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Finn and I stood across from each other, staring the other down. "No," I said with finality, refusing to budge.

His eyes squinted. "Yes. You can't do it." We had been arguing for ten minutes, much to the enjoyment of two individuals watching quietly from the shadows.

"Yes I can, just don't tell me where it is," I tried explaining for the fifth time since we stepped outside the manor.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you do it, then it ruins the entire thing," he retorted, throwing his free arm in the air.

I placed a hand on the cool metal in front of me and leaned forward, glaring at him with a blank expression I save for intimidation purposes that usually included my knife...or a gun. "Finn," I began slowly, my voice low, "you are not driving and that is final."

Finn clenched his fingers, trying to control his irritation. "Ana, if you drive, I might as well spoil the entire idea."

"Then I guess we're walking because you are not getting behind a wheel while I am in the car," I argued, folding my arms across my chest stubbornly. Finn sighed, his head drooping low. "Or, we could always ask them to drive us as I suggested minutes ago," I pointed to the two shadows where Harvey and Lorenzo stood quietly, enjoying the show.

"I can drive," Finn defended himself.

I closed my eyes, calming myself before looking back at him. "Baby, you're great at a lot of things but driving is not one of them," I said slowly, my fingers directly gesturing to the small dent in my Mercedes that he drove when we went out for fast food a while ago. He's lucky I didn't skin him alive for that.

Finn threw his hands in the air. "Fine! They drive then," he conceded, marching over to the SUV doors.

Harvey and Lorenzo silently made their way to the front seats. With a small smile of victory at the idea of saving my own life and the life of other drivers, I made my way to the SUV. Finn opened the door for me, a pout on his lips before walking around the back and climbing into the other side.

I bit my lip and grabbed his black tie, yanking him closer to me and kissing him. His hands automatically gripped the back of my head, careful not to touch the delicate updo I had spent more than twenty minutes creating, and licked my bottom lip before slipping his tongue into my mouth.

My head angled to the side, deepening the kiss, my fingers tightening on his tie while we ignored the engine roaring to life thanks to the two men sitting directly in front of us, pretending we didn't exist and vice versa.

Finn pulled away when a moan escaped from the back of my throat, his eyes darting to the front for a second before he peppered little kisses across my lips. "I can't believe you think I'm a bad driver."

I grinned, accepting every little kiss he offered, speaking between each one. "You're a shitty driver who needs their license taken away and I will not apologize for saying it," I answered, kissing him once more, a little longer than wanted but I could barely control myself around him anymore.

"I would never expect you to apologize for being you but you're a bitch for saying it," he whispered and I laughed loudly, using my thumb to wipe the dark purple lipstick smudges off him.

After getting comfortable in my seat, I glanced back over at him. "So what fancy dinner restaurant are we going to that we absolutely had to dress up for?" I asked teasingly, seductively dragging a hand over the satin material of my black floor-length dress that showed a considerable amount of leg due to the structure of it. I loved wearing couture.

Finn pressed his lips together, refusing to look at me. I rolled my eyes, focusing my gaze on the windows, as we took the onramp to the highway towards New York City. Movement caught my attention and Finn's hand reached out and rested on my bare thigh, his thumb rubbing the skin there softly.

Less than an hour later, we were maneuvering through the crowded traffic that always seemed to be a problem whenever entering the city. Harvey drove right past Fifth Avenue and Times Square and then proceeded to drive past any turn that may have led us to some of the most exclusive restaurants I've been to in this city. Being a Love, we only dined at the best, usually with a private table reserved for any occasion.

Once we hit a more quiet neighborhood on the Upper West Side and I dreaded the sudden thought that maybe he decided he wanted to take me to a Five Guys dressed like we were attending a gala. Please for once let me be wrong.

We came to a stop outside a small building in a safe-looking neighborhood. I eyed the pizza joint at the corner of the street and prayed to myself as we climbed out of the SUV.

Finn held my hand the entire time since he helped me get out. "Where are we?" I asked in confusion as I stared up at what looked like a random apartment building in front of us.

He gave me a reassuring smile, waving to Harvey and Lorenzo before leading me through the unmanned doors. We stepped into the small elevator and my eyes darted around the small space while still clutching Finn's hand quietly.

The elevator stopped on the twenty-fifth floor and we stepped off into a quiet hallway. Finn reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a set of keys, coming to a stop outside a door. I stood behind him, glancing up and down the hallway for any indication as to what was happening.

The door clicked open and Finn held the door open with a nervous smile while I watched him quietly, a confused look on my face. The sound of soft music filtered into the hallway from the open door. He gestured for me to enter first. The apartment was a normal size for Manhattan, a simple kitchen and living room stood before me with a small hallway leading to what I assumed were a standard bedroom and bathroom.

What caught my attention though, was the table for two set up with fine dining equipment in front of a large wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked Manhattan and the large expanse of Central Park.

A gasp left my lips as I dazedly walked through the apartment, careful not to trip in my stilettos as I watched the city lights lighting up the darkness of the night, giving us a beautiful view.

My eyes darted to the table, covered in a pressed linen cloth and fine china plates with glassware and cutlery to match. A short glance over my shoulder showed trays of food on the marble counter of the kitchen.

I spun on my heel and stared at Finn with glossy eyes as I controlled my short breaths. Finn smiled, his eyes searching my face. "This is my apartment," he announced, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I've had it since I got my first paycheck from The Corner Store, turns out criminals will pay top dollar for us to not rat them out." He watched the city life ahead of us. "The view sold me."

I blinked. "You did this for me?" I struggled to get the words out, my choker necklace feeling a little too tight when I tried to swallow. Never once in my life had one of my lovers done something like this for me. Ever.

He slid a hand along my waist and pulled me closer to him, letting me lean my head against his shoulder while we stared out at the stunning view ahead of us. "I said I wanted it to be just you and me tonight," he murmured, pressing his lips to my head. "No little sisters," I chuckled, wrapping an arm around his waist, "no unbothered staff to walk in on us," he pinched my side and I squirmed, trying not to burst out laughing, "And definitely no Harvey or Lorenzo, they've been scarred enough to last a lifetime."

"You cannot tell me that it doesn't send a thrill through you at the prospect of people walking in on us," I pointed out with a smirk as I let go of him to wander around the space.

He watched me from where I left him. "I never said that." I sent him a scandalous look that made him laugh lightly.

The apartment looked more like a showroom than a lived-in home. Everything remained in pristine condition, the furniture all matched perfectly, except for one lone bright picture frame on a bare bookshelf.

Upon closer inspection, the bright blue frame held a picture of a younger Finn standing next to his mother while he wore a graduation cap and gown. His dark hair was covered from the cap but he looked like a completely different person.

He smiled widely, a lanky arm wrapped around his mother's shoulders since he stood a few inches taller than her. His features were younger, soft instead of the hard lines on him now.

My fingers grazed over the edge of the frame. "When was this?"

"High school graduation," he replied, rustling around in the kitchen, "Mom was very adamant that we got at least one picture of me smiling." I heard a pop before a small fizzing sound, indicating he had opened a bottle of champagne.

My lips twitched. "You do have such a pretty smile," I teased, glancing his way, seeing that same boyish smile only more handsome. He held two glass flutes filled with bubbling champagne and I made my way over accepting the glass.

Finn raised his glass toward mine. "Cheers." We clinked glasses and sipped the sweet-tasting champagne, making our way to the table where he had placed our closh covered plates while I walked around.

He placed his glass on the table and pulled out my chair for me, helping me sit down before joining me.

I held my hand out to him and he grabbed it with a raised eyebrow, squeezing once. "Thank you for tonight, I needed this," I said gratefully, trying to convey those emotions to him.

We settled back in our seats and lifted the closhes revealing a plate of fast food nuggets and french fries with different sauces. "Oh my god," I said through laughter, staring down at the food. His plate revealed a cheeseburger and french fries.

He gave me a relieved look at my reaction. "The first time we went out for food over almost two months ago, we got fast food so I thought, why not do it again?" He shrugged, picking up a french fry and shoving it in his mouth.

"It's amazing. Who needs fois gras, cavier or filet mignon?" I asked rhetorically, gracefully picking up a chicken nugget and biting a piece of it.

"So tell me," he began as we started eating, "what's going on with work? Every time I see you in your office you look ready to kill someone," he joked but his eyes held that note of concern.

I leaned an elbow on the table, a total faux pas in dinner etiquette but judging by his food choice, manners were out the window a long time ago and placed my chin on my hand. "Is this you publicly declaring you want to listen to my work problems? With no judgment?" I asked with wide mischievous eyes.

He rolled his eyes in return. "If something is bothering you, I want to know, so lay it on me," he said simply, leaning back in his seat and watching me silently, waiting for me to begin.

I took another bite of my chicken nugget. "Where to begin? People are still out to kill my whole family while Owen and Jasper work around the clock trying to find at least one complete picture of the list because apparently it's branched out to more important members of our circle, not just family but we don't know who or why. Atticus tried to ask if he could start working for the family and I flat out refused, so I'm pretty sure he hates me now because he just wants to fit in with the three of us—Oh! And Elijah hasn't checked in with me, last he told me was that he found something that could be useful and nothing," I finished, running a nugget-free hand over my dress.

Finn sat quietly the entire time I rambled, listening to my every word. He straightened in his seat once I stopped and bit his lower lip in thought. "Why do you think Atticus hates you?"

I sighed, lifting my shoulders. "I told him he wasn't fit to join the business, he's too emotional, which is true but I also don't want him living this kind of life, I want him to live a normal life," I expressed helplessly, my voice catching on a few words.

Finn pushed out of his chair and shuffled over to me, leaning down to look me in the eye. "Hey," he murmured, gripping my jaw and brushing his thumb over my jaw, "he may not understand now but what you're doing is giving him a chance to get out."

I nodded my head, my nose twitching as the back of my throat burned. "Finn," I said, my voice falling into a neutral tone, "you need to understand that I have no way out of this life, what you see now is going to be me for the rest of my life."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Ana, I knew exactly who you were when I got involved with you, you telling me this isn't going to change anything between us." He stared at me with such adoration in his eyes it almost made me cringe at how cheesy this whole moment felt.

"Well I've never been in a relationship so this is all new, okay? It was always just sex and nothing more, I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to be doing," I explained, throwing my arms out, careful not to hit him in the face.

Finn gave me an amused smile. "You're doing great, I promise." He pressed a kiss to my head and sat back down in his seat.

"If I'm doing so great then why do I still not know everything about you, huh? We've been together for weeks and I still have no idea why or how you knew how to fire a gun so expertly," I was puzzled, the memory of us in that shipping warehouse when he shot someone to protect me.

His mouth clamped shut at the reminder of what was done so long ago but he shook his head and cleared his throat. "My birth mother had a target on her back," he said slowly, "it was how she died the day she gave birth to me." He swallowed, his fingers tapping on the linen table cloth. "A few years ago they found me, found out who I was, and tried to tell me that I had to pay the debts she left, I told them to fuck off and they hurt my mom," he gestured to the side of his face and it reminded me of the long scar running along Dorothy's face when I met her. "They left and I started taking special training from a past patient," his hands formed fists and his jaw went taut at the memories, "Next time they stopped by trying to hurt my mom again to intimidate me, I made sure I was prepared." I barely breathed, my eyes unable to even blink while I listened. "That was my first and only incident before the shipping warehouse," he ended, his voice soft.

I laid a hand on the table between us. "You saved her life, Finn, and mine. That's not something we'll ever forget," I promised. His eyes were unfocused, the memories of those particular nights flashing through his mind.

Feeling the need to do something to remove that expression on his face, I pushed my chair back and rounded the table, dropping into his lap gently, careful not to stretch the fabric of my dress. The parting by my thigh slips over my leg and drapes along the floor, exposing my whole leg.

My fingers grip his chin and pull his face to look up at me. "Hey," I murmured, a comforting smile on my face, "if it helps, you were really sexy holding that gun," I whisper, running a hand through the hair at the back of his neck. "Like I was ready to jump you then and there."

His lips curl into a smile, his shoulders shaking slightly.

I ran a seductive hand down his clothed chest. "I'm serious, you know how turned on I get when you start ordering me around in the bedroom," I informed him, a secret smile on my face.

One of his hands came over my lap and gripped my bare thigh. He lifted his head and brushed his nose against my neck, peppering small kisses along my throat. "It's the only time you actually listen to me."

I shivered when his lips touched the sensitive spot under my jaw. "I listen," I murmured distractedly, closing my eyes and leaning further into his kisses.

His fingers trailed up my thigh, heading towards dangerous territory but I felt so intoxicated by his lips that I welcomed his touch, even going far as to move my leg, making his hand slide further up faster.

With a final kiss on my jaw, he pulled away and kept his eyes on mine as his hand finally disappeared beneath my dress causing my thighs to clench together in anticipation. His fingers brushed against the lace and he glanced down, seeing the thin lace covering me. He sent me a smirk. "Is this all for me?" He asked, his finger playing with the fabric.

I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding but I managed to choke out, "Nope, you're just lucky to see it," I managed to force some sarcasm into my tone. He totally knew I wore it for him, who am I kidding?

Finn pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth before moving his hands away entirely. I felt a sense of loss at the action and furrowed my eyebrows, my hand stroking the back of his head.

His fingers gripped my hips and lifted me off his lap, standing with me. He held out a hand. "Dance with me."

My lips parted in surprise. "You're choosing dancing over sex with me?" I asked dumbfounded.

A smirk touched his lips and he dragged me to the center of the room. "There's plenty of that for the rest of the night but right now," he began, his eyes trailing over my body before pulling me flush against his body, "Right now I just want to dance with you."

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In the early hours of the next morning, a hand touched my arm and I woke with a jolt, grabbing the person's arm and twisting it until I heard a rough intake of breath. "Ana, Ana, it's me," Finn soothed, holding his arm perfectly still while clouded sleep vanished from my eyes.

I kneeled on the bed in his apartment, completely naked, the sheets pooled around my lap.

Finn ran a hand through my messy curls, his fingers getting stuck in the strands. My eyes widened at his alarmed gaze, and not from me grabbing him. I released him quickly and moved to stand. "What's wrong?"

Finn held up his blank phone, an expression of anguish on his face. "I just got a call from my mom," my eyes traced his face, looking for any clue as to if she was okay, "it's Elijah."

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