I hear the shower run, it's my chance to take a look around. The place is immaculate like a model home. Nothing but navy blue, white, and gold nautical decor, obnoxiously healthy houseplants, one lonely shiny laptop on her desk in the corner. Where's the mess? Where's the mail? I should whip through here like a tornado and move everything out of place just to piss her off, but I won't. She's having a rough time. I'm not going to add to it out of spite.
Pictures of her with her father adorn the walls of the hallway. One of her looking smart in a police uniform, but conspicuously alone after her father's death. I tap her bedroom door, and it slowly swings open. Whoa. Hello. Have I teleported to another house? No nautical stuff in here. The bed is covered in deep cranberry velvet with animal print black and brown silk sheets. Mirrors over the headboard and recessed lighting make it look like the set of a porn movie. Thick black and brown shag rugs cover deep walnut hardwood floors. No houseplants in here. Only two tall twisted iron lamps stand next to the bed.
Well, well, well. Officer Valentine has a secret wicked side. I knew it from the second I saw her leopard heels. She's a walking contradiction.
In her dresser, I find her gun case. The key is predictably taped to the bottom. I open it and take out a shiny new Glock with her initials engraved into the grip. Also not what I expected from my straight and narrow nemesis. She has ammo too, so I take the time to load it.
"Hold it right there. Hands up." She's aiming a gun at me, her legs spread wide, arms forward, while wearing a towel and nothing else. Steam from the shower dissipates over the second towel that's twisted up on her head. "Put the gun down."
"Relax. I'm prepping it in case whoever tried to kill you tonight comes back." My gaze scans her towel, which is bursting at the edges, trying to stay gripped to her curves, but I can tell it really wants to fall to the floor.
She frowns and looks down at herself. A slight blush tinges her cheeks, but she shakes it off. "No one tried to kill me."
"Semantics." I shrug and take one last look at her spread thighs before I finally pull my eyes away to finish loading the cartridge.
"Put the weapon on the bed."
I chuckle at the hard edge in her voice. She's wary of me but not the people who might be out to get her? "I like your bad cop in a towel routine. It's sexy."
"It's not a routine. I am a bad cop, and you don't want to see what I do to perps who don't cooperate so put the gun down."
The gun sinks into the plush fabric of her bedspread as I turn to face her with my hands up. "Are you gonna arrest me, officer?" I swipe my tongue over my lower lip and her eyes trace it.
Her hands shake as she lowers the gun. "No."
"Aww, c'mon. This was getting fun."
She sets her gun down and stares at me with her mouth open. She grips her towel and looks around for something to wear. She hastily throws on a white silk robe and works the towel out from underneath without giving me a peek at any skin. "Get out, Mace."
Uh, no. Not leaving. "We'll take shifts guarding the front door."
"Really not necessary."
"Abundance of caution."
"I—" A knock at the door cuts her off, and she tilts her head toward the sound.
We both grab our guns and pace to the front of the house. She checks the peephole and relaxes her shoulders. "It's Griffin."
"So?" I keep my gun pointed at the door.
"He's harmless. Really."
"Fine." As I'm lowering my gun, she hands me hers before unlocking the door.
"You seriously have a peephole? Who does that anymore?"
"I do."
"It's old fashioned and useless. Get a camera."
She growls and points down the hall. "Go put the guns away, and I'll get rid of him." She bends over to release her hair from the towel and tightens up her robe.
I back up and perch behind the door. No matter what she says, I'm not leaving her alone with him.
"Griffin." She fakes a smile. "What're you doing here?"
"Who's that guy you were with?"
All my muscles tighten as the douchebag brings me up right away.
"That's really none—"
"Is he your bodyguard?" His voice is high-pitched and amped up