"Use?" I slam my hand down on the counter, and she jumps. "How will he be useful?"

She rounds the island and sweeps her hand over my hair with a sweet, innocent, and completely bullshit smile. "Calm down, Nix. I promise I'm careful."

I close my eyes and take a minute to let my anger wane. "You're playing with fire. It's a dangerous game, Coco."

Her hand glides down the side of my face, scraping against my evening stubble as she wraps her fingers around my jaw and forces my eyes to hers. "I'm learning a lot of useful things. He spills his guts to me every night. He's part of the NYPD Computer Crime Unit and the REACT Task Force."

"Fuck," I hiss and pull my face from her grip. Not only is she seeing a cop who specializes in computer crimes-my kind of crime, in fact-he's part of REACT. It's a special multijurisdictional task force that deals with computer crimes of every kind. They're the last thing I need in my life right now-our lives. How could she be so careless? I jump to my feet and tense. "You've gone off the deep end."

"I have not." She crosses her arms in front of her and watches me as I begin to pace. "Connor thinks I'm a secretary at a swanky investment firm. He's clueless and shockingly not that bright. He tells me things he shouldn't, things that would get him fired when I-"

I cut her off, and quickly placing a finger against her lips, I command, "Stop." I'm trying to keep the anger that had been simmering under my skin from Kennedy's disappearing act under control, but with Coco's antics coming to light, the slow burn is turning into a raging inferno.

Her lips curve into a smile behind my finger before she pulls away. She scurries away from me to the other side of the island and grabs her bag. "Nix," she says, looking at me over her shoulder. "Men really are the weaker sex." She grins wickedly and starts toward the door but continues talking as I stalk behind her. "I have Connor right where I want him. You always taught me that women have all the power, and it's true. Men will do or say anything for any tiny hope of getting into our panties."

My hands ball into tight fists at my sides, and I want to track down Connor and pound him in the face. I'm too angry to say anything; I just hover behind her as she pauses with her hand on the door handle before she leaves.

She turns to face me with nothing but seriousness in her expression. "Remember that with Eva. No matter how much you think you're in control, you're not. You're too busy trying to fuck her to think clearly. You told me never to get too close to anyone, but you're breaking all your own rules. Don't let pussy cloud your judgment like it's clouding Connor's."

Instead of screaming at her like a child, I brush my lips against her forehead and sigh. "I won't, babe. Don't get yourself in a spot that you can't get out of with him. It's easy to get so caught up in a situation that you can't see when you're being played."

As I start to pull away, she wraps an arm around my back and puts her ear next to mine. "Live by your own words, Nix. I don't have a good feeling about her. Your game is just as dangerous as mine."

"I know," I admit to her, shocked that I actually agree with something Coco said. "Call me in the morning so I know you're okay, please."

"I will." Her lips touch my cheek ever so gently as she drops her hand from my back and the other turns the door handle. "Love you," she whispers.

"You too, kid." I smile, and some of my anger melts away. Not enough to calm me, but just enough that I don't feel the urge to follow her tonight and murder Connor to keep her away from him.

When the door swings open, I drag my eyes to the thing that makes Coco snarl like a rabid dog. To my shock, Kennedy is standing there with her fist in the air, ready to knock.

"Hi," Kennedy says, her eyes sweeping between Coco and me.

"Showed your face, finally?" Coco snaps.

Kennedy ignores her and stares only at me. "Nix."

Coco points at Kennedy, glancing over her shoulder at me with disdain written all over her face. "You got this?"

I know what she's telling me without repeating it in front of mixed company, and I nod as I hold Kennedy's gaze. "I got it. You can go, Coco. We'll be fine."

Coco steps closer to Kennedy. I can't see Coco's face, but I know it isn't sweet. "You don't deserve him." Kennedy smiles up at her, unafraid of the pink-eyeglasses-wearing woman in front of her. When Kennedy doesn't take the bait, Coco brushes past her, knocking into her shoulder, causing Kennedy's body to rock backward.

I turn my back, leaving Kennedy in the hallway without a word. I'm cursing under my breath as I stalk toward the living room, trying to control the rage that's bubbling in my system. She's behind me, her heels clicking against the floor as she follows me.

"Nix, I'm sorry," she whispers behind me, but I do nothing. I'm too mad that I'll say something I regret.

Anger isn't an emotion I'm used to having when it comes to women. Besides Coco, I've never cared about anyone of the opposite sex. I know with Kennedy that I can't let my emotions get the better of me. I need information. If I blow up now, I'll never figure out what her game is. I need to play it cool, bide my time, and make her confess all her sins to me.

I take a deep breath and stare out the windows, overlooking the city nightscape. "Where have you been, Kennedy?"

She comes to a stop behind me and places her hand on my back near my shoulder. "I had things to do. I'm sorry I didn't call."

"Things to do?" I can hear the aggravation in my voice.

"Yeah." Her hand slowly sweeps down my back. "Family things I had to take care of."

I turn to face her, her hand coming to rest in the middle of my chest, and wipe the angry scowl off my face. Lure her in, Nix. Make her comfortable. "Everything okay?"

Her eyes dip to the floor, and her hand tightens in my shirt. "Everything went fine. My dad's an asshole, but everyone knows that."

"Why didn't you call? I was worried." It's not a lie, and even though I don't buy her family story, I want to see how she'll wriggle her way out of it.

"He has a place in the mountains. It gets zero reception. I tried a few times, but I couldn't connect." Her hand slides up my chest and comes to a rest on my neck. "I missed you."

I leave out the bit about pinging her phone and the fact that I don't believe a word coming out of her mouth as I pull her into my arms. "I missed you too." Leaning down, I press my mouth to hers, relishing the taste and feel of her.

Her kiss is sweet and soft with her tongue sweeping lightly against my lips. Mine is demanding and laced with anger as I nip at her bottom lip until she whimpers. Moving my hands to her face, I pull away enough to see her eyes. "You can't just disappear like that. I thought Hassan got a hold of you."

"He didn't," she whispers without so much as a blink.

I study her face, letting my thumbs glide across her makeup-covered cheeks. "I imagined the worst."

She places her hand on mine, stilling my movement. "I can take care of myself, Nix. I told you that."

My fingers press deeper into her skin, my grip growing fierce, and she winces and tries to pull away. "What's this?" I ask as a purplish bruise peeks through her thick concealer, and I turn her face to the side to get a better view.

"It's nothing," she tries even harder, pushing against my chest, but she can't break my hold.

I lean in, bringing my eyes to the very spot that's now bare and bruised. My lips are close to hers, and her breathing is ragged and panicked. "What the fuck happened to you, Kennedy?"

"I walked into something."

My gaze narrows and hardens. "Something?"

"A wall. I walked into a wall. Okay?" She closes her eyes, avoiding me.

"This is not from a wall."

"It is," she argues and tries once again to get free of my grasp, gasping when I actually let go and give her some space. "It's no big deal. I'm clumsy sometimes..."

Before she can say anything more, I grab her arm and wrap my arm around the back of her legs, hoisting her into the air and over my shoulder. She yelps and pushes with all her might to slide down my body, but I hold firm. "We need to chat."

"It was a fucking wall," she yells and tries to kick me, but I have her legs too far out from my body with her face down near my ass. "Put me down, goddammit."

I stalk toward the bedroom, my rage boiling over and almost uncontrollable. "Not happening."

"You can't do this!"

I kick open the door and take two long strides toward the bed. "You're going to talk, even if I have to make you."

"I won't crack," she hisses when I drop her on the bed, and she bounces in the air. Her legs and arms go wide, steadying herself and ready to pounce like she's the hunter.

"You'll crack," I whisper against her lips.

She has it all wrong.

She's the prey.

I'm the predator.

And I will devour her.

17.

Kennedy

"Was it your father?"

I scrunch my brows in confusion. "What, who hit me? No. God, no."

"Who the fuck did it, then? Are you seeing someone else?"

He's got me pinned to the bed by my wrists, and a vein in his neck is standing out ominously. Nix has murder in mind over this black eye. I should have waited until it was gone to come see him, but I couldn't wait. I didn't even go home after my flight from Dubai landed. I came straight here.

"No. I'm not seeing anyone else."

He narrows his eyes skeptically. "I want to believe you."

"Hey, which one of us always has another woman over at his apartment, one who has serious jealousy issues?"

"I told you, I've got no interest in Coco."

"And I believe you," I remind him. "So don't doubt me when I've given you no reason to."

"What the fuck am I supposed to think? You disappear from the grid for a week and come back with a black eye you think you can hide from me?"

"We're both hiding things, Nix."

He lowers his face to mine and kisses me, pouring tenderness and ferocity into every nerve ending in my body. I feel it-his worry and helplessness. And a wave of guilt hits me, because I did this to him.

"I'm sorry," I say, tearing myself away from his kiss. "I'd never worry you on purpose."

His eyes close and he slides his hands into mine, lacing our fingers together. "I can't keep doing this if you don't give me something, Ken. You don't have to give me every fucking thing, but...something."

My pulse quickens at the thought of losing him. I can't let that happen. This thing between us has been reckless, and my feelings for him will probably bite me in the ass at some point, but Nix is the best thing in my life right now. The best thing I've had in a long time. He makes me feel alive. He challenges me, excites me, and sees me in a way no one ever has.

"I was working," I say softly.

His eyes open and bore into mine. "Do you work alone?"

"No."

"Did someone you work with hit you?"

"No."

"Were you working for Hassan?"

It's all I can do not to smile at that question. "No."

"Is your work legal?"

I sigh softly. I'm at such a disadvantage right now. His hard, warm body is pressed against mine. Everything about this feels so good, and I want to please him.

He lowers his lips to my collarbone and kisses it, the slight touch of the tip of his tongue sending a shiver of arousal down my spine. "Answer me," he whispers against my skin.

"Yes."

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No," I whisper.

I wrap a leg around one of his, pushing my hips up to nestle against his erection. "Let go of me, Nix. I want to touch you."

He arches his brows and shakes his head. "I'll be doing the touching tonight."

"I missed you."

"Yeah? Was your phone not working? You could have texted me back."

"I couldn't."

His jaw tightens and his gaze darkens. "Don't fucking lie to me about this, Kennedy. Is this thing between us real?"

"Yes." My voice breaks with emotion, because I hate that he's not sure. "Can't you feel how real it is?"