Maddox P.O.V

"Only you, Maddox. I swear." Scarlett tsks from the other side of the thick black curtain covering the changing room entrance. "How could you wait until now to get fitted for your tux? The wedding is right around the corner."

I quickly strip off my jeans and olive green pullover and lay them on the small bench. "Hey. It's not like I'm the groom."

"No, but you are the bride's only brother. So you should've made this more of a priority."

"I tried." I pull on the black tuxedo pants, doing up the zipper. "But work kept me pretty busy lately."

"Mmm. I understand that." She sighs. "And since you mentioned it, are there any new leads on our case?"

"Nope. But I do have a meeting later this week with the port authority. So, hopefully, that will shed some new light on the case." I peek out the curtain to look at her. "Wait. Our?"

"Yes, our." She looks at me over the top of the bridal magazine she's perusing on the white, faux leather loveseat tufted with diamond buttons. "I'm invested now and need to see this through til the end. So, like it or not, I'm your new partner."

I was used to working alone. Preferred it that way, to be honest. The hours of solitude were a welcoming comfort. But why did the idea of partnering with Scarlett in any aspect not sound ridiculously absurd but rather... fitting?

"Okay. And how long will this... partnership last exactly? You're not thinking of making a career change, are you?"

"God, no. Just for this case only. I'm not cut out for doing this full-time."

"Why not? Can't handle the odd hours?"

"No, I can deal with that and even the frustration of waiting for the next lead. It's the breaking the news to someone that their loved ones are gone and never coming home..." She visibly shutters. "I could never."

"Yeah, that part is never easy." I softly admit, letting the curtain fall back into place as I slip on the white button-down shirt.

A phone beeping twice makes me pause briefly.

"Is that my phone or yours?" I ask.

"Yours. Want me to get it?"

"Yeah, it's probably Francesca. We're supposed to meet after this to go to her friend's play."

"Play? You hate plays."

"No, I don't." I deny. But the sour expression reflected on my face in the mirror contradicts my words.

"Yeah, you do. If I recall correctly, your sister took you to one a while back, and you bailed halfway through, saying you'd rather...hmm, what was it?" She paused. "Oh, yeah, pluck out your pubic hairs one by one, then sit through another minute of it."

"First of all, that was a monologue, not a play. It's entirely different. And second of all...I'm trying to be a good boyfriend. Alright? So will you-"

"Get the tweezers?"

"No! Cut me some slack."

Silence.

My smile falls. "Scarlett?"

Nothing.

I rip back the curtain and step out. A flood of relief washes over me, seeing her standing beside the couch, staring at my phone. But it's quickly replaced by concern as she slowly lifts her head and looks at me. "What's wr-"

"What's this?" She interjects, holding my phone up for me to see.

"What?" I take the device and quickly scan the message before saying with a straight face, "Nothing."

"Nothing? Because it looks like you went behind my back and ran a background check on Luciano. Twice!"

"Whoa, whoa. Went behind your back? I told you I was going to."

"And I told you not to!"

"Yeah. But..." The tailor enters through the doorway on the left, so I pull her off to the side before continuing, "This is me we are talking about, Scarlett. I'm as hard-headed as they come. And you know I was going to do it anyway."

"Yeah, I know. But forgive me for thinking that maybe...Just maybe you would resist your instincts, compulsion, or whatever the hell else you want to call it and listen to me for once."

"What do you mean for once? I listen to you more than anyone. And if this was about anyone else, I would've as well. But not him, okay." I pace a few steps away with my hands on my hips. "Not him."

Scarlett's eyes briefly drop to the stretch of skin left visible by my unbuttoned shirt before she stammers out. "W-why not?"

"Because I don't trust him..." I stop myself from adding around you.

It was the honest-to-God truth. But, admitting that aloud would only invite unnecessary and unwanted drama. Not to mention the questions, questions I didn't have the answer to. How did I explain to her it wasn't just a simple trust issue? But that I didn't like seeing him around her. Or vice versa. And that the way she lit up whenever she spoke of him hurt more than a hit to the solar plexus.

None of which should've even been a factor since she was my friend. And I have a girlfriend. A girlfriend who recently took a job here so we could be together. Fuckin' hell.

"You've made that more than clear, Maddox. But you haven't given me a reason not to." She says, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I'm telling you. Something's off about this guy. I can feel it. And..." I hold up my phone. "I'm certain I'll get my proof this time."

"Oh really?" She asks, her monotonous tone not lost on me.

"Yes!"

She sighs long and deep, crossing her arms. "And out of curiosity, what were the results the first time?"

"He was clean," I mumble, scratching my neck and looking off to the side.

"What? I didn't catch that."

I audibly exhaled, turning to face her fully. "I said, he was clean."

My stomach churned violently, physically repulsed by those words spoken in relation to him. And as much as I would like to, I couldn't deny the cold hard facts. There'd been nothing, no unpaid debts, prior arrests, or even so much as a parking ticket.

He was squeaky fucking clean. On paper, at least.

He'd graduated with honors from the University of Texas with a degree in accounting before pursuing his master's, too. And unlike the typical student, he'd done it without the assistance of student loans. Thanks in large part to his parent's lucrative careers as a pediatrician and fashion photographer.

The latter of which, his mom's career, had piqued my interest because I'd bet everything Luciano's connection with Sienna had come from it. However, that was just speculation. The only way to know for sure is to ask him.

"Mm. So you just wasted your time for nothing." 

"No, I didn't. When it comes to you and ensuring your safety, I could never. So I'll keep running background checks even if you fucking despise me for it...I won't stop."

"Maddox, t-" she goes to argue, but I step closer, cupping her cheeks and looking her dead in the eyes.

"I won't stop," I whisper, my thumb absentmindedly stroking the soft skin just before her ear. "Cause I'd rather incur your wrath than risk giving this bastard the chance to hurt you. And I'll do any and everything else in my power to figure out the truth. And when I do, it's over for him. I can promise you that."

She licks her lips, eyes searching mine for a moment. For what I don't know before she finally says, "What if there's nothing to find? Have you thought about that?"

I step back, grabbing the nearest rack. "Yes, I have." My voice is low, solemn even.

There was definitely a chance I was wrong. But what if I weren't? I'd never forgive myself for ignoring my instincts and intuition and letting danger come upon her.

"But what about you?" I ask. "Have you ever considered that there might be? I mean... Can you honestly say there hasn't been one moment that made you doubt him?"

Her mouth opens, but she snaps it close, averting her gaze to the floor. "Uh..."

I stand upright. "There has. Hasn't it?"

"No, no! So stop trying to get in my head. The background check came up clean. And that's it. I don't want to discuss this anymore. Okay." She grabs her purse from the couch before heading for the door.

If ever there was a time to be at the top of my game, it was now. Ever since I'd known Scarlett, she'd always strived to see the good in everyone. Therefore, she wouldn't just blindly trust my judgment or anyone's about someone else. She'd need proof.

Cold, hard proof.

It was the only way she'd see the truth.