“I’m guessing you’ve already put away Vicky and the gang?” he asked. Trex was referring to my Glock 29. Instead of pets, I bought firearms. I cleaned them and named them and treated them like family. I also had a Ruger named Chuck Norris, a Beretta named Cecil, and a twelve-inch tactical bowie hunting knife named Walter. He was matte black with a fixed blade and had gutted at least four hostiles.

“Oh. Damn. I got you something. He jogged out, and a few seconds later, back in, setting down a store-bought pie onto the oval dining table. “Housewarming gift.”

“The new gig is enough.”

“Just eat the damn pie.” Trex knocked on the tabletop. “It’s not bad, eh?”

“I was expecting used furniture from a frat house. This is nice stuff,” I said, scanning the room. A gray sofa separated a walkway between the living space and the dining area. The kitchen was big enough for an island. “Did they find you anything yet?”

Trex shook his head. “I’m staying at the Colorado Springs Hotel. I think I’m going to buy.”

I arched a brow. “Buy?”

He shrugged. “There’s no limit to how many times you can start over, right?”

“So you’re serious about this normal life thing?”

He rested his hands on his hips. “This is as close as people like us will ever get, Naomi. Where else will we find a cushy nine-to-five that pays this much?”

I shook my head. “I still can’t believe they let you choose your own team. You must have in at least five blow jobs at the top.”

“Six,” he said, walking down the hall and switching on lights. “Come see the master!” he called.

I followed him, glancing at a guest bath in the hall before winding up in what was now my bedroom. The one I shared with Matt wasn’t even that nice. “Who are these people?” I asked, looking up. The walls were gray, the woodwork white. The matching king-sized bed sheets and comforter were folded back.

“Deep state?” he said, just as surprised at the turn-down service as I was. He looked at the three short roses in a round vase on the chest of drawers and flicked a dangling pink petal. “Pink roses, Nomes.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Peter? No.” I shook my head.

“He’s always loved you,” Trex called after me. “He’s a senator now, isn’t he?”

“Junior senator.”

I walked down the hall, sitting at the table because I was too sweaty to sit on the new couch. I used my shirt to wipe the sweat from my face.

Trex set a glass of ice water in front of me, gulping down the one he’d poured for himself, then sat it on the counter. “I have to go. I’m joining the downtown gym.”