A few seconds of silence pass, and he sits up. "Kennedy? What the fuck's going on?"

I take in a shaky breath. "Nix, I work for a black ops intelligence agency."

"Government?"

I nod, waiting for the fallout.

"I figured. With your connections through your father, the disguises, the phony name...the way you fought me off of you that time." He shrugs.

"You figured?" I give him a shocked look.

"And what have you brought back on me? Some photos? My address? The way I like my cock sucked? I'm more careful than you apparently realize."

"What are you saying?"

He leans back and the white bedsheet slides aside, revealing the dark trail of hair my eyes can't help but follow. "I'm saying you're not privy to anything that could get me arrested. No one is."

"What about Coco?"

His eyes darken with anger. "She won't be an issue anymore."

"Answer me, Nix." I brush my bangs away from my eyes. "Is she-or was she-able to access information that could get you in trouble?"

He sighs heavily. "Yeah. But I trust that kid with my life. I've known her for years. She'd take a bullet for me, and I'd do the same for her."

"When did you last talk to her?"

His eyes are locked onto me. "Why?"

"She's in custody."

He gets out of the bed and walks over to me, his glare unnerving. "In jail? Coco's in jail right now?"

I nod.

He bends down to meet my gaze, a storm raging in his eyes. "And you fucking knew this whole time and didn't tell me? You let me fuck you for hours and then sleep while she's in jail?"

"Yes."

His hand flies out, and I'm not fast enough to dodge. I'm expecting a blow to my face, but instead, his fist crashes into the drywall behind the chair.

"You motherfucking liar," he says in a low, ominous tone.

"I never lied."

He pulls his hand back, and I hear pieces of drywall dropping onto the floor. "I care about two fucking people in this world. You. And her. And you know it."

"Nix, I needed-"

He stands up. "Don't fucking tell me what you needed. She was barely hanging on when I found her. No one ever gave a shit if she lived or died before I took her in."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but she fucked up, Nix."

Storming across the room, he scoops up his jeans from the floor and steps into them. "I know. That's probably why she didn't call me to bail her out-because she thinks I'm done with her, too." He runs a hand through his hair. "Fuck. It's my fucking fault."

"None of this is your fault."

There's fire in his eyes when he turns to me. "Where is she?"

"You can't go bail her out."

"The fuck I can't." He walks over to a small watercolor painting and grabs one side of the frame, opening it to reveal a wall safe.

"South wall of my bedroom," he mutters, looking at me over his shoulder. "You want the fucking combination for your next report?"

"No. I haven't been working you, Nix. You have to believe me."

He opens the safe but then stalks back toward me before taking anything out of it. "You haven't been working me? Why the fuck are you here, then? You kept me busy last night while your buddies arrested Coco, and now you're here to make me an offer, aren't you?"

I wince at the hurt I see mixed with the anger in his expression. "I have been authorized to make you an offer, yes, but it's not-"

"Fuck you and your fucking offer!" He leans in so close I can feel the heat of his body.

"Just hear me out, Nix."

"Get out. I'll find Coco myself."

"No!" I stand up and meet his eyes defiantly. "You can't go yourself. They'll arrest you."

"I've got a damned good attorney, and I don't leave trails. I'm not worried."

"No, you don't. But she does."

His expression morphs, and suddenly he looks downright ill. "What the fuck are you talking about?" he asks in a low tone.

"She opened you up. An NYPD Computer Crimes Unit was able to access-"

"Motherfucker!" he roars.

"I'm sorry, Nix."

"Sorry?" Hands on his hips, he looks at me incredulously. "You fucked me over like no one ever has, and you're sorry?"

"I didn't." Angry tears burn my eyes. "And I wouldn't have. The damage was already done. Whether you realize it or not, I'm trying to help you."

"Feels like a helpful ass-fucking to me." He looks up at the ceiling, his jaw set in a tense line. "I can't believe I fell for a piece of ass."

"Hey," I say, going from upset to pissed off in an instant. "Don't you ever call me that."

"You used your pussy to work me. Got paid for it, even. That makes you a whore."

I can't stop myself. I fly toward him, shoving him hard as tears blur my vision. He doesn't even budge. "Fuck you, Nix. I know you care about me. Don't push me away, you asshole."

"We're over," he says, shaking his head. "I'll never be able to trust you again."

"I didn't do anything!" I yell. "I wasn't working you. I found out Coco was arrested, but I had nothing to do with it. Give me a fucking chance to explain."

He walks over to a dark wood dresser, opens a drawer and takes out a T-shirt, putting it on. "What's your offer, Kennedy? I roll over on a bunch of people to keep Coco out of jail? Or maybe I come work for you guys?"

"The offer is for you to give us something of value. You get to decide what it is. And it buys dismissal of her charges."

He scoffs and looks away. "Bullshit. I'm no rat. I've got the resources to hire the best criminal defense attorney money can buy to get her out."

I nod and cross my arms. "You can, but what about you? They've got evidence you stole millions, Nix. Across state and even country lines. This is too big to get out of."

"I could be in another country by tonight."

"Not this time. And even if you could, Coco would pay the price."

He gives me a murderous glare. "This is how you guys work, then? Cooperate, or someone I care about gets hurt?"

"Don't act like the bad guys play fair."

He looks at the ground, his expression so vulnerable that it's all I can do not to run toward him and throw my arms around him.

"I don't mean you," I say softly. "I don't think you're a bad guy."

"Well, I am." He looks up and meets my eyes. "You fucked with the wrong person."

"I never fucked with you. What started out as an assignment for me changed. I fell in...into something, and...Nix, I'm trying to help you. Please believe me."

"I'm sure you think you are. But you don't get it."

"What don't I get? Tell me."

"I'm not telling you shit. Not ever again. You probably bugged my apartment."

"Nix." I wrap my arms around myself protectively. "Don't do this."

"It's already fucking done. And you're the one who did it." He picks up my clothes from the floor and tosses them at me. "Get dressed and get out."

"No."

He steps closer to me, like a wolf close to pouncing. "Get. Out. Or I'll throw your ass out."

I close the distance between us and put a palm on his chest. "You told me once that you're not as bad as everyone thinks you are. So prove it. I'm asking you to help us stop arms dealers and drug lords. Murderers. You'd be saving lives."

"Is that why you do this? You think you're saving the world?"

His cold tone sends a shiver down my spine. "Not the world, no. But yes, I do it to help people. My uncle was killed by a criminal with an illegal gun. I loved him very much." I swallow back the tears.

"If you'd just been honest with me..." He sighs heavily. "We could have had something, Kennedy. Something really good."

"So we've got nothing?"

"Not anymore." He nods at the bedroom door. "Get the hell out. I need to go get Coco."

I nod, feeling like a pane of shattered glass that's pieces are on the edge of falling to the floor. I overestimated Nix's feelings for me, and now my career is on the line. I blew my cover to make this offer myself, and I have to go tell Rae it was a bust. Not to mention I just lost the man who means more to me than any man ever has.

"Okay." I slide into my jeans, and he looks away as I put on the rest of my clothes. How quickly things changed between us.

Once I'm dressed, I get my bag and head for the door. He has his shoes on and looks like he's about to leave, too.

"Nix," I say, turning to look at him. "Don't try to run."

"So you guys have agents on me, then." He shakes his head and gives me a look of disgust.

"I don't know for sure, but I imagine they do. You're a big fish."

"Thanks for the advice."

"Please look at me," I plead, my voice breaking.

He turns to me, his expression colder than I've ever seen it.

"If you ever need me, I'll be there," I say.

"I won't."

The lump in my throat is too big to swallow this time. As soon as I step out the door of his apartment and close it behind me, tears spill onto my cheeks.

I've lost everything. The pieces of glass that remain of me fall to the ground, a thousand shards of broken hopes and dreams.

22.

Phoenix