Page 192 of Tell Me Lies

Anger worked its way up her spine as she stiffened. Elijah was across the room in a few strides and his fist slammed into the guy’s cheek before she could blink. The guy slumped over then rose, rubbing the side of his face with a wince.

“Jesus, dude, what the fuck?”

“You’ll delete the entire thing.”

The guy shook his head, and Violet’s heart plummeted. Shit, even though it was out of her control, she didn’t want anyone to have a video like that of her.

“You will,” Elijah said. “Or I’ll have to make a call to my father.”

The guy’s face went white.

Why? What would his dad do? He was powerful in his own right, but she didn’t figure being the mayor of a small northeast town got anyone very far. Then again, this entire situation was unusual. She shook her head, not wanting to learn anything else. Not wanting to be here. She just wanted her own bed. Fuck these guys and whatever fucked-up game they played.

She spun around and walked toward the front door, which sat at the end of a long, dark-green carpeted hallway.

Her hand curled around the knob on the door, turned, and was in the process of pulling open when a large palm slapped down beside her head, shoving the door shut.

Her spine went stiff as she felt him come up behind her and press his body to hers. That damn mint and pine smell of his surrounded her as if a demand for attention.

“Violet,” he said, his mouth at her ear.

She warred with begging him to let her leave but wanting to hear what he had to say. It was all a roller coaster of emotions that moved through her, something she thought she had felt regarding him for so long now changing into something else.

A craving, she realized. The taste of him was a craving she couldn’t dismiss. But she wanted no part of the game this group of guys seemed to be playing.

“You’re not leaving yet,” he said, and her stomach fluttered at his words.

She turned her face toward his but refused to move her body or her hand … which was still on the doorknob. “Why? I want to go home. The game is over.”

A low rumble came out from deep within his chest and he moved closer until the hard ridge of his erection pressed to her ass. “I’ve had a taste of you, Little Bird. But it wasn’t enough.”

She swallowed, a million mixed feelings rushing through her. She wanted to run, wanted to fight against him, wanted to turn and take the unwhispered promise of pleasure he gave. What would be the harm in joining in on this scene he was demanding? She was a grown woman in charge of who and what she wanted, and if her body was begging her to give in, what kind of harm could it possibly bring?

It’d either be her complete downfall…

Or he’d make the pain so sweet.

“Little Bird?” she asked, her decision made.

One of his hands curved around her hip. And swear to God, she had no control over her body. She arched into his touch, yearning to feel more. “You always seem to fly away, soar high, no matter what the circumstances.” His mouth brushed against her ear, the bristles on his face catching her hair.

His explanation meant more to her than she let on. But it also helped her decision. She released the knob and turned to him, her back pressing to the door as he came up close. His hazel-colored eyes were more unique up close, with sparks of green and blue moving around the pupils. His face held a five o’clock shadow over what she’d always seen as a baby face. But as she noted before, Elijah Cunningham had grown a lot in the past few years, turning into every bit of a man.

There was a darkness to him now, one she thought she’d seen in high school but now realized she’d never recognized before. That darkness continued to push at her, teasing with hints of what things could be if she just gave in to him.

Little did he know, she’d already placed herself in his hands.

Her attention went over his shoulder to the other end of the hallway, where a guy stood rubbing the side of his face and watching them.

She turned back to Elijah, only to see him looking over his shoulder, too. He grabbed her hand, his palm seeming so much stronger than hers. She wasn’t a small girl by any sense of the word. Taller than most her age with an athletic build. She’d always been proud of her long legs, hence the skirt she wore now. But with her hand in Elijah’s, he somehow made her feel small and dainty. And as he placed himself between the gaze of the guy and her … protected.

The sudden thought was jarring. Especially seeing as he had been her high school bully.

Up a flight of stairs and inside another room, the door shutting behind them with the click of a lock, she stood against the wall as Elijah stalked her. His gaze had latched on, held hers captive as he moved toward her with the steps of a predator.

She lifted her chin, refusing to show any of the unease or fear skittering through her veins. She’d made up her mind, yes, but she was still in a situation she’d never thought she’d be in. One where she found herself in the bedroom of a man who desired her.

Jesus. Was she ready for this?

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