Page 43 of Ride or Die

Paperwork rustled as he looked through applications and mail she’d left on his desk.

“There is something the lawyer wanted you to look over. They couriered it a few days ago,” Riley said, nodding to the neat pile.

Nico’s brow furrowed as he picked up the manila envelope and flicked it open. He studied whatever it said, face darkening.

A minute of silence ticked by, and he didn’t look up.

“Is there anything else I can do?” she asked, her fingers threaded in front of her. Nico’s eyes held the depths of the ocean, and she could never tell what was swimming in them. He shook his head and traced his fingers around the edge of his phone, facedown on the desk. “You’re doing perfectly,” he murmured.

Riley stood in a sea of plush carpet, just another designer chair or sideboard. The expensive furniture looked nice but was useless.

“I’m not doing anything,” she said, then bit the inside of her cheek. She needed this job, but it wasn’t her whole life. She didn’t need to care this much.

What would I do without you?

Nico’s dark eyebrows raised a hair.

“Are you doing what I’ve asked?” His eyes flicked down to her hands and back up. She set her jaw and put her hands behind her back.

“Yes, but—”

“Then that’s all you need to do.”

Riley flinched at the steel in his voice, and he sighed. He ran his hand through his black hair, mussing it. “I’m sorry, bella, it’s been a long morning.”

The office beyond the door was busy and bright. It’s fine, you’re fine. She smoothed her hands down her dress. A shadow crossed Nico’s face, gone moments later as he watched the movement.

“I’m unavailable to take the police’s calls. That hasn’t changed,” he clarified, black ink wrapping around his forearms as he rolled his sleeves. “The lawyer has already contacted them.”

“Okay,” she said. A seagull flapped by the window, chased by a trio of crows. Their mouths opened and closed as they cawed silently.

“Just keep filing the documents I’ve sent over, and let me know how the zoning application with City Hall progresses. I’ll handle the rest.” Nico held her gaze. If she did everything he said, it would be fine. And that was all she needed to do.

Riley nodded and dropped her hands to her sides.

“I know you will.” She pressed her lips into a smile. He pushed off the desk, and Riley thought she could feel the vibrations of his steps through the floor.

He pulled the door open and gestured her forward. “Thank you.”

She nodded again as she slipped past, the sweet cigarillo scent clinging to her.

When she got back to her desk, she felt like she’d done one of Kristi’s long runs.

Candida was in her office with the door closed, pacing as she spoke on the phone.

For the rest of the morning, Riley’s mind kept wandering back to that night, the feel of warm arms holding the darkness away from her, the low laugh that made her stomach clench.

Maybe she shouldn’t have run off yesterday morning.

Her phone buzzed in her hand.

Unknown number: I miss you

She slapped her phone face down on her desk, then dragged a breath in through clenched teeth. This had to stop. She had no idea who it was, and she didn’t want to know. She just wanted it to be over.

She closed her eyes, pulled dry office air deep into her lungs, and let it out. She’d changed her number twice already in the last year. The only people who had the new one were friends, family, work. No one would do this. It’d stopped being funny after the first time.

“Riley?”