Page 20 of Therefore
“Apparently,” I grumbled, leaning around him to admire his cooking. “Wow, you’re going all out for breakfast. This a regular thing for you?”
“Usually only on weekends for myself, but for you…” He shrugged. “Whenever you want it.”
“Using my stomach to get into my pants is low. Also, for future reference, I prefer pancakes over waffles.”
“Noted. I’m nearly done, so sit down. There’s orange juice on the counter.” Emerson turned to me, looking me up and down curiously. “Did you change out of your office clothes before coming over yesterday?”
“Obviously. I needed a shower after leaving your office. Plus, I hate wearing stuffy shirts like that.” I sat on a barstool and took a big gulp of orange juice. “Were you hoping to see me dressed in your clothes or something?”
A light blush crept up his cheeks. Got him. “Definitely not against it. I like our scents mixing. It’s relaxing, somehow. Know what I mean?”
“Sort of,” I lied, strangely annoyed that we’d had the same thought process. “It’s been years since I’ve experienced scents and stuff, so it’s kind of new to me right now.” I took another sip of juice and made a mental note to take a suppressant after eating. There were a few stashed in my wallet for emergencies. “Bee nearly talked me out of coming here, actually. They did say you were very professional for the ten minutes you bothered to sit in the meeting with them, though.”
Emerson cast me a side-eyed glance before turning his attention back to the eggs. “I decided that my colleague would be more appropriate for the case they brought to us.”
“Mhmm. Sure.” I nodded with mock-understanding. “And I’m sure that thought had nothing to do with someone creeping around your office at the time?”
“Of course not. I’m a professional.” He waved away the accusation with a spatula. “It was mere coincidence that leaving your friend in my colleague’s capable hands allowed me the opportunity to return to other pressing matters.”
“You’re such a lawyer.”
Reaching into the cupboards, Emerson started pulling out plates and cutlery. “Speaking of, do you want to discuss the elephant in the room while we eat or after?”
I shrugged. May as well get it over with. “Why wait? At least if we’re eating, you can’t seduce me for information again.”
His lips quirked in a half smirk as he plated the food. “You have such little faith in me.”
Not true. I knew, deep down, that if anyone could make a full English breakfast sexy enough for me to start spilling secrets, it was Emerson. But the longer I denied it, the longer I could avoid it.
Once he sat next to me, Emerson didn’t waste time getting started. “You said before that you never meet your clients, but I assume you’re aware of the case your target relates to, yes?”
“I know enough to find my target, but I never look up extra details. It makes it easier to get the job done without getting distracted.”
“Makes it easier to work for criminals, you mean?”
My jaw ticked. “I know you don’t approve, but has it ever occurred to you that I enjoy what I do?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Stealing?”
“Sneaking in unseen, or better yet, in plain fucking sight,” I explained, sitting back in my chair. “Getting what my client wants without anyone knowing I was ever there. Every job is its own puzzle that I have to solve.”
A grin spread across my face, and I thought back to when I first started thieving as a kid. A dare that turned into a hobby, then a method of survival. But even through those transitions, I still felt the same rush with each job.
Emerson watched me with a sad half smile. I wasn’t sure exactly how much Emerson knew of my past, but I, at least, wanted him to know who I was in the present, even if he didn’t approve of it.
After a moment, I added, “Not to mention I’m really good at it.”
He chuckled, lightening the mood. “I’m sure you are, despite the string of bad luck recently.”
“I put that down to a particularly annoying target rather than an issue of my own skill.”
“Spoken like a lawyer.”
We ate in silence for a minute. I don’t think either of us really wanted to have this conversation. But it wasn’t long until not even bacon could distract me from the tension anymore.
“I know I don’t have a moral leg to stand on, Emerson. It just isn’t as simple as good and bad—”
“Miranda Fishersoldomegas.” Emerson stared me down, the intensity of his eyes burning into me. “The diary you’ve beenattempting to steal is evidence in the case against her, further proof of where she planned to meet and deal in human lives. For fuck’s sake, Trystan, if you hadn’t been hiding your status, you…”
