Chapter 43 Fink
Fink
Fink was well aware of what he wanted them to be, but he wasn’t about to put all his cards on the table. There was a limit to his vulnerability. He’d opened his sanctuary and had given Sydney his legal name. That was enough for now.
This left the ball in her court. He couldn’t call all the shots. This was a partnership. She had a say about things too. What would she do?
They’d come a long way during this short drive. Apparently, she had foolishly thought he intended to drown her. Where had that come from? Had she spoken to AJ?
Fink doubted that. While unlikely, a water burial wasn’t entirely impossible. AJ had access to her phone. They could talk behind Fink’s back.
Nah.
But it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. Though for what purpose?
He’d have to sniff that out later.
For now, he was content with hearing where she felt they stood in the world. What was their relationship status?
Internally, he groaned at himself. He sounded like a teenage kid who had a crush on his best friend. When had he become so goddamn goofy?
When he met Sydney.
She changed his life in ways he never considered imaginable. She brought out a lighter side he didn’t know he had. He’d hang on to her for as long as she’d allow it.
Why hadn’t she answered yet? A full minute must’ve passed by now. Why was she hesitating? Had he read the situation wrong? He never knew with Sydney. She kept him on his toes.
Clearly, he didn’t have as good a sense about her as he believed if she was worried he’d kill her.
“Is it a hard question?” he pressed as gently as he could.
“No.” She shook her head and scrunched her features. “Yes.” She sighed. “I don’t know.”
Well, that was clear as mud.
“This is so bizarre,” she said on a nervous giggle. “Can we do this?” she asked.
He required more information. That wasn’t a clear inquiry, but before he could ask, she continued speaking.
“Are we a thing?” More laughter erupted from her. It bordered on the maniacal. “How is that possible?”
“We can be whatever you want us to be,” he offered.
Fink was pretty sure he knew what he wanted them to be, but now wasn’t the time to announce that. When he asked her to live in Maine with him, he’d been in a different headspace. Learning she thought he wanted her dead gave him pause.
Maybe he moved too quickly.
This was uncharted territory for him. Relationships weren’t his forte. Perhaps he wasn’t supposed to go with his gut. He’d let her take the lead and define their arrangement.
As long as she agreed he was the only one.
Fink didn’t share.
The idea tinged his vision red. Thoughts of decapitating her potential suitors and putting their heads on spikes outside his home flashed through his mind. Other men weren’t an option. He had no intention of pursuing more women. When he got the chance, he’d make that perfectly clear.
“I want us to be something,” she admitted, interrupting his internal monologue.
Reaching for her hand, he squeezed. “Then we are. Just you and me.”
Her smile went from ear to ear, and tears welled in her eyes.
His chest strained to contain his heart; it swelled so large. She was a magnificent woman, and all his.
“You and me.”
“Exclusive murder fuck buddies.” He used her term with a wink.
Another round of giggles erupted from her as she folded herself over the center console and against his side.
“I haven’t done this before,” he admitted as he ran his fingers through her hair. “So I might not be good at it, but I’ll try my best.”
“You’re better than you think,” she said as she pulled back.
Puffing out his chest with a bit of pride, he wiggled his shoulders. “So, to be clear,” he began. “After we put this deposition behind us, we’re going to Thanksgiving dinner with…”
He eyed her. While he’d heard the invitation, Sydney hadn’t revealed who it came from.
“Cassidy and Hauwa Roberts,” she offered.
“And they are?” he asked.
“My former foster mothers.” She tilted her head to the side and peered at him in confusion. “You didn’t know that?”
He shook his head. “Why would I?”
“Didn’t you run a background check on me?” she asked incredulously.
AJ did, but that detail seemed pointless to bring up. It didn’t matter who actually collected the information. Fink had reviewed it.
“It didn’t come up.”
She furrowed her brow, staring at him in silence for a moment.
He spoke the truth. The details of her foster situation hadn’t been outlined in what he saw. Just that she’d bounced around a few times.
“Hmm.” She sat back and stared forward.
He had to turn this around.
“I look forward to meeting people who are important to you,” he said.
He couldn’t reciprocate, which was a shame. His parents were dead. Not that he’d ever introduce her to the people who raised him. She was too good for them. There were no siblings that he knew of.
Fink was alone in the world.
Until now. He had Sydney, and he never wanted to let her go.