35 TOBIAS
ut me down!" She squirms against my grip. "I'm not leaving "P them!"
"Not negotiable." I tighten my hold as she kicks out, nearly catching my shin. Her elbow connects with my ribs but I barely feel it through the adrenaline.
"Tobias, I swear to god-"
"Swear all you want, sweetheart." I shoulder through the back door, emerging into the cool night air. My bike gleams under the security light.
She twists in my grip. "They could get hurt!"
"They can handle themselves." I set her down next to the motorcycle, keeping one hand firmly on her arm while I grab my spare helmet. "Put this on."
"I'm not going anywhere-"
Another shot rings out from inside. I shove the helmet into her hands. "Now."
She glares but complies, fingers fumbling with the strap. I help her secure it, then swing my leg over the bike.
"Get on."
"What about you? Don't you need-"
"I said get on."
She climbs behind me, her arms wrapping around my waist. The engine roars to life under us.
"They'll be fine," I say over my shoulder. "Julian's got more lives than a cat, and Corey..." I pause, remembering countless missions together. "Well, let's just say I've seen him handle worse."
"But-"
I rev the engine, cutting off her protest, and peel out of the parking lot. Her arms tighten around me as we take the first corner fast, leaving the chaos behind us.
My phone vibrates against my thigh as we cruise down the empty streets. I pull over into an abandoned gas station lot, cutting the engine.
"What's happening?" Rhea's hands grip my shoulders as I fish out my phone.
"Give me a minute." I check the screen - Corey. Thank fuck.
"Are they okay?" She leans in close, trying to hear. I press the phone to my ear.
"Talk to me."
"We're good." Corey's voice is tight but steady. "Couple cuts from cut glass. Place is cleared out."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Bodies?"
"Handled. Don't bring her back to the house yet. Take her somewhere safe. Go to Mama's place-"
"No." The word comes out sharp. "Too risky. Don't want Mama caught up in this shit."
Rhea tugs at my jacket. "What's he saying?"
I wave her off. "Where then?"
"My apartment." She crosses her arms. "No one's been there since the break-in. They won't expect it."
I consider it. She's not wrong - it's been weeks since the vandalism. Any surveillance would have moved on by now.
"Rhea suggests her place," I tell Corey. "It's been clear for weeks."
A pause. "Could work. Stay there until you hear from me.” "Got it." I hang up and turn to Rhea. "They're okay. Got some scratches but nothing serious."
She sags against my back in relief. "Thank god. So we're going to my place?"
"Yeah. But we stay put until Corey gives the all-clear." I kick the bike back to life. "Hold on tight."
Her arms wrap around my waist again as we pull back onto the road, heading toward her apartment. I feel her cheek press between my shoulder blades, seeking comfort. I resist the urge to reach down and squeeze her hand. Now isn't the time for that kind of distraction.
I unlock her apartment door , scanning the space before letting her enter. The place looks pristine - our cleanup crew does good work.
No trace of the vandalism remains.
Rhea steps in behind me, her boots clicking on the hardwood.
"Holy shit. It looks... normal."
"We have people who handle this kind of thing." I close and lock the door, checking the windows out of habit.
She drops onto her couch, pulling her knees to her chest. "Okay, enough dodging. What's really going on? Who were those guys at the bar?"
I sink down next to her. "Rival organization. They don't like how we run things."
"Run what exactly? The fights?"
"Among other things." I keep my voice deliberately vague. The less she knows, the safer she'll be.
"That's not an answer, Tobias." She turns to face me, eyes blazing.
"I deserve to know what I'm caught up in. Someone shot at us tonight. They trashed my apartment. They ran me off the road-"
"And we're handling it."
"Handling it? There were gunshots-"
"We've dealt with worse."
"Worse?" Her voice rises. "What could be worse than-"
"Rhea." I try to cut her off but she's in full spiral now.
"No, don't 'Rhea' me! I need answers! What happens when-"
I grab her face between my hands and crush my mouth to hers, swallowing her words. She makes a small sound of surprise before melting into me, her fingers curling into my shirt. Her lips are soft, yielding under mine as the kiss deepens.
When I finally pull back, she blinks at me dazedly. "That's... that's not fair."
"Never claimed to fight fair, sweetheart."
I can’t get a word in afterwards because she dives back in, branding my lips.