Chapter 23
Club
The elevator doors open into Amir’s penthouse apartment, and I pinch the bridge of my nose, sighing.
“Amir!” I call out, shrugging off my jacket as I step into the living room. “Hello?”
“I’m here!” Amir exclaims, rushing out of the kitchen, two cocktails in hand. “Thirsty?”
I blink at him, then shift my gaze to the metal monstrosity anchored in the middle of the living room. “Is there a reason you have a stripper pole bolted to your ceiling?”
Amir smirks, giving me a shameless shrug. “It was a friend’s birthday the other day. I was simply playing host.” He offers me a cocktail, no doubt as a truce. “Don’t be such a prude, Saffy. If you saw what these women can do.” He clicks his tongue. “It’s an art.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not judging the women, Amir. I’m judging you.”
He gasps, grabbing his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Saffy. I already told you, I’m a changed man.”
I perk a brow. “Are you?”
“Of course.” A sly smile clips his lips. “I’m engaged.”
I choke mid sip. “Excuse me?”
Amir nods toward the obnoxiously long white sectional sofa in the middle of the living room. The vast cityscape of the Manhattan skyline stretches before us as we take a seat.
“Okay, I’m not engaged yet, but I will be. Mark my words, Safia, she will say yes.”
I balk. “Oh God. You’re not talking about Gigi, are you?”
He frowns at me, genuinely offended. “Who else would I be talking about, if not that goddess?”
I snort. “Unless you’re planning on slapping handcuffs on Gigi and dragging her to the altar, I don’t see this little plan of yours ever coming to fruition.”
Amir smirks, hiking his ankle over his thigh. His designer velvet loafer bounces up and down. “Oh, I definitely see handcuffs in our future. Lots and lots of handcuffs.”
I shake my head, scowling. “If anyone is going to be wearing handcuffs, Amir, it’s you. And it won’t be for fun.”
Amir grins, unfazed. “I wouldn’t mind getting a little roughed up by that woman.”
“You’re incorrigible,” I say, taking a sip of the Negroni. “Just be careful, Amir, okay? I don't want you to set yourself up for heartbreak.”
Amir waves me off. “My heart will be perfectly fine.” He narrows his suspicious eyes at me. “But your heart, that’s another story.” His conniving gaze flits to a manila envelope on the coffee table. “Speaking of which.”
I glower at him. “What did you do?”
Amir reaches over, grabbing the folder. “Okay, don’t be mad at me, but I may or may not have done a little…research.”
“Amir.”
My brother sets his drink to the side, then pulls a thick stack of documents out of the envelope. “I only had a few hours to put this together, so there may be some gaps.” He glares at me. “If someone told me earlier then maybe I’d—”
“You ran a background check on Theo.” It’s not a question. It doesn’t need to be. My brother has zero boundaries. Of course, it’s a fucking background check. “You had no right to—”
“Theodore Kane, age thirty-six,” Amir begins, reciting information I most likely already know.
“Attended Bower Secondary School in Harlem. Took a year off after graduation working as a caddie at Marigold Country Club on Long Island. He attended college out of state. Got a BA in criminology, immediately applied to the FBI academy—”
I slam the cocktail glass on the coffee table. “I said stop!”
Amir snaps his head at me, taken aback. “Saffy—”
“No! Don’t Saffy me, Amir. You have crossed a line. I never asked you to look into Theo, and I don’t appreciate you going behind my back and most likely breaking dozens of privacy policies to dig up information on a man that I am dating. I’m a big girl, Amir, and I don’t need you protecting me.”
Amir lowers the documents. “I just…” He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck as he closes his eyes.
“I don’t want to lose you, Safia. You’re my sister and I love you, and after hearing about what happened with Kross in your office…
” He peers up at me. “Why didn’t you tell me about Kross, Safia?
I’m your brother. I have…I have resources. Money. Lots of money. I could’ve…”
Understanding dawns on me, and I swallow.
“I’m sorry, Amir. I… I didn’t tell you because I was…
I was embarrassed. Kaleb was a patient. My patient.
I was supposed to help him. But instead…
” A chill runs down my spine as memories of Kaleb’s knife against my throat flashes through my mind.
“He killed a man because of me. Because I couldn’t do my job. Because I… I wasn’t good enough.”
“Safia.” Amir sidles closer to me, wrapping his arms around me. I rest my head on his chest. “It’s not your fault. I don’t want you to ever think that you’re not good enough. You’re brilliant, Safia. It’s just… you can’t help everyone. Some people are beyond saving.”
“They still haven’t found him,” I whisper. “He’s gone AWOL. I… I can’t even go home. I’m… I’m scared to go to that apartment.”
Amir’s grip on me tightens. “They’ll find him, Safia.
They’ll find him and they’ll arrest him.
You’ll be able to go home soon.” He kisses the top of my head.
“Do you want me to buy you a new apartment? Would that make you feel better? A cute little penthouse? An entire building, maybe? Or I could hire a bodyguard for you? Ex-military, maybe? I know a guy who—”
I chuckle lightly, pulling away from Amir. “No, I’m fine, but thank you for at least asking.”
Amir frowns, gaze sweeping around my face. “Are you safe, Safia? Tell me the truth.”
I nibble on the inside of my cheek. “I… I don’t think Theo would ever let anything bad happen to me.”
“But would he kill for you, Safia?” Amir asks. “Would he kill to protect you?”
My response is immediate.
I don’t even need to think about it.
“Yes, he would.”
“Good.” Amir’s shoulders relax. “Well, I suppose I should meet this man, shouldn’t I?”
I blink. “You’ve already met him.”
Amir grins. “No, I’ve met Agent Kane. I have yet to meet Theodore, the man courting my little sister.”
I snort. “Courting?”
Amir glares at me. “You met his family, Safia. It’s time for him to meet yours.”
I sigh. “Fine. We can do dinner next week.”
He gives me a knowing smile. “Actually, I have a better idea.” He reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out an elegant invitation.
“I bought a table at the Marquis Foundation’s Annual Black and White Ball on Friday.
I think this would be the perfect opportunity to officially meet Theodore Kane.
” Amir cocks his head. “He can afford a tuxedo, can he not?”
I scowl at my brother. “I’m sure he’ll manage.”
Amir claps his hands. “Excellent. You can use my stylist to buy a dress. On me, of course.” He pauses, eyes widening. “Oh…”
“What?”
He smirks. “I have one more seat available.”
“There is no way in hell Gigi would—”
“Maybe not if I invite her but…” He gives me sad puppy dog eyes. “But if you…”
I shake my head. “No way. I’m not going to.”
For the rest of the night Amir attempts to convince me to invite Gigi to The Black and White Ball. After three glasses of wine and a tray of foreign cheese, I end up agreeing. Amir doesn’t give up. It’s an admirable trait. Admirable and dangerous.
I yawn, entering Theo’s apartment. My head throbs, and I inwardly curse Amir for his endless supply of alcohol.
As I step into the hallway, I frown at the sound of the shower running in the bathroom.
I check the time. It’s 8 a.m. Isn’t Theo supposed to be at the hospital with Penny?
I set my purse down on the kitchen counter as the faucet turns off, and the door to the bathroom creaks open.
“You’re home,” Theo says, strutting into the kitchen, a cotton gray towel wrapped around his hips. Despite the fatigue rendering my brain useless, my greedy gaze dances across his glistening sculpted chest. He smirks. “My eyes are up here, little lamb.”
I clear my throat. “Why are you home already?”
Theo strides toward me, arching over and giving me a lingering kiss on the lips. I nearly topple over from the tender impact.
“Penny got the dates mixed up,” he whispers, brushing his nose against the shell of my ear. “It’s next week.”
“Oh…”
My eyelids flutter as he pulls me into a strong embrace. I could fall asleep standing up. As long as he’s holding me, I could drift off without the fear of falling.
Theo chuckles into my hair. “How much did you drink last night?”
“Enough,” I groan into his chest. “I genuinely worry about Amir’s liver.”
Theo kisses my temple. “Why don’t I make us some coffee and you go lie down?”
“Can’t,” I mumble, hopping up on the barstool next to the kitchen island. “If I lie down, I’ll never get back up.”
Theo laughs, rounding the island. With one flick, he turns on the coffee maker.
He spins around, leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. “There’s plenty of things we can do lying down, little lamb.
” He tilts his head, catching the glow of intrigue in my eyes.
“What do you say? Should we spend the entire day horizontal?”
My mouth dries as my gaze dances down the length of his chest, landing on the bulge hiding behind the towel. My chest rises as his cock twitches under the fabric.
“Tempting, but it’s Tuesday, and we’re already late for work.”
Theo licks his lips, his hand moving deliberately to the corner of the towel tucked around his hips. “Oh, come on, Safia.” His fingers grasp the edge, and with a smooth tug, he pulls it free. The towel falls to the floor, and my eyes widen. “Play hooky with me.”
My core tightens as his cock stands erect, like a goddamn monument.
“You’re the boss,” I breathe out. “You can’t play hooky.”