Page 10 of Reluctant Surrender

“What happened, Maggie?” I asked quietly. “Does your father know you’re living here?” Konrad Dudek couldn’t know, he wouldn’t allow her to live this way. Aside from his legit business dealings and his darker business dealings, the man could swim in his fortune if he wanted to. Why would he allow his only daughter, his only child, to live in a shithole like that?

“My father.” She laughed. “Don’t worry about him. And don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

“You’re not going to tell me what’s going on?” I snagged a deck of playing cards from the counter. There were four more piled up next to it. “Are you gambling? Is that what happened? You have debts?” She’d had me down to my boxers on the plane. Gambling debts were easy to rack up, even when you were good at the game.

She rolled her eyes. “No, Lukas. I don’t have debts.” She sauntered over to the couch and sat on the arm. “Thank you for coming to check on me. It was nice of you, but you can see that I’m fine, so…” She waved her hand toward the door.

“So… leave?” I asked on a laugh. “No way, sweetheart.” I tossed the cards down on the counter. “Tell me what the fuck is going on with you, or I’ll bend you over that damn couch and make you tell me.”

Her cheeks flamed at my promise.

“Lukas.” She shook her head. “Please. I just want to do things my way. And once I save enough money, I’ll get a better place. But right now, this is what I can afford.”

I searched her face, looking for the crack. Her eyes slipped from mine to my chin. There it was.

“You just want to be independent?” I gave her another chance to come clean.

“Yeah.”

“So, you’re not doing anything you’re not supposed to be doing?” I asked, waving the cards at her. “Not hustling?”

“No, of course not.” Her voice was low, soft. The little liar.

“No poker games for you?” I teased.

“Still sore that I got you down to your boxers during that game?” When I had suggested the game, the idea had been to get her down to her panties. It hadn’t worked that way though.

“Not sore. Just sorry I didn’t get to see that ass of yours.” I grinned. “So, you’re just working and saving up money.” I flipped through the cards, taking note of the feel and texture. Subtle spots marked the edges of the face cards. This deck wasn’t an ordinary deck.

“Yes. Exactly.”

“Which is why you ditched me last night. You wanted to prove to me how independent you are. What a big girl you are?” I placed the deck back on the counter.

“I have nothing to prove to you, Lukas.” She crossed her arms over her stomach.

With steady steps, I crossed the living space to her. The little smile playing on her lips fell away the closer I got.

“You don’t have to prove anything, that’s right.” With practiced speed, I grabbed hold of her hips, spun her around, and pressed her over the cushioned arm of the couch.

Immediately, she thrashed, kicking her legs at me.

“But you do have to be honest with me.” I pinned her down with my hand flat on her back. All her wiggling brought her t-shirt up her back, exposing a small tattoo on her left hip. An angel.

I pressed my finger to it, tracing the black outline.

“Odd choice for such a hellcat,” I muttered. She froze beneath my touch.

“Lukas. Let me up, this isn’t funny.” She reached behind herself and swatted at my hand.

“Not meant to be funny, angel.” I pinched her hip right below the tat.

“You cannot do this. I didn’t do anything wrong. You have no right!” She squirmed again.

In all regards, she was right. I had no claim on her. She was important to my sister-in-law, and my brother asked me to keep an eye out for her. I’m positive he didn’t mean having her bent over the couch with her pajama shorts riding up her ass, showing off the generous curve of her ass cheeks. But he hadn’t been specific.

“I told you I was driving you home last night,” I said quickly, grabbing hold of the cotton shorts and pulling them higher up into her ass crack.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Carol was driving me home,” she muttered; her body relaxed as though the quick apology would reroute my trajectory.

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