Page 12 of Conquer

Five

Adrian

“Sam, it’s Adrian,” I said.

I was standing close to her, so close that her breasts grazed my chest, and I could feel her sharp exhale.

Her entire body had gone with rigid with fear as she barked out a little scream, but in the next breath, her eyes blazed with anger.

“Don’t you know I carry a gun?” she finally said.

I felt my face turning up in a smile, one that came far more easily than it did when I wasn’t in her presence.

I shouldn’t have been amused by scaring her, but the sight of her face twisted in righteous anger was beautiful.

“Thanks for the warning. Can I come in?” I asked.

She gave a little huff of frustration and then stepped inside. I followed her.

I had my eyes on her, not needing to look at the house, but enjoying the feeling of being inside it with her.

“What do you want?” she asked.

She looked slightly calmer now, but only slightly, though I could see the curiosity in her eyes.

Curiosity that I would have to exploit, despite how much I hated the idea of doing so.

“Did you find out what you needed to know about me?” I asked.

Sam didn’t answer, but she looked suspicious and also slightly guilty, which I found incredibly endearing.

She was embarrassed that she had asked a few simple questions about me. Was I the same given how much I had invaded her life?

No.

My reasons before had been selfish, but now it was essential that I know everything that she knew if I had even a chance to keep her safe.

And I was going to keep her safe.

“What makes you think I checked you out?” she asked.

“You let me inside your house,” I said.

“What do you want, Adrian?” Sam asked, though I could see I’d won this particular argument.

“I have some questions I hope you can answer,” I said.

Which wasn’t true, but I’d thought of the best way to get close to her, and this was it. I didn’t have the skills to seduce her, and even if she’d been receptive—and that was a big if—it’d take time to get close enough to her that she’d open up about her work.

But approaching her like this, in her role as an investigator, was the way inside.

“What questions?” she said.

“Questions about Santo Carmelli.”

My use of his name got the intended response. She was fully focused now, her annoyance at my intrusion gone, her mind fully engaged.

“Why would you want to ask me questions?” she asked.

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