We washed each other. I would be a liar if I said I wasn't disappointed when he didn't make a move to try anything. I was really hoping for more, especially since my morning had had such a crappy start.
I was just getting ready to turn the water off when he flipped me around and pinned my hands against the shower wall. His teeth nipped my ear as he whispered hoarsely, "Fourteen."
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sergio
YOU KNOW THINGS ARE ROUGH WHEN you're thankful you have a disembodied hand lying around the house to take your mind off things.
Specifically, to take your mind off the girl who's dying and most likely taking your heart with her to the grave. I still hadn't heard back from Tex, but my appointment was in a week. Either way, at least I could say I'd tried, right?
I put the Rolex back together and made sure to secure it to the hand without making it seem like it had been taken off.
The chip was small enough not to be discovered — that is, unless they took the watch apart. Because it was so small, it would be impossible to hear conversations more than twenty feet away. But it was honestly all we had, so it was worth a shot.
I'd spent the early part of my morning actually tracking down Petrov himself — not an easy task considering he had several houses all over the country, not to mention business in what seemed like every southern state in the US. I didn't want to bank on the fact that he'd be in his home in Chicago, but all trails led to that exact spot.
The man wasn't hiding.
He wasn't even trying to, the cocky son of a bitch.
In a way it was comforting — to know he wasn't underground. The man was known by the feds, but he'd never faced prison time — ever. He had a few judges on his side, not to mention at least two unsavory politicians in Washington state; it was no wonder he kept most of his business in Seattle.
Then again, he had millions tied into a few of the harbors up there.
With a sigh, I started the recording on the computer and was just about to make sure everything worked when Andi walked in.
Sadly, she wasn't naked, but she was wearing skinny jeans and a sweatshirt that hung so loose on her I was afraid it was going to fall off one of her shoulders and hang onto her hips. She was losing more weight. Funny how girls typically love to hear that. But with Andi? I knew it would just take that smile away. Hell, she'd probably leap into the air if I told her she was getting fat.
"Oooo." Andi approached the table. The hand was in the FedEx box, ready to go. "So we flat-rate this stuff, huh?"
I smirked. "Is there any other way?"
"Not sure. Never sent a body part to a person before." She tapped the hand. "Testing one, two, three."
My computer went wild. "Well, it works."
"I can officially mark that off my bucket list. Talked to a hand, hand recorded conversation, and mailed it off to a biological parent."
"Something tells me your bucket list contains a lot more violence than the typical human being."
She shrugged; the sweatshirt fell even farther off her shoulder.
"Will you be cold?" I asked gently. She had half her arm exposed already.
"No." She smiled. I could tell it was forced. "Besides, most my clothes are getting a bit baggy… probably all that sex."
"All that sex?" I repeated, crossing my arms. "You mean all of two times?"
"In my head, it's been triple that." She nodded emphatically. "Care to make that dream come true?"
"Car." I pointed to the door. "Weren't you just complaining a few days ago about me not participating in our epic honeymoon? You know, the one where I apparently take you on an African safari only to come home and whisk you away to China?"
She chewed her lower lip. "Yes, but doesn't lying in bed sound awesome too?"
I ignored the dark circles under her eyes, just like I ignored the clenching in my stomach that she was starting to bruise more around her hands.
"Of course it does." I grabbed her by the shoulders and pointed her toward the door. "But so does a cinnamon roll and the best mimosa of your life."
Andi let out a slight whimper. "Talk dirty to me, Italy."
"Cinnamon," I said in a deep voice, pulling her back against me.
"Ooo."
"Sugar." I licked the side of her neck.
Andi shivered in my arms. "Don't stop!"
"Hot… buttery…"
"Just a little bit more…" She closed her eyes and clenched my hands within hers.
"Dough," I finished, kissing her head. "You're strange, you know that?"
"Whatever. You're the one making dough a dirty word."
"The woman has a point." I grabbed my keys and swatted her hand when she reached for her purse.
"What?" Her wide eyes blinked up at me.
"You said you wanted one of those fun credit cards. Well, as much as I'm sure you think I can snap my fingers and make them appear, I can't control American Express. Therefore, I put your name on mine."
Her eyes widened even more. "Shut up!"
"No limit." I grabbed her hand and dragged her through the large garage. "Pick a car for your shopping day."