“Shh. It’ll all be over soon, princess. I promise.”
Kane sets the sculpture aside and wraps me in his arms. I breathe in his scent and cling to his strength. We stand there, holding each other for several minutes before I break the silence.
“Is Giles being involved going to make this harder for you?”
I feel Kane’s lips press a kiss to my head.
“I don’t know. It certainly doesn’t uncomplicate it. His connections could go deeper than we realize.”
That’s what I’m afraid of. “So, what then? Does it mean this will never end?”
Kane’s gaze turns flinty. “This will end. I swear it. Even if I have to take out every single person involved myself.”
28
Temperance
The next two weeks are a strange mix of stressful and surreal.
Stressful, because Lagarto is still running free in Mexico. Rafe had him in his crosshairs outside Mexico City, and the motherfucking Lizard’s car blew up just before Rafe pulled the trigger. His bullet took out the nearby window of a store instead. Thankfully, no one realized it wasn’t from the explosion; at least, according to the online news article. Lagarto wasn’t just slimy, he was slippery too.
I had originally intended to make an alligator for my showing at the gallery, but now any kind of reptile pisses me off.
Instead, I’m creating a sugar skull, and it’s going to beepic. At least, it will be if I can find something amazing to use for the nose. None of the pieces of metal I’ve cut to the shape I want give it the feel it needs. I need something different. Something new.
I pick up my phone and tap Kane’s number, even though he’s only one floor up.
“Hey, princess. You need me?”
This is the surreal part of the last couple of weeks. Kane and me.
We’re forging a new life together, and it’s turning out as beautiful as one of my sculptures. It’s not perfect or normal, but it’s completely ours. We spend most nights at my apartment, in a bigger bed that Kane had delivered, and then in the morning, we get coffee and breakfast at a café before making our way to the warehouse where we go our separate ways to work.
Kane is an avid day trader, something I didn’t know until I finally asked what he did to fill his time. It wasn’t just money from wet work that paid for this warehouse and everything in it. He’s actually a bit of a financial genius, which is pretty freaking cool.
“Yeah, I need to hit a scrap yard.”
“And here I thought maybe you wanted to rob a bank.”
“I’m laying off the felonies for now, but I need a piece of metal and can’t find the right one. I thought maybe a trip to a scrap yard would give me what I need and knock a few more ideas loose.” I haven’t yet committed to the final pieces I’m making for the showing, and I want to.
“I’m coming down. I know a place you might like.”
“Thanks, babe.”
I end the call and lay my phone on the workbench before leaning back against it and surveying my work.
In two weeks of solid days spent hammering, cutting, and welding, I’ve managed to knock out more pieces than I thought possible. And what’s more, I’m proud of every single one of them.
I’ll be proud to stand in front of them and take ownership of them. Each piece is unique, impossible to replicate. I’ve made it a point to add an old car part to each one, and I’ve decided that’s my signature.
“Damn, princess.” Kane strides toward me, his gaze fixed on the sugar skull. “That’s gonna be sick when you’re done. It’s already awesome.”
A smile curves my lips. It’s incredible to have the support of someone who believes in you and your dreams. “You think?”
He stops in front of me and brushes a curl back that has slipped free of my bandana. “I know. You’re killing it, Temperance. Just like I knew you would. Now you have to talk me out of buying all of them so we can keep them here.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re not buying any of them.”