CHAPTER ELEVEN COOKIE PERKS
CHAPTER ELEVEN
COOKIE PERKS
RHYS
What the hell am I doing?
But I knew.
I was being fuckin’ pathetic.
I hadn’t stayed at Rye as late as I’d planned the night before.
Most of MayCo had cleared out around dinner, but Glitch hadn’t made progress on fixing whatever error he was getting.
I’d figured I would have to kick him out—or crash there while he worked through the night.
I forgot he wasn’t the same man as before.
He might’ve stuck around a couple of hours longer than the others, but he had a woman to get home to.
I didn’t.
That didn’t stop me from leaving like I had someone waiting. I could say it was me being smart about not being alone on the off chance someone was still feeling shooty, but that wasn’t it.
I’d wanted to see if the detective’s shitty car was out front—it had been.
And if there were signs she wasn’t alone—I had no clue.
The light had been on, but the curtains blocked any view inside the place. I’d contemplated knocking on her door, but I had zero excuse to. And since we were supposed to be gradually building our fake relationship, my showing up out of the blue could compromise that.
Having Lo in my space was invasive enough, but at least she knew what she was doing enough not to cause a clusterfuck. If they pulled her and put in that incompetent partner she’d had that first night, the pointless investigation could be dragged out.
Which was also why I should’ve been at Rye right then, helping MayCo make the upgrades to speed the process along.
Instead, I was loitering in my own damn living room.
Fuck it.
I told myself I was leaving. Going to work. Getting my head on straight.
But even as I threw open my front door, I knew I was heading over to see Lo. To be neighborly.
She saved me the trip.
A squeak escaped her as she jolted, and fuck, it was cute. She quickly smothered it and schooled her expression. The only sign she’d been startled was her rambled, “Hey. Cool. You’re home.”
“I am.”
Her gaze darted next to me to see into my place, and if I hadn’t been paying attention, I would’ve missed the subtle raise of her brows. “Were you just leaving?”
“I was.” I just left out that I was leaving to go see her.
“Cool,” she said as her focus kept drifting to the side.
I leaned against the door jamb, blocking the view. “Need something?”
“No. Yes. Maybe?”
“Is it a multiple choice? Am I supposed to pick?”
She gave a soft laugh, but there was no smile on her tense face. Not even a tilt of those full lips. “I know you’re busy. And I know I said I didn’t need you.”
Fuckin’ ouch.
As if that didn’t burn enough, she paused there. Letting that statement hover. For a second, I thought she was just there to rub salt in that emotional road rash by emphasizing that she didn’t need me. But then I caught it. The way she eyed me expectantly.
Like she hoped I would again offer to accompany her.
Like it killed her to ask for help.
Too bad.
I’d seen her walk through Rye to inspect every inch of the building without giving away a single thought or emotion in her expression. I’d seen her get up and take control after the drive-by, and the only indication she’d nearly been shot was the blood that’d steadily leaked from her forehead.
A forehead that was still bruised and had to hurt like a bitch, but that she hadn’t mentioned once.
Yet standing there on my landing, her pretty brown eyes aimed anywhere but me, she fidgeted with her fingers before roughly shoving her hands in her hoodie pocket. Even then, she shifted her weight from side to side as her expression quickly morphed to annoyance.
Wasn’t sure if it was aimed at me or herself. Also didn’t matter.
Crossing my own arms over my chest, I remained silent as I waited, getting off on her discomfort.
I was beginning to think we’d be locked in that stalemate all day when she rushed out, “Do you have time to come to the bakery with me? It’s okay if you don’t. No biggie either way.”
Could’ve let her off the hook. Could’ve easily agreed to something I wanted to do anyway.
But I liked seeing her ruffled.
And I was an asshole.
So I pushed.
“Do you want me to go with you?” I asked.
She glared. “You offered yesterday, and I just thought since we’re supposed to be building our… you know. Whatever. The whole thing.”
“Doesn’t answer my question, Lo.” Uncrossing my arms, I put my hands on the door frame at either side of me and leaned closer. With our height difference, she had to crane her neck to meet my gaze. “Do you want me to go with you?”
Her glare intensified.
Safe bet she has a piece strapped to her somewhere.
Also a safe bet she’s contemplating using it on me.
It was a thought that shouldn’t turn me on.
Yet there we fuckin’ were.
She must’ve decided the paperwork wasn’t worth it because she inhaled deeply. “Yes, I want you to come with me.”
I stepped onto the landing without hesitation, my body crowding hers as I pulled the door closed behind me and listened for the electronic lock to engage. “That’s all you had to say.”
Having Lo in my car was a mistake for a lot of reasons—the top one being trapped in a small, enclosed space with her was just torturing myself at that point.
Maybe Glitch was on to something.
Maybe I did like to edge myself.
She’d tried to insist we drive separately or take her sedan, and the longer we drove, the more I thought we should’ve. At least then my car wouldn’t be left smelling like fruit and cream for God knew how long.
And if I was in my car by myself, the silence would be normal.
’Cause other than muttering something about how she should’ve known the shiny blue car was mine, Lo hadn’t said shit.
That bothered me more than it should’ve.
I didn’t mind silence. I spent most of my time surrounded by loud music, a blend of conversations, and forced smiles at Rye. A little peace was nice when I could get it.
But Lo’s silence wasn’t peaceful. It was strained and tense. She didn’t fidget like she had at my place, but she sat so still, it was like she was trying to mold herself to the seat.
Like she was uneasy about being alone with me.
I liked the rare occasion I’d been able to catch her off guard.
When she startled, and her beautiful eyes went wide.
I liked it all the more because I got the distinct impression she was seldom caught unaware, and when she was, her blank expression likely hid any sign of it.
But I’d gotten wide eyes and parted lips more than once.
I shouldn’t, but I liked knowing I made her off-kilter.
But I didn’t want her uneasy.
“You gonna tell me what’s going through your head right now?” I asked when I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Nothing really.” Might not have rambled or forced a smile and a chipper tone to cover it, but it was still a lie.
“Lo.”
I didn’t think that would work, but at the firmness in the one word, she inhaled. “I’m worried that seeing me is going to drag up bad memories for Miss—I mean, Mrs. Hyde. Having the pictures will be helpful, but not if the trade-off is retraumatizing her.”
“Piper is Teflon.” At her lowered brows, I explained. “Nothing sticks to her. She lets the bad roll off and keeps the good close.”
Lo remained silent for a few stretching seconds before quietly stating, “You like her.”
It wasn’t a question, but I answered it anyway. “She’s hard not to like. Especially if she decides you’re part of her circle. Then you’re in for life, and that exclusive club comes with cookies.”
I could feel her stare, and after I slowed to a stop at a red light, I looked over to study her right back.
I got nothing. No questions. No arched brow, smirk, or frown.
Her face was blank, and that bothered me almost as much as her silence.
“You play poker?” I asked as I started driving again.
“No, why?”
“You should. You’d clean up.”
She let out a soft laugh before that silence sank between us again.
“Point is, you don’t need to worry about upsetting Piper. She’s in a good place. But can I give you a piece of advice?”
“Please.”
“Call her Piper. Not Mrs. Hyde.”