I hold my breath as his tongue pokes out to wet his lips and I swear he wants to kiss me, but instead, he tears away, taking my breath with him.

He throws himself in the passenger seat, and pulls his hood up over his head, pointing his glare the opposite way.

Instantly heavy, my shoulders fall, but this is an entirely different kind of weight, a denser, full-body exhausting kind.

A mental one, pounding at my temples and ribs and wrists.

It makes no sense.

When Beretta’s hand falls on my shoulder, I look to him.

He gives me a little shake. “We were just gonna fuck with you, start trouble for whoever you ditched with for the fuck of it. Didn’t think it would be your fam and didn’t know you had an interview with the Joker.”

A small smile finds my lips and I glide my finger along my skin below the cut, fluttering my eyes. “I’d say the position is as good as mine, what about you?”

He chuckles, walking backward toward the car. “You’re committed, that’s for sure,” he teases and reality slams over me once more.

Committed.

I’m committed.

I belong to a man who looked into my eyes while I stood cut and bleeding before him, his only concern if his trophy would no longer be posh and polished.

He didn’t apologize or exhale in relief that we made it off the yacht before it blew the fuck up. He didn’t ask if I was okay or offer comfort as I remained there, unmoving and maybe in a bit of shock.

He was cold. Showed no emotion.

Not an ounce of fucking care.

Just as you wished for, Jameson...

I don’t realize I’ve closed my eyes until a forehead meets mine, and I open them to find Arsen has stepped into me.

His arms are gentle and wrap around my body, hugging me to him.

My features smooth out as I look up into his dark blue eyes. My hand falls to his chest, and a soft smile finds my lips.

“It was an accident,” I tell him, shrugging one shoulder. “I slipped getting out of the bath.”

It’s a lie and doesn’t explain why my car is here and I wasn’t, but my hair is wet from the shower. And like Beretta pretty much pointed out, I left my car here like this when I ditched with them the last time, so maybe I left with someone else today.

Arsen’s eyes are tight, and he doesn’t believe me, so I curl my lips up higher.

Never forget your smile.

“I saw your note.”

As if he forgot, his face transforms, a sly little grin slipping over him.

“And I know you wrote that very first one, too. I have to admit, I like your voice,” I whisper. “It’s sexy, or so I imagined.”