mine. And hey, people change. You don’t think I’ve changed?”
“I think you’re a kid fucker!” I screamed at him. “That’s what I think about you. Get the fuck out of my face!”
For a second, he blinked hard. And then his eyes narrowed. In the next moment, he was smiling once more. “Always so temperamental,” he mused. “I told you, Adam is lying to you. I never laid a hand on him.”
No, I knew better than that. My stomach twisted, a wave of nausea crashed over me.
I tried to swallow, but the lump in my throat refused to go down.
He’d tried to convince me for years that he’d done nothing, but I saw the change in Adam.
He had gone from happy and excited, to withdrawn and angry.
And then the drugs started, the insomnia, the agoraphobia.
When my mother took his side, that was all the evidence that I needed.
My father was a monster. Not to me, but to Adam? He was the boogeyman. And that was all I needed to hate him.
“I’m going to kill you,” I whispered. “You should have stayed out of New York.”
He took a step toward me. Confidence poured from every inch of him.
As if he had nothing to worry about. “I’m more protected than you think.
Me and my friends? We’re close-knit. You’re better off finding something else to do, Louis.
” He patted my shoulder as he walked past me as if I never tried to kill him before.
Bile lapped at the back of my throat and I gagged.
“Dramatic. Just like your mother and brother. I’m disappointed in you. ”
When the door shut, I ran into a stall. My hands braced on the cool metal as I vomited. My stomach heaved and rolled until nothing was left. Finally, I straightened up, wiped my mouth, flushed, and stepped out of the stall.
I ran head-first into Lucero. He frowned as he looked down at me, his hands cupping and lifting my face. There was already a damp bit of paper towel in his fingers and he wiped my mouth.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Who upset you?”
I stared up at him and burst into tears. Without a word, I walked into his arms. And when he hugged me tight? I never wanted to let go.