Chapter 13 Poe
THIRTEEN
POE
The sun’s dipping lower, painting the backyard in that soft golden light that makes everything feel a little less like a prison.
Sweat clings to my skin, my muscles are warm and loose from the training, and Orchid’s standing a few feet away trying to look composed even though her chest is still rising and falling fast. Her ponytail has come half undone, dark strands sticking to her neck, and her tank top is damp enough to cling in all the right places. She’s fucking gorgeous.
I’m still buzzing from how close we got. From the way her body felt pressed against mine when she showed me that hold. From the way her eyes had gone dark and hungry right before she stepped back.
Before I can say anything stupid, voices drift over the fence.
“Oh my gosh, look at you two!” Tammy’s excited squeal cuts through the quiet. “Working out together? That’s so cute! Mark, come look, they’re doing couple fitness!”
Mark’s head pops up beside her, beer already in hand even though it’s barely evening. “Nice form, man. You guys training for a marathon or just showing off for each other?”
Orchid stiffens instantly. I can see the professional mask sliding back into place, the enforcer resurfacing.
But I feel the opposite. This is an opening.
A chance to get out of the house again, to be around people, to maybe slip another message to Ozzy.
I still have no idea what the team knows, whether they’ve traced the number, whether they’re closing in on Enley.
And after watching Orchid’s face in the office when I refused the hack, I’m starting to wonder if she’s as locked in with Serafina as she pretends.
She looked genuinely conflicted. Like maybe she cared, just a little, that I wouldn’t burn Maddox to the ground.
That crack in her armor is something I want to explore.
Plus, I can’t fucking lie. I like playing her husband.
A lot. Maybe a little bit too much. Sue me.
She’s a fucking knockout and I just want to find reasons to touch her.
Does that make me sound like a creep? I don’t give a fuck.
I like the way she lets me touch her when we’re in front of other people.
The casual hand on her waist, the way she leans into me just enough to sell it.
I wouldn’t mind getting another taste of that.
Maybe even stealing a real kiss if the moment feels right.
I won’t push it, though. Not when Enley’s life is still hanging in the balance.
I flash the neighbors my best easy-going grin and walk closer to the fence. “Just blowing off some steam. You know how it is.”
Tammy claps her hands. “Well, perfect timing! We wanted to lock in that double date. Friday night? Seven o’clock at Bella Italia? They’ve got the best tiramisu in town and the lighting is super romantic.” She winks at Orchid like they’re already best friends.
I glance back at Orchid. Her jaw is tight, but she’s smart enough not to shoot them down outright. I jump in before she can make an excuse.
“Friday sounds great,” I say, sliding my arm around Orchid’s waist and pulling her gently against my side.
She tenses for half a second, then relaxes into the touch like a good fake wife.
My thumb brushes the strip of skin where her tank top has ridden up, and I feel her shiver. “We’ll be there. Right, babe?”
Orchid forces a smile that’s mostly teeth. “Right. Wouldn’t miss it.”
Mark raises his beer in salute. “Awesome! Poe, you better bring your A-game. Tammy’s already planning the wine order.”
Tammy bounces on her toes. “This’s going to be so fun! We can swap couple stories. How you two met, how long you’ve been married, all the good stuff.”
I squeeze Orchid’s hip lightly, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric. “We’ve got plenty of stories. Can’t wait.”
The neighbors chatter for another minute about reservations and what time we should meet, then finally wave goodbye and disappear back into their yard, still talking loudly about how cute we are.
The second they’re gone, Orchid steps out of my hold, but not before I catch the faint flush on her cheeks.
“Even if we were married I don’t think I’d be friends with them.”
I laugh. “Oh, come on,” I say with a laugh. “You wouldn’t go on girl’s trips with Tammy?”
Orchid shakes her head with a small smile. “No, I don’t do girl trips. I don’t really do any of this. Date nights. Couple-y things.”
I want to tell her I’m the exact same. I step closer, breathing in deep, but before I can say anything she cuts in.
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” she mutters, crossing her arms.
I shrug, still riding the high of having an excuse to touch her. “What can I say? I make a pretty convincing husband. And face it, you don’t exactly hate it when I put my hands on you in front of them.”
Her gaze sharpens. “We’re not actually married, Poe. And we’re definitely not going on a real double date.”
“Tell that to Tammy and Mark. They already think we’re the hottest new couple on the block.” I step closer again, lowering my voice. “Besides, it’s a chance to get out. Fresh air. Good food.”
She looks away, jaw tight.
I keep going, soft but serious. “I saw your face in the office. You get why I stopped. That system protects people. Innocent people. If there’s even a small part of you that doesn’t want to hand all that over to Serafina, then maybe we’re not as different as we think.”
Orchid exhales slowly, eyes flicking back to mine. For a second the mask slips again and I see something real underneath. Conflict. Exhaustion. Maybe even a flicker of the same pull I feel every time we get too close.
She shakes her head. “You’re reading too much into it. My job is to make sure you deliver. That’s all.” But her voice is quieter than usual.
I don’t push harder. Not yet. Instead I let my gaze drop to her mouth for a beat, remembering how close we came earlier.
“Friday night could be interesting. You in a dress. Me playing the doting husband again. Might even get a chance to do this properly.” I reach out and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers brush her cheek.
She doesn’t pull away immediately. Her breath catches, just barely.
I smile, slow and careful. “I won’t push anything you don’t want. But I wouldn’t mind kissing my wife goodnight if the moment feels right.”
Orchid’s eyes darken. She opens her mouth like she’s about to argue, then closes it again. The tension from the training session is still humming between us, mixed now with the promise of Friday night and the small crack I just saw in her armor.
She finally steps back, but there’s no real force behind it. “We should go inside. You still have work to do.”
“Yeah,” I say, letting her have the retreat. “But I’m looking forward to Friday. A lot.”
As we head back toward the house, I catch her glancing at me sideways. There’s heat there. Curiosity. Maybe even the start of something that feels dangerously close to trust.
I don’t know what Serafina really wants with Maddox’s system. I don’t know how deep Orchid is in all this. But I do know one thing.
Friday night is going to be my best chance yet to get a message to Ozzy, to find out what the team knows about Enley, and to see just how far I can push the beautiful, conflicted woman walking beside me before one of us finally gives in.
And if I get to act like her husband again, get to touch her, get to make her blush in front of other people?
I’ll take every single fucking second of it.
Because in this cage, those small moments of pretending are starting to feel like the only real thing I have left.