Page 46 of His Puppet
“What?” she asks when I don’t elaborate.
“It’d be a simple lift for you, right?”
She gives her head a shake, but she isn’t saying no. She looks confused. “You want me to steal theunderboss’swallet? What the hell?”
“Lorenzo is just as skeptical of you as I was. He doesn’t think you fucking a cop and breaking into his computer makes you the asset that I know you are. And he doesn’t trust you, so his guard will already be up. Trust me. You manage to lift something off him, and you’ll get his respect. It’s how you got mine.”
Emily scoffs. “He doesn’t trust me? You throw me into a cop’s house, I do exactly what you say instead of knarking on you, and he doesn’t trust me? But stealing his wallet will do the trick?”
I go to respond, but Emily holds a hand up, her face red. “And by the way, I didn’t have sex with that cop. I cut myself with a letter opener and broke into his computer while he went to get a first aid kit. Sopleasestop making me out to be a prostitute. Yes, I tried that on you, but it’s not my usual routine.”
That possessiveness I felt last night creeps in again, and with it comes relief. I dip my eyes to her tits, bulging from the V-neck she’s wearing, then I quickly lift my gaze to her face. I blink and try not to let lust grow.
“You lied to me, Emily. I might not care who you really are, but Lorenzo does, and he’s going to want to know the truth. And he’s going to want to be assured that you’re a big enough asset to take a risk on you. Just trust me, all right?”
Her face blanches, and she slumps in her seat.
“No one cares who you’re running from,” I say. “Don’t worry.”
She closes her eyes and takes a shaky breath. When she opens them, they’re pools of fear. “What if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not.”
“But what if you are?” She shifts toward me and puts her hand on my thigh.
She’s close enough, I could kiss her if I wanted to. And Idowant to. I resist the urge but cup her chin gently, my thumb gliding over her jaw.
“Then I’ll have your back. I’m a capo, sweetheart. I have influence.”
She closes her eyes and shivers. I question my own sincerity, but how bad could this be? There is no one she could be running from who would be a big enough threat for the familia.
She bites her lip and stares at me like there’s something she wants to say.
“What is it?” I ask, my head tilting.
She shakes her head and pulls away from my hand, turning away. “Nothing.”
I put my hand on her knee, and she stiffens. “Emily, what is it? You’ve been acting strange since we left the farm. Just tell me.”
She meets my eyes and swallows. “Why are you called ‘Blade?’”
The tremble in her tone makes it obvious that she already knows. Franco and his giant fucking mouth.
“Does it matter?” I ask.
She doesn’t respond, which is a response itself.
“Whatever Franco told you is probably true. It was a long time ago.”
“You only carry a knife on you. I haven’t seen you with a gun.”
I shrug. “Because I prefer knives.”
She turns away and lets out a breath.
“If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead.”
“Yeah, well, after today, I’m sure I will be.” She grips the door handle and looks at me. “Let’s just get this over with, okay?”