Enforce(105)

I watched her walk into the building, making sure she really was safely inside, then went over to the bench to wait. Outside. In the cold. For her to get done with class.

My own grades were suffering for her safety.

But I really wouldn’t want it any other way.

I checked my phone. Another text from Nixon.

When I looked up, it was to see Phoenix glaring in my direction. He’d been pissing me off a lot lately, making my life a living hell since I’d had to actually protect Trace from him.

I despised him for it.

He knew it too. I could see it in his eyes. With a sneer, Phoenix grinned in my direction as he turned and walked away.

When did he go from being one of my best friends to my enemy? Was it when I’d caught him staring at Trace?

Was that really enough to throw away over a decade of friendship? I sighed and leaned against the wall.

The air crackled with excitement around me — but all I was focused on—was her scent. It was still on me.

Don’t ask me how the hell that happened. It may have to do with the fact that I’d spent the night with her, not slept with her the way I wanted to — the way I’m sure Nixon wanted too as well, the bastard.

But in her bed.

With her head tucked underneath mine — where it belonged. I’d gotten use to her breathing, the way the air blew out of her nose in a slow lazy rhythm, letting me know she was in a deep sleep, or the short gasps that sometimes escaped from her pretty lips, telling me she was having a bad dream.

I was there for it all.

The Good. The Bad.

And where was Nixon?

Doing his job.

She moaned in her sleep, not that I’d ever share that with Nixon. Last night she’d been scared, so I’d stayed. I always stayed until she fell asleep, but last night was different because Mo had been gone.

And I’d broken every damn rule I’d put into place — every damn rule that Nixon had said he’d enforce.

Touching her, being near her, was like getting a hit of adrenaline or doing drugs for the first time. You tell yourself that it’s just one touch, but your body demands you take more.

My lips had grazed her head, and then my nose burrowed into her thick mop of brown air.

Moaning, she’d hit me across the face on accident — it had been enough to get me to pull back, to actually shake the insanity from my body.

I checked my watch; she’d be in class for at least an hour. I had just enough time to go across campus, grab a coffee, then meet her back at the bench. I took off, a smile crossing my face as I imagined her own excitement that I’d thought of her and grabbed an almond hot chocolate.

Damn, I wasn’t just falling.

I was on the ground.

Looking up at the sky with a dumbfounded expression, wondering how the hell I’d gone from being a trained assassin.

To a man in full-blown love.

Buying a girl who had no clue of his feelings a damn hot chocolate.





CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

I should have killed him.



Nixon

“DR. STEVENS IS OUT sick today, so I’ll be filling in.” My eyes scanned the room, finally landing on Trace. Without breaking eye contact, I instructed everyone to take notes on the movie assignment. Papers were passed out, and then the lights went out.

Trace closed her eyes. I watched her, waiting for her to acknowledge me. Instead, a lone tear ran down her cheek. With a curse, I moved to the back of the room and took the desk behind her.

“Trace,” I whispered in her ear. Her entire body stiffened. She didn’t turn around.

“Trace, don’t be like that. I miss you...” My lips grazed her ear. She was driving me insane — I couldn’t take it anymore. “…so damn much, and I wish… I wish I could tell you… Damn it, I wish I hadn’t promised, but I did. I have to protect you. Being with you. It isn’t safe. You have to understand that now.”

She was as still as a statue.

“Please, sweetheart. Just please remember what I said.” My lip ring connected with her ear, and she shivered. “I always keep my promises. If I don’t — people die. Do you understand? I can’t have innocent blood on my hands, especially when it could be yours.”

I let out a heavy sigh. How could I make her understand? “I had no choice, Trace.”

In an instant she flipped around.

I jerked back, cursing.

“No, you listen.” She pointed her finger at me and whispered so nobody else could hear us. “There is always a choice. I refuse to allow you to justify your actions by saying your hands were tied. You’re Nixon Abandonato. You had a choice, and you made it. Screw your excuses. I’m so tired of it, Nixon. All of it. I’m done. I’m…” She swallowed her eyes darting back and forth. “…I’m not coming back next semester. You’re right. I can’t do this. It’s not my world. I don’t belong here.”