I finally open my eyes when a soft kiss lands gently on my bare chest.
"Morning, Baby," Jennifer whispers, her voice still husky from sleep, accompanied by the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. "You sleep like a baby," she adds, brushing her fingers along my skin.
"I did, didn't I?" I reply, already muffling her lips with mine in a brief but tender kiss.
Truth be told, I'd been awake for at least thirty minutes. I felt her arm tighten around my waist earlier, and instead of stirring, I let myself melt into the warmth of her touch. Her embrace gave me a peace I didn't want to interrupt.
I came back home around 4 a.m. My body was wrecked, and my head throbbed with a vicious headache, but as always, by the time I woke up, my wounds had already healed. Just as expected. Peter had been asleep on the couch. My return startled him awake, and though I'd seen what happened the night before, I didn't confront him. I didn't need to. No matter how much he tried, he could never win her heart.
So I simply thanked him before he left. Then I cleaned up, slipped quietly into bed, and wrapped my arms around Jennifer like I never wanted to let go.
"So… did you manage everything?" she asks now, her lips still close to mine.
"Ahem." I tighten my hold around her. "Yeah. My apartment's ready to be sold. So is my car."
"Why do you need all that money?" she asks curiously.
"Hm... I don't," I say quickly, planting a kiss on her forehead to conceal the lie. I already know how she'd react if she found out I was trying to buy a heart from the black market. I doubt she'd ever approve.
"So why sell them?" she presses.
"I just think since we're settling here now, there's no point in keeping things I won't use anymore. Might as well sell them and invest in something smarter, right?"
Jennifer shrugs. "I don't know much about investment."
"Yet," I whisper with a grin, kissing her eyelid. "But…" I kiss her nose, "you're already…" I kiss her lips, "richer than me."
She giggles at that, but then returns my kiss with surprising passion.
That kiss stirs heat through my body. I'm so drawn in, I forget—just for a moment—about her fragile condition. My lips drift to her neck, my hand slipping under her nightgown. When my fingers find her skin, she moans softly, arching into my touch. Her reaction lights a fire inside me. I kiss and gently bite at her neck, leaving behind a small love mark before my lips journey lower.
"Eeeeeeeee!!!"
Sophie's sudden cry snaps us both out of our haze. We freeze for a second, blinking at each other—then burst into laughter.
I swing my legs over the bed and go to Sophie, lifting her gently from her cradle. She's red-faced and squirming, obviously hungry. I lay her carefully between us.
"Hi, Baby... are you hungry?" Jennifer coos, cradling Sophie in her arms and bringing her close. The moment Sophie latches, she begins to feed eagerly.
And me? I watch with nothing but awe—and a touch of playful jealousy.
"I'm hungry too…" I pout teasingly.
Jennifer giggles and playfully pinches my nose. "Thank you," she whispers into my ear, her voice rich with gratitude.
I lean in for one quick kiss. "Let me go fix you some breakfast," I murmur before slipping out of bed.
-
Three days later
While brewing coffee and toasting some bread, I make a call to Bob.
"Any good news?" I ask the moment he picks up.
"Not yet, Boss."
I sigh. "Not even a proposition? You said it was still negotiable, right?"
"I did, Boss," Bob confirms.
Another long sigh escapes my lips. "Okay… just let me know the moment you get anything. Anything at all."
"Of course, Boss."
I end the call and exhale for the third time. Maybe I was too optimistic. Maybe I misread Thief that night. I wanted to believe she'd help me—believed it so strongly because of the way she looked at me... because of how she quietly slipped that paper with the donor specs into her winter jacket pocket before her guards arrived. If she didn't intend to help, why would she keep it?
That's why I let her men beat me. Why I didn't run when I had the chance. I thought it meant something.
The ding from the toaster snaps me out of my thoughts.
With another heavy breath, I push away from the counter and take out the toast. While pouring the coffee into a cup, I call out, "Baby, breakfast's ready!"
Moments later, Jennifer enters the kitchen, looking cozy in her sweater, her hair a little tousled.
"What are you making me?" she asks. Then, noticing my face, adds, "Why do you look so gloomy?"
I force a smile. "Nothing... I just missed you," I say softly.
Jennifer giggles, and in that instant, the cloud over me lifts. Her laugh always has that power.
I pull her into my arms and kiss her forehead. "I love you so much. You know that, right?"
Jennifer nods with a smile, still wrapped in my embrace as she reaches for the bacon and places it over the toast. I add lettuce and tomato slices with one hand, never letting go of her. In less than two minutes, breakfast is ready—served right there in front of the kitchen island, both of us still standing, still holding each other.
Suddenly, the front door slams open with a loud thud.
"Jen! Scott!" a voice calls out, breathless and excited.
"We're here!" I reply.
Seconds later, Peter bursts into the kitchen doorway, red-faced and panting through his mask.
"We got it!" he exclaims, almost shouting.
"The heart?" I ask, eyes wide.
Peter nods rapidly. "Yes! We found a perfect match for Jennifer!"
Jennifer lets out a joyful squeal and throws her arms around me in a tight hug. Then, without hesitation, she runs to embrace Peter too.
In that moment, my phone vibrates once on the counter. A message notification lights up the screen:
"Prepare 50 million in crypto."
I grab my phone and type my reply without hesitation:
"Thank you. I owe you my life."
A second later, the reply comes:
"I didn't do it for you. From now on, never contact me again."