Page 114 of Dust Storm

“Your brother’s here,” she hissed.

“I know,” I said in a hushed voice that matched hers. “I saw him come in on the cameras.”

“He kidnapped your children,” she whisper-yelled.

“He does that.”

Her eyes widened. “And you’re okay with that?”

Dammit. I liked when she was worried about the girls.

“Why are we whispering?” I said.

“Because I don’t want them to know I’m still out here!”

A slow grin spread across my face. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say either you care or you’re curious. Maybe both.”

“I don’t. I’m just a professional. Letting a client get kidnapped is typically bad for business.”

“My daughters aren’t your clients.”

“They’re client-adjacent.” She swatted my stomach. “Stop with the semantics.”

I snickered under my breath. “I’m just messing with you.” Since she was blocking the door, I used it to my advantage and trapped her against it, pinning her down with my hips. “You never explained why there’s a photo of the mayor with a knife in it.”

The soft silver clouds in her eyes turned to razor blades. “He pissed me off. Apparently, anger helps with throwing accuracy.”

I lifted my eyebrows. “Do I want to know what happened?”

Cassandra patted my chest. “I handled it.”

No one was around to see us, so I cupped her cheek and kissed her. “That’s my girl.”

She pulled away. “What are you doing? Someone might see.”

The edge in her voice stung.

“No one’s going to see. They’re inside and we’re out here.”

Her hand pressing against my chest stopped me. “So? I’m not risking it.”

“Risking what?”

I was the one with the rule about my kids not being exposed to the casual nature of my romantic life. I was the one who had to keep this house from crumbling. I was the one with everything on the line.

If she was worried about someone seeing, then she needed to admit that there was something to hide.

“I should get back to work,” she said, trying to squeeze by.

I stopped her with a hand on her waist. “Why were you eavesdropping?”

“I was just leaving.”

“Bullshit.” I fisted the back of her hair, bringing her mouth to mine again.

Her eyes grew heavy and her lips dropped open, grazing mine. It was like I had accessed the master controls to her submission.

“See?” I murmured against the corner of her mouth. “I told you that you’d like it when I’m in control.” I tightened my grip at the base of her scalp.

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