"Let me finish, would you?"

I sigh heavily. "Go ahead."

"So working for the good guys-the banks-he became a white hat. And after that, he had job offers from all over the place. Lots of money. He took some of them, but he wasn't happy. He wanted to go back to where he started. So he did, and he got...bolder. Started swiping big money from the filthy rich and routing it through so many bank accounts that no one could figure out what happened to it."

I nod, knowing that Nix can probably do most anything he puts his mind to. He's smart, but also savvy. Together, it's a powerful combination. He could do so much good working for the government.

"So why doesn't he have a fucking yacht or something?" Coco studies me as she speaks. "Because God knows I'd be living on that thing if he did. Why would a guy with hundreds of millions stay in the game and risk getting caught?"

I shrug. "Criminals stay active when they don't have to for the thrill of it all the time, Coco. The possibility of getting caught is an adrenaline rush for some people."

"Not Nix."

I exhale deeply and arch my brows at her. "If you have a point, can you get to it, please?"

She scoffs. "Okay, why don't we just go, then? I don't have to tell you any of this. Nix will probably be pissed at me for it anyway."

"Then why bother? Why risk making him mad just to tell me something?"

She gives me the unfriendliest smile I've ever seen. "Because I want to see the look on your face when you find out the truth."

"What truth?" I lean forward, my tone begging her to just say it already. "What is it, Coco?"

"If you dumb pricks could find the money Nix took, you wouldn't find it in his bank account."

"Where, then? Did he bury it somewhere?" I throw my hands up in the air.

"It's with all the people who had no insurance when their house burned down. With people who couldn't afford organ transplants. Places in Third World countries that didn't have clean water."

I've stopped breathing. I'm just staring at Coco, shock not even close to describing how I feel.

"He...gives it away?"

"To people who need it. It kills him that some people don't have food and other people have a bunch of vacation homes and fucking helicopters and shit they don't even need."

"He gives it away." It's not a question this time, and a tear slides down my cheek as it sinks in.

Coco nods. "He was reading the news online one day, and some rich suit was saying inner-city kids will always be behind private school kids. And the next week, several big public school districts got anonymous gifts to buy computers and supplies for every single kid in their schools. All of 'em."

"And that was...?"

She shrugs and looks at the wall. "This place is probably bugged, so I'll let you connect the dots."

"Shit," I say softly.

"Yeah. He's a gray hat. Maybe some of the stuff he does isn't right, but...I'm proud of him."

"I can understand why." I lock eyes with her. "Listen, I promise you I'll do right by him. As much as I possibly can. I hate what's happening."

I can't hold back the tears anymore, and I furiously wipe them away from my cheeks as they fall.

"I never liked you," Coco says.

"I never liked you either."

"And even now...I still don't like you."

I sniffle. "Same."

"But I liked how happy he was with you. I've never seen him like that."

I close my eyes. "I was happy, too."

"He's probably done with both of us." She draws her knees up to her chest and rests her chin on them.

"Not you," I say softly. "Just me. You mean more to him than anyone."

"He probably just saved me 'cause I'm a screw-up and saving me is what he does."

"No. Let me take you over to his place. I know he wants to see you."

Her expression brightens. "You think so?"

I nod. "Yeah. You're gonna be okay, Coco."

"Is he?"

"I think so. He doesn't have to go to jail or anything."

She lets out a deep breath and gets up from the bed.

"The only one who won't be okay is me," I say softly.

"Maybe you'll get a medal or some shit like that," she says snidely.

I glare at her and put a hand on the handgun holstered on my waist. "Let's go. And if you could not talk during the ride there, that would be great."

24.

Phoenix

"Nix!"

I head toward the foyer as soon as I hear Coco's voice, but I'm stopped in my tracks as soon as my eyes lock with Kennedy's. The love I felt for her is gone. It's been replaced by something stronger and darker, but there's no softness anymore. Betrayal has a way of changing things. The fact that she had me under her thumb legally didn't shift my feelings; it's that she used Coco to get to me.

"Hey," Coco says and walks toward me, stepping into my line of sight, cutting off my view of Kennedy.

"It's nice to have you home," I tell her and wrap her in my arms, but I keep my glare pinned on Kennedy.

She's watching us, her gaze focused and intense. "We need to talk," Kennedy says before I have a chance to let go of Coco.

"There's nothing to talk about." My tone is icy but even.

Coco pulls away and stares up at me with the saddest eyes. "I'm sorry I fucked everything up." Her arm is still hooked around my back as tears begin to cascade down her cheeks. "I'm entirely to blame for this, Nix."

"Shh, Coco." I wipe away her fallen tears with the backs of my fingers and speak softly. "You're the last person I blame for what happened."

First, I blame myself for being the dumbest fuck in the world. I've known Coco long enough to know when it's right to tell her no, but I caved to her whim. I figured she'd get bored after a couple weeks and the topic would be dropped forever. Second, I blame Kennedy. Even though she was only doing her job. There's no explanation needed when it comes to all the ways she's done me wrong. If she loved me, truly loved me like she said...she could've come clean. I would've forgiven her for the deceit. I would've found a way to be with her.

But the lies...they undid us.

"Are you hungry?" I ask Coco because I'm sure they didn't care for her while she was detained.

She shakes her head and steps back into my embrace, resting her head on my chest. "I just need some sleep." My arm tightens around her. I've spent so many years trying to protect Coco from my world, and now it's come crashing down on her. "Are you going to be okay if I leave you with her?"

I kiss the top of her head and glance at Kennedy. She's standing with feet planted wide, arms crossed in front of her chest, and one shoulder dropped with her head cocked. Clearly, she's pissed off, but it's not my issue anymore.

"I'll be fine, love. She's not staying."

Kennedy glares at me, but she keeps her mouth shut.

"Okay," Coco says, yawning as she untangles herself from me. "Can I stay in my room tonight?"

"Always. You know you're always welcome here. This is our home."

"Thanks." She smiles softly. "Goodnight, Nix."

I lean forward and kiss her cheek. "Night, babe."

"Night, cunt," Coco calls out over her shoulder with a smirk on her face as she walks away.

Kennedy's jaw ticks, but she doesn't say anything. Her eyes are still trained on me. Our glares are locked, and neither of us moves. My hands are at my sides, clenched into tight fists, and I'm hanging by a thread to keep my anger in check.

"You can go now," I tell her after Coco's bedroom door closes.

"Nix." She steps forward and reaches out to me.

I put my hand out, stopping her. I don't trust myself not to go off on her just yet. "Go."

"I didn't know," she whispers, closing her eyes and shaking her head with a pained expression. "Please..."

I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes. "You can walk out the door now or I'll carry your ass out, but you're not staying and I'm not talking."

"I'll wait until you calm down," she says as she turns her back on me, facing the door.

I'm on her in an instant, slamming her body against the door. My front plastered to her back, pushing her chest against the door as I place my mouth next to her ear. "This is me being calm, Kennedy." I reach in front of her and grab her mound. "Is this what you want? Did you come back for another taste?"

"No," she says quickly, turning her head sideways to look into my eyes.

I slide my hand up her stomach and palm her breast. "'Cause I'll fuck you. It'll be an anger bang and nothing more." I place my lips on the delicate skin right behind her ear and trail my tongue down her neck as she shivers. "Is that what you want? You want this cock inside you."

"Let me go." She pushes backward, grinding her ass into my erection.

I peel myself away from her and drop my hands to my sides. "Get the fuck out of here. Don't come back unless I ask you to."

She swallows hard and steps backward without looking at me. I think she's going to say something, but she reaches for the door handle and leaves. My heart's pumping so fast and the blood's rushing through my body with such force that I can hear my own heartbeat. Fuck her. I refuse to let her play me again.

I didn't sleep at all. Staying up all night isn't unusual for me, but typically it is because of work. Most of my life I've steered clear of anything that could make me vulnerable. Even taking in Coco was a huge step and a leap of faith, but I thought I got away unscathed when years passed and nothing happened.

By the time the sun peeks over the city skyline, exhaustion has seeped into my bones. My only company during the night was my Cognac and the city I love. Settled into my favorite chair, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows, I sipped Louis and punished myself for my stupidity.

"Did you sleep?" Coco asks, wrapping her arm around me as she leans over the back of the chair.

I place my hand on top of hers over my chest. "I didn't hear you get up."

"I doubt you're processing much right now."

Her head rests on my shoulder as I stroke the back of her hand. "I'm always processing," I tell her, keeping my eyes trained on the city coming alive in front of us.

"Are we going to talk about what I did and how mad you are at me?"

My hand stills, and I turn my head to the side and look at her. "I'm not mad at you, Coco. It's useless to stay mad. I love you too much for that. I'm mad at myself."

She comes around the chair, settling on the floor in front of me. She places her hands in her lap and glances down at the floor. "Don't beat yourself up. If I hadn't been so stupid..."

"No," I tell her, lifting her chin with my fingers to bring her eyes back to mine. "It would've happened eventually."