“Nikki looks at me, confused. “What’s wrong?”I’ve got a gun stashed in my closet. “Nothin’.”

“I want to hold you, Nikki. Will you let me?”

“You’ve got a big ego, Fuentes.”“That’s not all I’ve got.”

“Sometimes I think Ben is right, that the fantasy world is better because reality sucks...but then I look at Nikki and I believe that we can beat the odds.”

“What’s with all those tattoos? Makes you look like a hooligan.”“I suspect I am a hooligan.”

“I realise it’s going to happen. This girl of my dreams, this girl who is more like me than anyone I’ve ever met, wants to kiss me.”

“What’s goin’ on?” I ask as I take a seat.“Obviously not this.” He tosses me my shirt from last night. “I found it on the floor of the den. It’s obvious there was some hanky-panky going on.”Okay, so he knows we fooled around. But at least he didn’t find Kiara’s bra on top of my shirt.“Yeah . . . things kinda got a little heated after you and Mrs. W. left the den last night,” I tell him.”