“You have been through a lot, and I was just waiting until the timing was right,” he says against my lips, kissing me again.

   “Anytime is the right time,” I say when I find my words.

   It was the best kiss I’ve ever had in my life.

   The kiss.

   And boy, was it worth the wait.

   I grab Crow’s face and pull him back down to me. He’s not getting away that easily.

   Another long, deep kiss, our tongues working magic, my legs pressing together of their own accord, unable to contain the way he turns me on.

   “Get a room!” I hear Cam call out, along with Abbie saying, “We’re still here, guys.”

   I don’t care who sees.

   Crow ends the kiss once more, a wolfish grin on his handsome face. “Bronte, fuck. You were so worth the wait.”

   He took the words right out of my mouth.

Chapter Eleven

   I can’t stop smiling on the way to Nadia’s, to the point where my cheeks actually start hurting, but I can’t help it. My first kiss with Crow was more than I ever imagined.

   Nadia is busy with work when I arrive, surrounded by paperwork. “Hey.”

   “Hey,” she says, lifting her head up. “So, I’ve got some good news, and some bad news.”

   “Hit me with the good news first,” I tell her, sitting down.

   “Well, I’ve done some research and I’ve started a suspect list just going by other drug dealers in the city and those in nearby turfs who might have wanted your dad and uncle out of the picture.”

   “Okay, that does sound promising. What’s the bad news?” I press.

   “There’s not much information I can find about them. None, even. And there’s nothing on your dad or uncle either. On paper, neither man has ever done anything illegal—your dad worked a normal construction job and Neville has several legitimate businesses he hides behind, one being a farm. I guess this is good news, really, because their tracks are so well covered no one is ever going to find out what they’ve been up to,” she continues, going through a notebook in front of her, her curly hair covering her face like a curtain. “But bad news for us because it gives us nothing to go on. I’m not sure how we are going to figure this out. I’ve tried your dad’s finances, and I’m going through the phone records now. We need to speak to your uncle, though. He’s the only one who can help, by giving us inside information.”

   “I think you might be right,” I say, sighing.

   I haven’t spoken to him since the day I left his house, and I know he’s not going to want to willingly give me any information. One, because it’s likely going to get me into trouble, and two, because it means letting me into this double life they’ve both been living. I know he doesn’t want me to have any kind of involvement with that. Without letting me see this other side of him, though, I’m not going to be able to find out who really killed my dad. And I know my uncle wants that, too. I need him to let me in, but that also means I need to let go of any judgment, because that’s not fair otherwise.

   And I know that’s why he’s not telling me, because he doesn’t want my judgment, but the time for pretense is over. “I’ll speak to him.”

   “I’m here with you all the way,” she says, kind brown eyes sympathetic. She closes her notebook and stands up. “You want to go and get coffee or something? I’ll tell you about each suspect and all the information I could get on them. I have a plan. I just hope people will talk.”

   She’s right. I need my uncle, because he’s the only insider who we have a shot at getting to speak to us.

   “Sounds good,” I say. “Thank you so much for helping me, Nadia. It feels just like the old days, except way more personal.”

   “I know exactly what you mean,” she agrees. “And you’re welcome. What are friends for, right?”

   We head out to catch up. “These men are good at what they do. Fake names, fake addresses, the whole shebang. It’s going to be hard but not impossible,” she murmurs as we sit down at a café and order some coffee.

   “I know, it’s definitely not an easy one,” I reply, sighing. “But it will all come together. It always does. What is your gut instinct telling you in regards to the suspects?”

   She points to two names. “These two are the ones that keep sticking out to me. They both live in the area, and I know territory is a big thing with drug dealing. So I’m going to research them first. And if your uncle can confirm any of them, that would be a big help. We can work down the list and anyone he is familiar with we can make a priority.”

   “That sounds like a plan,” I say.

   We discuss our plan of action before we each head home. By the time I get there, Crow is just pulling up at the same time.

   “Where did you go?” he asks, bag of groceries in his arms. Is he going to cook for me? First the kiss, now dinner?

   Today has been a pretty damn good day.

   “I went to see Nadia, and we went out and had some coffee. And now apparently a sexy man is going to cook dinner for me,” I reply, wiggling my brows at him. I unlock the door and he steps inside after me, putting the groceries on the kitchen counter.

   “Prepare to be amazed,” he says as he pulls out all the ingredients and sets them on the table.

   “I was already amazed today,” I say softly, but I know he hears me from the twitch of his lips.

   “Me too,” he fires back, lifting his hand and resting it on the side of my neck. “Do you know how badly I’ve wanted to kiss you? Ever since I first laid eyes on you. The timing was never right, and then you lost your dad and... I don’t know. I was waiting for you to be ready.”

   “And I appreciate that,” I reply, resting my head against his chest and wrapping my arms around myself. “I like how thoughtful you are. It’s really different. And unexpected.”

   He laughs. “Didn’t think a big, bad biker would be so emotionally adept?”

   “Exactly,” I admit, lifting my face up to him. “You’re just...more than I’d ever imagined.”

   He kisses my forehead, my nose, and then my lips. “You came out of nowhere, Bronte, but I’m glad you’re here. You’re more than I ever expected,” he replies, resting his forehead against mine. “Now let me feed you. And then you can tell me what you learned with Nadia, because hell if you aren’t keeping me up to date with this whole thing.”

   I grin.

   He makes me rib eye steak with creamy prawns on top, potato salad and garlic bread, and I tell him what I learned today, and what the new plan is. “So I’m going to speak with my uncle tomorrow after work.”