Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
“ I don’t like this.”
Lark rolled her eyes at him. Actually rolled her eyes.
“Dually noted,” she said dryly.
The more comfortable with him she got, the sassier she got. He hated it. And loved it. He hated that she didn’t just follow orders when it came to her safety. Loved that she was comfortable enough with him to voice her opinion and stand up for herself. He was living on a double-edge sword and…damn it. He was having fun. Except he could feel his blood pressure going up, which couldn’t possibly be good for him.
He’d meant it when he’d blurted out that he loved her. And he meant it even more when he said he didn’t want her to respond. Rejection wasn’t something he needed at the moment.
So, instead, he was focusing very hard on the fact that he did not want Lark to stroll into the law office and act as bait. He’d said as much at least a dozen times since she broached the idea. Which explained her exasperation with him.
“I’m sure there’s another way to draw this guy out,” he grumbled. Again. “Besides, what’s the hurry? You’re safe with me. We have time to find another way.”
Frankly, the idea of Lark living in his house, right where he could make 100% sure she was safe at all times, was very appealing. Not just her, either. If he could move Tenley and her husband, and Mrs. Fulkerson in with him, he’d do it.
But Lark cocked her head to one side and eyed him with a mix of humor and pity, and a sad little smile. “I can’t hide from the world forever. I’d like to go back to work at some point.”
Ren took a deep breath. This wasn’t an argument he could win. He knew because he’d been trying to come up with a winning argument all morning, and the whole time, he’d been failing epically. Which was why they were sitting here in his surveillance van outside the law firm while he fruitlessly argued with her.
“Fine,” he said on a gusty sigh when he finally accepted reality. “But I need you to wear the communications earrings.”
She nodded solemnly as she took them from him and clipped them to her earlobes. “No problem.”
“And you’ll say pistachio if you feel uncomfortable in any way.”
It was the same safe word he’d ordered her to use when he’d had her bent over the bed the previous night, hands cuffed behind her. She hadn’t surrendered then, and he didn’t expect her to surrender now. But he did enjoy how the mere mention of the safe word caused her to blush. No, he didn’t enjoy it. He fucking loved it.
“I’ll say the word if I need you to storm the place,” she mumbled.
“And you’re taking Dammit George with you.”
Her brows drew together. “I can’t imagine they’ll let me walk into their office with a giant scary guard dog.” She patted Dammit George’s head. “No offense,” she told the dog.
Dammit George took no offense. Just gazed at her adoringly with his tongue lolling out of his mouth.
“I have a service dog vest for him,” Ren told her. “A bunch of lawyers will know they can’t keep you away from your service dog.”
She blinked at him for a moment before asking, “What’s his service?”
“If they look into it, they’ll find that he’s registered to tell you when your blood sugar is too low.” He shrugged. “You do get grumpy when you haven’t eaten.”
Another long pause. “Rude. True, but still rude. So, fine, I’ll take Dammit George with me. Are you actually going to let me go in, or are we going to have to bang this out again?”
He’d love nothing more than to drag her back to bed and bang this out some more. But he’d already lost this fight once. He didn’t imagine any amount of banging was going to change her mind now. He barely suppressed another pained sigh. “This is happening. Tell me what you’re going to do one more time.”
She did not suppress her pained sigh. “I’m walking in. I’m asking to speak to Neal. We know he’s not there yet, so I’m going to ask his assistant to leave him this box of his things, in which we’ve included your device that can bug the office and let us know when anyone is sending out any communications to the killer. Then I thank her and walk directly to Tenley’s car.”
“Yes, that’s right,” Tenley said dryly through her own communications earrings from her parking spot across the street. “I’m glad you two finally remembered that I’ve been here the whole time, listening to everything you’ve been saying.”
“Shut up,” Ren grumbled.
“Then,” Lark continued, “Tenley will drive me around and see who follows. If someone follows, you’ll follow them until Tenley can do her fancy driving maneuvers and lose them. Then she’ll drive me home and you’ll do…whatever you need to do on your end. Kind of the same plan if someone calls the killer to the law office to deal with me.”
Home . She’d called his place home. Now that was the type of warm feeling he’d kill to hang onto forever.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.
“We could just send Tenley in with the box,” he tried again. He sounded desperate even to his own ears, and he didn’t care. His dignity was a very small price to pay for her safety.
“That would get the bug planted, but it wouldn’t draw the killer out,” Lark reminded him gently. She laid her hand over his. “Please. I can do this.”
“I’m not worried about you not being able to do it. I know you can do anything. I just…look, the thought of sending you out to intentionally court danger goes against everything I am, OK? I’d fucking wrap you in bubble wrap if I thought it wouldn’t piss you off.”
That’s when she shocked him stupid by grabbing his face between her tiny hands, yanking him closer, and kissing the hell out of him. When she pulled back, they were both breathing hard and his thoughts were as scrambled as the eggs he’d had with breakfast.
He rested his forehead against hers. “What was that for?”
“For always watching out for me, but never treating me like I’m weak or stupid.”
“You’re the strongest, smartest person I’ve ever met. I love you, Lark.”
She opened her mouth, and based on the look in her eyes, he thought maybe she was feeling the same way about him. Maybe she? —
Tenley cleared her throat. “This is all sweet and whatever, but can we get this show on the road? I have shit to do tonight.”
And splat went the moment.
“Thanks, Tenley,” he muttered. “As always, your timing blows.”
“Yeah, you’re not the first to tell me that,” Tenley admitted.
Despite all the assurances she’d just given Ren, Lark’s stomach and heart seemed to be vying for space in her throat as she walked into Neal’s law firm.
Being bait sucked.
And the idea of planting spy technology made her edgy, too. How did Tenley and Ren do this stuff all the time?
Still, if she’d been forced to stay with Ren a moment longer, she was afraid she might’ve said something she shouldn’t. Because surely, he’d been right. Blurting love declarations after only a few days with a man was a bad idea, right?
It had to be. Experts always said you shouldn’t make big life decisions when you were hungry, tired, sick, or experiencing any other kind of big change. And Lark was reasonably certain death threats counted as a big change for a mild-mannered florist.
She took a big breath as she made her way towards Neal’s office.
Lark had always hated this office. It was so…soulless. All the muted colors and modern furnishings reminded her of a high-end dental office. She’d always told Neal he should decorate his office with a little more color and warmth. Give it a look that might help clients feel more at home. He’d laughed her off, of course. Corporate clients didn’t want a lawyer who made them feel welcome. Not for what they charged hourly. She supposed she’d give him that one. If Neal’s oversized, overpriced Hooker desk set made his clients happy, who was she to judge?
Neal’s assistant, Isla, glanced up from her computer screen, nose wrinkling as if she’d just gotten a big whiff of sour milk as her eyes raked over Lark. “What are you doing here?”
Well, apparently Isla was aware of the breakup. Because while they’d never been besties, Lark had never felt this level of animosity from Neal’s assistant when she’d stopped by for any reason.
Isla looked sharp. That was all Lark could think of when she saw her. She looked like you could cut yourself on her if you accidentally bumped into her. The hairspray-shellacked, straight-as-a-pin, chestnut bob, the pretty-but-weirdly-angular face, the winged eyeliner, the curve-less body, the impractical stilettos and pencil skirt…everything was pointy.
And the look she was giving Lark? Well, that was the pointiest of all.
“There’s no pets allowed in here,” Isla said, giving Dammit George a disdainful look that made Lark hope he took a crap right there in front of her desk. But he’d never do something like that. He was far too gentlemanly.
“He’s a service dog.”
Isla sniffed. “Does he alert you to when you’re being a giant bitch? Because clearly, he’s failing at his job.”
Lark gritted her teeth. Be the bigger person . She gestured to the box of Neal’s crap under her arm. “I just have a few of Neal’s things I wanted to return.”
“Is his heart in there, too?” Isla asked with a nasty sneer. “Because giving that back is the least you can do.”
“Oh, you could definitely do less,” Ren commented through her comm earrings. “Don’t let her guilt you.”
There was a time when Isla’s comment would’ve made Lark feel crippling guilt. But those days were behind her. She refused to feel bad about ending a relationship with a man she didn’t love. If anything, she’d done Neal a favor. Now, he was free to pursue someone who appreciated everything he had to offer.
She couldn’t think of anything he had to offer at the moment, but surely someone would value him.
“I never set out to hurt Neal,” Lark said. “Can I leave this box with you, Isla?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes on Lark. “Why should I do anything to help you? You destroyed that man. He hasn’t been in to work in days, and the last time he was here, he was a freakin’ mess. Whatever is in that box could make him spiral again.”
That was weird. Neal never missed work. He even put in a full eight-hour day after he got food poisoning from that sushi place she’d told him looked sketchy. The fucker had taken her favorite popcorn bowl with him to use a puke bucket all day.
But Neal’s work habits weren’t her business anymore. What was she supposed to do? Marry Neal and have his kids even though she couldn’t stand the sight of him most days? That wouldn’t have been in anyone’s best interest.
“These are things he will want back,” she assured Isla. “You’re not doing me a favor by giving them to him. You’re doing him a favor.”
Lark fought off an eye roll as Isla did the mental math on whether or not she should give Neal a box of his things. For god’s sake, woman. Just take the stupid thing! I don’t have all day here. There’s a killer after me!
“You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” Isla said quietly. “But if giving him this box means I never have to see you again, I’ll do it.”
“Was Neal slipping this woman a hot beef injection on the regular?” Tenley asked over coms.
Lark choked on her own spit. It took a few moments of gasping and coughing, all while Isla blinked at her dispassionately, to regain her composure.
“I only ask,” Tenley continued, “because she’s weirdly possessive for an employee.”
“Definitely,” Ren murmured.
Dammit George agreed. A line of hair was standing up down his spine, and he was making a deep, rumbly growl as he eyed Isla suspiciously.
Lark ignored them all, but her mind was definitely spinning. Had Neal been cheating on her with his assistant? How…uncreative of him.
She set the box on Isla’s desk. “Thank you. And…” she trailed off, fighting the urge to apologize. She had nothing to apologize for, damn it! Especially if Neal had been fucking his much younger assistant behind her back. “…have a nice day.”
“Goodbye, Lark,” Isla said. “I hope you have the day you deserve.”
“I don’t like her,” Tenley said.
“Me neither,” Ren added.
Lark wasn’t a fan at the moment, either. She was even kind of regretting that Sephora gift card she’d picked up for Neal to give Isla as a Christmas present last year.
But none of that was important. What mattered now was escape. She’d done her part of the plan. Now it was time for Ren to do his.