Page 97 of Just Between Us

He flinches slightly but quickly recovers, blinking and then replacing that dazed look as he shifts to look up at me with an easy smile. Above us, fireworks erupt into the sky and there is a collective ‘ooh’ around us. The gold of the lights reflects in his eyes. I run my thumb over his lips, unable to resist touching him in some way.

“Hi,” Kai whispers back.

“How are you feeling? You’ve been quiet today.”

When I found him earlier this morning, he seemed terrified. I had assumed it was because I scared him, but his heart was racing in his chest, and he’s been checking his phone all day. Something is up.

Kai nods. “Yeah, all good,” he says with a smile.

It’s forced.

When the good Doctor Phillipe told my parents I was a potential serial killer, I did everything in my power not to be. I watched videos, and read books and articles about emotional reactions and facial expressions. I know how to read people. I know what they want and right now, Kai is lying to me.

I frown, running my thumb over his full lower lip. “Were you really speaking to Zara this morning?”

It’s quick, a mere split-second that most people wouldn’t notice, but his eyes widen before he sits up straight, breaking out of my grasp. He turns to face me properly and places both of his hands on my cheeks.

“Yes, seriously, nothing is wrong. I think I’m just exhausted. Last night was,” he pauses, suppressing his smile by biting the corner of his lower lip—distracting me. “Last night just was a lot. That’s all.”

He could be dropping. Last night did get intense for all of us and he fell asleep almost immediately after. The after-effects may be only settling in now. But I’ve watched him have his sub-drop before. This isn’t like last time. Something else is wrong.

He leans in and places a gentle kiss on my lips before letting me go. “Actually, I should call my mom. I haven’t spoken to her all weekend.” He stands and runs a hand through his hair. “I’ll be back in a second.” He quickly disappears and I watch him go.

Interesting. Our new boyfriend is an excellent liar.

***

A week has passed since we got back from Monaco and I sit in my office, at work and Daniel is standing in front of me with that serious face of his.

“As you requested, the Petrov shipment was seized by authorities in Rotterdam two nights ago,” he says. “They won’t let it go until we give them the word.”

I smile up at Daniel. Alexei Petrov is a prolific arms dealer who my father has been doing business with since before I was born. He’s a terrifying man, the kind who has bodies littered all around the world. According to some rumours, he likes to watch his men do target practice on the people who cross him.

Petrov is shipping fifteen million dollars’ worth of military-grade weapons and now Nick has managed to get that shipment seized by authorities.

A man like Petrov won’t believe that his shipment was randomly seized. It’s been over thirty years, and this has never happened before. Once he finds out, he’ll believe Nick has something to do with it. Maybe someone will tell him Nick found another buyer who will give him double the amount for Petrov’s merchandise.

“Thank you, Daniel,” I say. “Tell them to hold off telling anyone about this, will you?”

Daniel nods. “Of course. Anything else before I go?”

“Yes, actually,” I say. “Please have someone look into Kai for me.”

He frowns. “Is something wrong?”

Kai has been hiding something since Monaco. He’s an impressive liar but I can see right through him. I know this is probably not the best way to go about things but every time I’ve given him the opportunity to tell me the truth, he brushes past it with a sweet smile or a mind-blowing orgasm.

“That’s what I want to know,” I say to Daniel.

“Permission to speak out of turn?” Daniel asks, his blue eyes filled with concern.

I lift an eyebrow. “When have you ever asked me for permission to do anything?”

He laughs, shaking his head. “You’re right but is this a good idea? I mean you three just started this relationship. What if he finds out you’re looking into him? Do you want to mess with that?”

“He’s hiding something,” I say.

“What if it’s something you don’t like?” he pushes. If it’s something I don’t like, I can deal with that later. Right now, I’m worried about him.

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