She found her shoes and slipped them on. Finding anger beneath her grief because it was easier. It was always easier. She pushed down her skirt and flipped back her hair knowing when she walked out there, she’d still look like she’d been fucked sideways.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“What I came here to do.”

“Jesus Christ, the phone?”

“Yes, the fucking phone, Jacob. That girl came to us and begged us to get the phone. That fucking kid is blackmailing her.”

“This is the priest all over again.”

“No, it’s not and you know it. I’m stealing an asshole’s phone. And you know it’s the right thing to do. It’s a small thing and I can do it and it sets one thing right. That girl doesn’t deserve what happened to her or to have that fucking kid blackmail her with the video. So, I’m going to fix it. One tiny thing in a world where almost nothing gets fixed. Almost nothing is made right. You want to stop me?” She shook her head. “Then shame on you, Jacob. Fucking shame on you.”

“And you’re going to…what? Sneak into his room at a Christmas party? Full of Morellis? What will you do if someone catches you.”

“Fight them.”

“Not in that dress.”

“Fuck them.”

His jaw went hard and she liked that reaction.

She smiled at him, cocked her hip, kicked up her foot. “Am I in the wrong room. So silly of me.” She stomped her foot down, dropped the smile. “Should work just fine.”

Zilla turned, putting him behind her. For good. It had to be for good.

She pulled open the door revealing the dark hallway and letting in the Christmas carols. Little Drummer Boy, this time. What a sad fucking song. Like all that kid had to offer was himself playing his drum. That he’d been reduced to that?

She stepped out into the hallway, expecting…no, not expecting, wanting. Wanting Jacob to stop her with every step she took. But he didn’t. Of course, he didn’t.

She took two steps into the hallway just as someone else was coming up from the staircase. Before she was able to duck back into the bedroom, Jacob was there turning her in his arms, kissing her.

“Jesus, get a room,” one of the men coming up the stairs laughed and Jacob turned them so the people walking by couldn’t see her. Only his back.

“What are you doing?” she whispered against his lips once the two men walked by.

“Things your way,” he said.

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“Come on.” He grabbed her hand. “Let’s go get this damn phone. You know which room?”

She blinked at him. “You’re doing it with me?”

“Where’s the room?”