Sleeping With the Enemy

Chapter Twenty Five

When I leave Brandon's house to meet Herrera, I'm nervous, but determined. Adrenaline and an odd sense of excitement pump through my veins at the thought that Herrera will finally get what's coming to him and that Brandon trusts me enough to be a part of it. Well, trusts me enough to tap my phone and have a guy tailing me the entire time, but I'll take what I can get right now. It's at least a step in the right direction.

I haven't seen Herrera face to face in several days, and in that amount of time, I was attacked, got married, and found out that Herrera is the one truly responsible for my parents death. It's going to take a lot of personal restraint to face him and act like none of that happened, but I know in the long run it will be worth it. Brandon will take care of this just like he promised, and I should have believed that from the beginning. I was jaded, but I never should have doubted him. The only thing I can do now is move forward and focus on the future.

When Brandon's tech guy is done with my phone, I have no idea what it's capable of. He scoured it for any sign that Herrera tapped it himself and put a block on any tracking system he'd put into place. Herrera would be fed whatever data Brandon wanted him to see and nothing real or incriminating to me. I don't know how any of it works, but that's fine with me.

I'm a little taken aback by just how much preparation and work goes into something like this. It's a simple meeting but Brandon and Alex and a few others from their team have poured over every detail to be sure it works out exactly as planned. It takes a tremendous amount of skill and knowledge–not just a bunch of grown men playing with guns and trying to get themselves killed like I thought when I was younger.

The coffee shop Herrera suggested is in Manhatten and it takes me a bit to get there from Brandon's penthouse. At least he's on the edge of the city and not all the way out in Rockaway, but it's still a hefty drive. The whole way there I try to psych myself up, my hands trembling as I grip the wheel. The indentation where my ring was this morning catches my eye. I left it at home since he doesn't know we're married yet, and it's crazy how bare I feel without it after only a few days.

It's almost like a badge of honor. With Brandon's ring on my hand, I feel important and claimed and protected, almost untouchable. It makes me part of something, and even though the circumstances were skewed, Brandon chose me. Despite my betrayal. Despite everything trying to tear us apart. Despite it all.

Herrera set out to drive an unforgivable wedge between us, but instead, he'd bonded us for life and part of me wants to rub his face in that this morning. I promised to handle this Brandon's way, though, so I have to take the higher ground and bide my time. My mother always used to tell me that there is no need to be petty when you're powerful, and while I usually like the sentiment,  I can't wait for the day he finds out.

No one even glances up when the door opens and the bells chime. In Rockaway, everyone is always in everyone's business, but here in the city, no one really cares. Herrera is already here, seated at a booth in the back corner and hovering over a steaming cup of coffee. Just the sight of him makes my skin crawl, and I fight the urge to run right back out the door. Instead, I take a deep breath to compose myself and plaster a fake smile on my face when he looks my way.