“Guess that’s all the answer I need then.” He set his glass down on the table. “So cut the shit, Valentina, and tell me what it is.”

I sucked back the rest of my wine, not meeting his eyes until I lowered my glass.

“I’m not in trouble. I’m fine.”

“I don’t believe you.”

I had to give him something. He wasn’t going to leave it alone. And I sucked at lying. “You said you’ve taken out multiple women. Well, I’m seeing someone else too. And no, I’m not telling you who he is.”

Hennessy reached for his bourbon and knocked back the rest. “Guess I was right, then. I’m definitely more into you than you’re into me.”

I smiled weakly. “I . . . This wasn’t exactly planned.” To myself I added, And “seeing” isn’t even accurate because I don’t have a clue what I’m really doing with him.

“Some of the best things aren’t planned.”

The server stopped by our table to deliver another round of drinks, and both Rhett and I reached for them immediately.

“So, I totally understand if you just want to take me home and forget I exist,” I said after another gulp of liquid courage.

Rhett shook his head. “Nah. I’m not out of this race yet. I’m sitting across from you, not him. That means I’ve still got a shot.”

I was an idiot. It took me until just that moment to recognize that I’d found myself caught between two men who were the rare and mystical alpha breed. And I’d just made this a competition. Neither Rix nor Rhett were the kind of guy to turn down a challenge.

“Well . . . um . . .” Come on, Valentina, think of something to say.

I was rescued once again by the server who asked if we were interested in dessert or needed boxes. I took that moment to excuse myself and headed to the ladies’ room.

Once inside, I locked the door and stared at my reflection in the mirror. “What the hell am I doing?”

I pulled my phone from my bag and saw I had missed a text message from Rix. It was a single word.

RIX: MINE.

Would he be inside my house waiting when I got home tonight? What if Rhett kissed me at the door? Would Rix come storming out and . . . God, what would he do? My anxiety jumped several notches.

What the hell was I going to do about this mess? Rhett was the better choice. The safer choice. I didn’t even know what to categorize Rix as other than not a realistic option. Did I want him to be an option? My ongoing fascination with him, not to mention me being flat on my back in his bed this afternoon, said I did.

After washing my hands in cold water and giving myself another pep talk, I ignored Rix’s text and walked back to the table. Rhett was gone.

I turned in a circle, surveying the restaurant. Had he changed his mind and left? Was I wrong about the competition? I had a hard time believing that, but there was no sign of him.

The server hurried over. “Your boyfriend had to step out to take a call. He’ll be right back. He ordered you a latte and the chocolate torte. I’ll have both out in a second.”

I opened my mouth to protest the boyfriend label, but decided the server didn’t care. At least the mystery was solved. I took my seat, and she came back with the most divine chocolate confection I’d ever seen. I was scraping the remnants from the plate and trying to talk myself out of licking it clean when Rhett came back inside.

“Sorry about that, Valentina. I need to cut this short and get you home.” He gave me a rueful smile. “Work. Never stops.”

Being a cop was ingrained in every aspect of Rhett’s life, and seemed to rule it too. I wondered if the other ladies in his life had found it to be trying, but I was more curious about what had come up. Thoughts of Trinity were never far from my mind.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Not usually. Let’s get you home, and I’ll get back to fighting crime and keeping the city safe.”

I stood, and as we left the restaurant, his hand rested on the small of my back. It was a clear sign that he wasn’t giving up on this yet, and I needed to figure out exactly what I thought about it.

My mind raced with the same thoughts I’d had in the bathroom as Rhett walked me up the sidewalk to my front door. Was Rix inside? Was Rhett going to kiss me? What did I want?

I was saved from having to answer that question when his phone rang again. He pulled it from his pocket and apologized.

“I gotta take this. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll stop by the gallery tomorrow.” He stepped toward me and pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “And that’ll have to tide me over until I get another chance to make it a better one. Sleep well, Valentina.”

And then he was gone.

My hand was steady as I let myself in the house, but my heart pounded. I turned on the light as soon as I stepped inside. The foyer was empty. Wherever Rix was, it wasn’t here.

I closed and locked the door behind me and set the alarm. Pulling my phone from my purse, I read the single word of his text again.

MINE.

Where was he? I hadn’t realized I was expecting to see him again tonight until that moment. Walking through my empty house gave me far too much time to think. I’d always loved my space and my time alone, but now it didn’t seem to be enough.

Things were changing. I was changing. I needed to decide what I wanted, and then figure out if it was even realistic.

I wandered into my studio and selected a fresh canvas and set up a mirror. It was time for an introspective, and what better way to do that than a self-portrait?

“WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR problem, man? I told you I was coming,” I said as soon as I was back in my car. “This better be a fucking emergency.”

“Shit’s going down tonight. A big deal. My CI just called me, and we need to get there and see who’s doing the buying and selling,” Fortier replied.

“Where am I meeting you? I’m in my Jeep.”

He relayed an address, and a quick search of my mental map told me I was heading into the hood. Worked for me as long as it got us another step closer to bringing down the head of a drug ring. Cartels getting their claws into my city pissed me the fuck off.

“I’ll see you in ten. And you owe me a night without this bullshit because you hijacked my date,” I said, not waiting for a response before I ended the call.

My mind was on Valentina as I backed out of her driveway. She’d been acting strangely all day, both earlier at the gallery and then tonight.