The tension hums in the air as Shane turns to look at me and Chucky goes silent across the phone line. Shane’s looking at me with both respect and anticipation, while Chucky . . . well, he’s at least not talking. “Whatcha thinking, Angel?”

“You said Dominick is the better choice for the city, and Sal Rivaldi used his own son as a pawn to incite war,” I reply, trying to put words to the thoughts that have been tumbling in my head for only a few moments. I’m trying to put it together with what I know about Dominick, the city . . . everything I’ve learned in my career in journalism. “We have to appeal to Dominick to prevent the war. The FBI can’t exactly go in officially and tell Dominick he’s their pick as crime lord . . .”

“That’s an understatement,” Chucky says, interrupting. “But . . . they might be willing to work under the table if necessary.”

“Exactly. He’s the best option we’ve got,” I add as Shane gives me a pondering look. “And he can help with the hitman, might be the only one who can.”

Shane taps his hands on the dash, his head nodding quickly as he thinks. “You want us to go back to Petals? To Dominick?” he asks before his nods change to shakes. “That’s a suicide mission, Maggie. No.”

I want to challenge Shane, but Chucky interrupts before the stare-off can reach ridiculous levels. “Actually, I’m thinking she’s on to something. You could go back, maintain your cover, share the intel, and nudge Dominick the right way.”

“Almost right, Chucky,” I interject. “If we go back, we go back honestly. We have to come completely clean with Dominick. If we hold back anything, he’ll know and doubt the rest of the information. Besides, having a waitress and a security guy going back doesn’t carry weight. A reporter and an FBI agent . . . if we go in and show all our cards, he’s more likely to believe us and not go after the Rivaldis. It’s risky, but it’s the best play.”

Shane looks at me incredulously. “You want me to tell Dominick Angeline, head of the Angeline crime family, that I’ve been undercover with him as an FBI agent for a year and that he’s had a fucking reporter working as a waitress in his club, and expect to walk out of that room alive?”

I bite my lip, thinking it through. “Yes. Besides, we can offer Dom things that he would want to take advantage of.”

“Like what?” Shane asks, and for the first time, I feel like grinning. “What’s going on in your head?”

“Dominick’s going to be surprised, and angry, that the FBI has infiltrated his organization,” I say, knowing the description is kind at best, stupid at worst. “But if the FBI gives him a tacit agreement for some breathing room, a willingness to back him, even if it’s under the table . . . he might be willing to help.”

I know I’m pushing it, but Shane needs to understand that I’m all in on this, and I need him to be too.

He nods, obviously thinking through what I’ve said. “We’d need a safety mechanism, something that will make Dominick talk first and hopefully, not shoot later.” He pauses, thinking for a moment before grinning. “Not a safety mechanism, but a safety person. Allie. We use her as a liaison, make sure she’s there for the meeting. I don’t think Dominick will kill us in front of her.”

He’s right. I hate to get Allie involved in this mess. She’s my friend, and I don’t want her to be in any more danger. But I think Shane might have found the only way to insure we get in and out alive and with any chance at securing Dominick’s help with the hitman.

“Okay. We’ll talk to Allie.”

Shane reaches over, taking my hand and giving it a supportive squeeze. “All right, Chucky, you got all that? I’m going back offline. I’ll text you the meet info when it’s set.”

We hang up, and then it’s just Shane and me in the truck. The lies, the hiding, and the stress of the crazy situation melt away as we look at each other, our hands touching, leaving just the chemistry, the connection we’ve had even when we knew we shouldn’t, couldn’t pursue it.

I feel naked, vulnerable under his gaze like never before. Unconsciously, my knees pull up to my chest, but I don’t drop my gaze. His dark eyes stare back at me, and he gives my hand another little squeeze. “Don’t do that, Angel. Don’t try to hide now, not when I can finally see you. And you can see me.”

I let my knees fall to the side, facing him. My voice is quiet but steady as I meet his eyes, needing to see every nuance of his reaction. “Is this real for you? Because it’s real for me. And as scared as I am about all this crazy mob stuff . . .” I wave my hand around, gesturing outside the truck, then place my hand on my heart. “I think I’m more scared that this is some pretend piece of the character you’re playing and that you’re going to walk away from me when it’s all done, leave me alone, broken, and not knowing real from pretend.”

Shane grabs my arms, pulling me across the seat and into his lap. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he looks into my eyes, his voice raspy and intense. “It’s real for me too, Maggie. So fucking real, and I’m terrified that I’m taking you into the lion’s den and won’t be able to keep my promise to keep you safe. And I can’t stand the thought of that. I need you. I love you.”

The doubts in my heart burn to ash as he kisses me, the truth of his words resonating through me. Yes, we’ve only been intimate for a few days, but I don’t care. For months, I’ve been watching him, dreaming of him, needing him. “Shane, I love you too.”

He kisses me again, leaning me back in his arms to lay along the bench seat before covering me with his body.

Shane kisses down my neck, and I lift my head to give him greater access. He groans into the soft skin at the curve, sucking to refresh the mark he’s already given me as he grinds the ridge of his dick against my core. “I want to take my time with you, Maggie. Worship every inch of your skin, but I don’t want to risk anyone seeing us here. Let me get you somewhere safe for the night so I can make love to you.”

I look up at him and pout, wanting more, wanting him now. But he’s right. We’re too exposed here and I feel like I just found the real Shane. I can’t lose him.

With one last fiery kiss, I nod and we wiggle back into our seats, buckling up. “First thing, though. We’re getting that arm bandaged.”

Shane looks at his arm, chuckling before nodding. “Okay. We’ll find a pharmacy or something. Just . . . I love you, Maggie. I promise to keep you safe, no matter what happens.”

I take his hand, interlocking our fingers, my tiny hand engulfed by his giant one. “I love you too. I know you’ll keep me safe. We’ll do this together.”

He dips his head, handing me the phone. “Call Allie. Don’t answer any questions or give her any indication about where we are. Tell her to set up a meeting tomorrow at noon at the club. She needs to meet us at the front door with one guard of Dominick’s choosing. Once we’re inside, it’s Dominick’s show. Whatever he feels is warranted, as long as he listens to us.”

I bite my lip, suddenly nervous as we’re at the point where the poop hits the fan. “Is that smart? Shouldn’t we try to limit the guards, give us a fighting chance if things go awry?”

Shane shakes his head, sighing. “If he wants to kill us, it won’t matter if there are two guards or ten. Better to let him feel in control about as much as possible, because we’re going in with a big favor to ask and demanding that he put the one weakness he has, Allie, at risk at the same time.”

I take a steadying breath, turning the phone on and dialing Allie’s number, glad I have it memorized. Allie’s voice is hesitant when she answers the unknown number. “Hello?”

Good, she’s not dancing yet, or maybe she’s not dancing at all after the shooting. “Allie, it’s me, Meghan.”

It feels strange to use my fake name again, but it’s all Allie’s ever known, and it’s like a firecracker to her. “Oh, my God, Meghan! Are you okay? What the fuck happened to you? Where are you? Are you with Shane?”

She’s shooting questions rapid-fire style, and I can’t even answer one before the next starts. I try to reassure her. “I’m fine. I’m with Shane. Are you okay?”

Her voice is calmer now, but still tight and probably a little worried. “I’m fine too. I was freaked out for a bit, but I’m okay now. The club just went on like business as usual. I don’t think the customers on the floor even realized what happened.”

I don’t think I realized how scared I was that Allie wasn’t okay until I heard her voice, getting stronger and steadier as she speaks. Tears of relief fill my eyes, and I lean my head forward, holding in the sniffle as best I can. “Good, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Shane waves his hand in a circle at me, indicating I should wrap this up. I guess it’s got something to do with tracing the call, or maybe just because we need to get going. His arm has to be burning like fire. “Listen, I need your help with something.”

“Of course, anything,” Allie says immediately. “I’ve been worried about you.”

“Look, there’s a lot going on here that you don’t know,” I say, wishing I could tell her. “It’s sort of safer if you don’t for now. I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say, okay?”

Allie’s voice tightens, and I can hear her tapping her phone with a thumbnail. “You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

“I need you to set up a meeting with Dominick for us. Tomorrow at noon, at the club. There’s stuff that Shane and I need to talk to him about.”

“Why not just call—” Allie says, but I cut her off, needing to rush this.

“You need to be there to meet us at the front door. A guard’s fine if Dominick feels it’s warranted, and he can have as many guys there as he wants. We’re coming in to talk, and he needs to hear what we have to say, for everyone’s sake. If he asks, tell him it has to do with Sal. Got all that?”

Allie sounds confused, but still sort of put together. “Yeah, tomorrow at noon with security. But what’s going on?”

“We’ll explain everything tomorrow. I need you to be there, so you’ll hear everything,” I tell her, instantly hoping she’ll want to still be my friend after my lies are laid out for her. “This is important, Allie. Please, tell Dominick he needs to listen.”

“I’ll set it up. Whatever you need,” Allie says. “But you promise me, you’re not doing anything stupid?”

I have to laugh. We’re light years past stupid. “You know me, Allie. I just take after you, my friend.”

“That’s what worries me,” Allie says, laughing a little herself. “Okay, well . . . see you tomorrow?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I promise, my voice cracking a little. “Check ya later, babe.”

I have to hang up before she can reply, the knot in my belly cinching tight. I’m scared now, and it’s not the primal, instinctual fear that I’ve felt for the past few days. This is deeper, both body and mind, and part of it is that, of all the silly shiz, I’m going to disappoint my friend.

Shane wraps a hand around the back of my neck, pulling me toward him and laying a soft kiss on my forehead. He understands, and he’ll be here for me. “Good girl, Angel. Let’s roll some miles.”