Nicky tilts her head as if considering my offer. “I can just hang out here until you change your mind. Or until you’ve proven useless.”

I scoff. “​​Let’s be honest. If we really wanted to, one of us would have killed the other by now. We’ve both had plenty of opportunities over the last few years. So why haven’t you killed me?”

She says nothing.

We’re frozen, neither of us making a move. Beyond the windows, traffic whooshes by and people laugh and shout in the street below.

“That’s what I thought,” I say quietly.

“You thought what, exactly?” she snaps, stepping closer.

“That you can’t bring yourself to kill me.”

“Oh, please. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I was too soft to kill.”

“I never said you’re soft.”

There’s a tiny, nondescript beep behind me. Since I haven’t addressed the silent alarm, this is the part where T.A.S.K. is listening, waiting for a report through the device on my coffee table, which looks like an ordinary Bluetooth speaker.

I could say nothing. I could keep talking to Nicky to let them know that I’m in trouble, and they’ll send a team to kill her.

Instead, I hold up a hand to Nicky and say, “Hey, guys, I’m fine. I couldn’t find my phone.”

Nicky’s eyes widen, which sends a flash of satisfaction through me.

Yes, honey, you’d be fucked if I’d made a different choice right now.

“Are you serious, Ebony?” Clark says on the other end, voice tinny.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fucking midnight. I was asleep.”

“I’ll make it up to you, man.”

“Whatever. Keep your phone on you next time and don’t do it again.”

I wait ten seconds, holding Nicky’s gaze, letting her process what a mistake she made by breaking into my apartment.

“You’re lucky I’m feeling generous tonight,” I murmur.

She steps closer until we’re a breath apart. “I’ll tell my boss you don’t have it?”

“Correct.”

She extends a hand and I take it.

The feel of her palm against mine sends a rush through me, like an electric current traveling up my arm and into my chest. The familiar smell of her cologne meets my nose, making my head spin.

“How was your date tonight?” she says.

“Still thinking about that, huh?”

A flush creeps into her cheeks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her blush before. It’s a little bit cute.

“It was terrible,” I admit. “She was clearly not over her ex.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“No you’re not.”

Her mouth opens in surprise. She struggles for words, can’t seem to find any, and closes her mouth again.

We haven’t let go of each other’s hand.

As much as I want to hate her, to accept that we are supposed to be enemies, to do my job and just kill her… there’s a competing pull inside me. I can’t forget the years we spent in training, all of those days and nights we spent getting to know each other. She was my best friend and my anchor. If it weren’t for her, I don’t know if I would’ve had the emotional strength to make it through training.

“Nicky, do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if we hadn’t been separated—”

“Every day,” she says, her breath tickling my face.

The thing I’ve wondered all these years burns hotter than ever inside me. What would have happened if T.A.S.K. hired both of us? Would we have acted on our feelings? If we worked for the same agency, we could have been a team, and I could rely on her strength instead of battling it.

Instead we’re here, destined to fight, poised to kill each other.

But if we aren’t allowed to have a life together… if we aren’t allowed a future… maybe we could have just one night. After all the work I’ve done for T.A.S.K., and all of my unwavering loyalty, don’t I deserve it?

“I volunteered for this assignment, Ebony,” Nicky says, the words seeming to spill out. “I wanted to see you.”

I don’t know what to say to this, so I say nothing. Is this all we get? We can only see each other if we’ve each got a gun in our hand?

She steps closer. “I don’t regret getting hired by a different agency than you. But what I do regret is not acting on my feelings before we were separated.”

My breath catches. My heart slams into my ribs, the truth painful to hear. “Your feelings?”

She gives a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.

We’re standing so close that I feel her breath on my face. My knees weaken, and for a moment, I feel like someone other than an agent—just a woman with a crush.

“Nicky…” I whisper, moving my hand so our fingers interlock.

I want to kiss her so badly. Is that a terrible idea? Should we part ways before we do something we’ll regret?

Whatever Nicky sees in my eyes makes her fingers tighten over mine. With a fiery, blazing look, she pulls me all the way in.

Part 3 coming tomorrow! Read the full story right now on “Sweet & Spicy Sapphic Stories” at patreon.com/tianawarner. Plus you’ll get early access to next week’s story.