With my head buzzing from whiskey and my belly full of soup, I followed Cal into his room, shutting the door behind us. As soon as the lock caught, Cal kissed me into the wall, palms holding my cheeks as he slid his tongue over my teeth. Though the apartment was cold, we weren’t, warming with touches, hot with passion. We’d been sleeping together for over three years and though it had been good from the start, it was better with time. He knew my body in a way I never thought another person would, that I knew no one would again.

Sliding under the heavy quilts, we tumbled and tangled our limbs like strings, desperate to be closer than humanly possible. The smacking of lips and slapping of skin filled the room as I let him take me away. Our chills turned to sweat as the furnace burned between us, igniting our bodies, surrounded by sparks. Digging my fingernails into his broad back, I gasped and shuddered, so gone on Cal that any resistance was futile. He held me tight as we came down and I fought the words that threatened to tear through my walls, eradicate every one of my defenses. I felt it though I’d never said it and had never heard it, but for the first time in my life I knew it was there. It was love.

“I …” he began, his voice filling the quiet room. I love you too. “I want you to move in here with us, with me. I want this every night. You. I want you every night.”

“Alright.”

“Alright?” he chuckled. “It was that easy? I’ve asked you so many times before.”

“The sex was really good,” I joked, garnering a hard pinch on my ass.

“It’s always really good.”

“There’s a right moment for everything.”

“And this is it?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow. “The right moment?”

“This is it,” I confirmed, feeling like it was. This was it. He was it. It was happening, and I didn’t feel half as bad as I should have.

“Happy New Year,” Cal said, pecking my lips. “Here’s to many more moments like this.”

“Happy New Year, you eternally optimistic queen.”

“I’m rubbing off on you,” he assured, snuggling in close. “I can tell.”

“There are moments,” I smirked, wrapping my arms around his waist.

And that was more than I could have ever asked for.

20

February 1935

For as long I had known Vlad, I’d recognized it was best to stay off his radar as much as possible, so that’s what I did. I took care of my accounts, made sure to get him his cut on time, and kept my head down. Despite my efforts, Vlad had summoned me to his condominium to discuss business. No matter how I tried to sidestep it, I was aware the conversation was inevitable considering what had happened in Towertown.