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“Where is she now?”

“Locked in the basement. After all, we can’t have her thinkin’ this is a hotel. She told us she was paying off a debt owed to the Crows. She was told to go meet with him.”

“Meet with him about what?”

“Like I said, we left her to stew over it. That is, until she tried to tell Sapphire she slept with Sin before her and all hell broke loose.”

“Jeez.” He shakes his head. “So she really does have a death wish?”

“Well, let’s just say her face took a beating.”

“Hardcore.” He pulls his arms around me tighter. “That’s what I love about my girl. You won’t rest until justice is served.”

I turn in his arms. “Are we crazy for givin’ this a shot?”

He kisses me softly. “Nope, we’re crazy if we don’t.”

I pull back, assessing him. “What if you just have some kind of cougar fetish?”

Drifter blinks for a second, then bursts out laughing.

I whack him on the shoulder. “Not funny!”

“That is totally funny, and you know it.”

“You only get away with it because you’re adorable.”

“Aww, another compliment? You sure you’re feelin’ okay?” He checks my forehead with the back of his palm.

I knock his hand away. “Funny fucker.”

He pecks me on the lips again. “I’m here to serve.”

I sigh. “Whatever happens, we’ll get it out of Fury in the next few days. Once she realizes nobody is comin’ for her, and she’s sleep-deprived and hungry, she’ll talk, then we’re gonna get into Lanzetti’s⁠—”

“Which is where I come in.”

“Yep, my personal spy.” I look up at him, unable to fathom how we got here. But do I really care? As long as we’re here, that’s all that matters.

“I’ll be anythin’ you want, just say the words.”

“Well, the girls all know we fucked, so there’s that.”

His smile grows. “They figured it out?”

“They didn’t have to. It’s pretty obvious, apparently.”

He bumps me with his hips. “Well, you know what they say? Practice makes perfect.”

I wrap my arms around his neck. “That sounds like the best idea you’ve had yet.”

EPILOGUE

DRIFTER

I’ve been here just over a week and so much has happened.

As Ruby lies in my arms, just like the other night on the porch after all the chaos, it feels peaceful.