Page 76 of Sinner's Secret

“I don’t think we have to worry about them all, just those who were in the right place at the right time, then and now, to sabotage you. Someone who could benefit from you being out of the picture.”

“Is it possible for anyone to hate me that much?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Hate is almost as powerful a motivator as hope.” She squeezed his hand. “I think that was the thing that broke you. They took away your hope.”

“Broke is right,” he said.

“But you’re not broken any more.”

He was so surprised he blurted out the first thing that came to him. “I’m not?”

“No. If you were still broken, you’d never have put up with me and the rest of the cops at the station. You wouldn’t have saved Smith, and you wouldn’t have come after me when I was taken.”

He looked down and turned his hand over, offering an open palm to her. She didn’t hesitate to link their fingers together.

“Why are you trying to help me?” he asked. “I’ve killed several people in the last day. You should be arresting me for multiple murders.”

“You rescued me from an organized group of armed kidnappers with nothing more than your bare hands. You saved yourself from armed assassins. It was kill or be killed. That’s not murder.” She nudged his shoulder with her own. “And because, whatever you were, you’re a good man now.”

He snorted. “I’m not thinking of good thoughts right now.”

Her eyebrows rose.

He’d told her everything, she deserved to know where his head and heart were at right now, too. She could decide what to do after he confessed this last sin.

He leaned close enough to whisper in her ear. “I want you, warm, soft, and naked beneath me so bad I’m at the edge of my control.”

Now she would run. She would leave, it was the only logical thing she could do.

Nika turned her head, smiled like he’d just given her diamonds, and kissed him.

He was so shocked, he froze. He had to be hallucinating.

Then she pulled back and looked at him with uncertainty in her gaze, and he couldn’t hold himself back any longer.

He put his hands on her waist and lifted her over so she straddled his hips. One hand slid up her back to cradle her nape while the other curved around her plump butt and pressed her to him.

Their lips met, and nothing had ever tasted so good. Her hands were in his hair and around his neck, and she made these little sounds in the back of her throat that demanded more from him.

She rocked against him, and he pressed up to meet her. Heat penetrated his clothes, and he was so hard, he was afraid he’d come in his pants.

Her breasts tempted him and he let one hand cup and tease her. She shivered as he plucked at her nipples.

Her hands tugged on his shirt. “Take this off,” she ordered.

Fuck, he liked it when she got all bossy.

He was breathing so hard he couldn’t speak, but he managed to mumble, “Slow down a little.”

“Why?” she asked, looking genuinely confused.

He laughed, he couldn’t help it. She was going to be the death of him. “Because I’m about to come in my pants.”

She frowned, then her eyebrows went up. “How long has it been since...?”

“A very long time.”

Her smile was positively evil. “Hmm,” she hummed as she took off her shirt.

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