Page 34 of Twin Deception

At her words that she’d never seen someone be killed, I knew that she was more naïve and delicate than what Iwas used to. Compared to this gorgeous artist, I was a hard, sinister soul. Killing that fucker was a pleasure, all in the name of defending her. But he was only one among so many, many more whom I’d killed.

She’d kissed me for comfort. Not out of desire. She’d begged me not to leave her alone for the sake of security. Not for my company.

Even though she reacted more now, trying to climb me and latch on to me as we kissed, in the back of my mind, I knew it wasn’t right. It didn’tfeelright. It wasn’t natural, like how we’d come together against that column in the club.

This wasn’tonlyphysical.

And when it came to her, I wanted it all. The real lust. The heady desire. The undeniable connection and need.

Kissing Isabel as she went through the motions of distracting herself wasn’t enough.

I wanted her to want me. I wanted her to acknowledge her need for me.

“Isabel.” I broke the kiss again, pulling her with me to step away from the wall.

She gazed at me hungrily. While that vacant look was gone from her eyes, I knew this was a sign of her snapping out of that shock, not that she was all in with this moment. I was still just a distraction, a stepping stone leading her out of that trauma.

Guiding her from the water, I leaned over to shut it off.

“But…” She furrowed her brow, peering at me as I brushed her wet hair back. “I—” Now she frowned fully, looking at me with clear disappointment that I’d retreated. But something else showed, too. “Who are you?” She licked her lips, teasing me, but almost scowled.

I handed her a towel, and she took it from me to wrap around her, clothes and all. That dress wasn’t much of a layer, anyway.

“I don’t even know your name and…” She shook her head, watching me warily.

Now that we weren’t kissing or hugging, she was more business.

“Miguel,” I replied, finding a secret, illicit pride that I wouldn’t use one of my many aliases with her. I wanted her to knowme, including my real name.

“Miguel Cruz,” she confirmed, proving she’d heard the man in the lobby.

“We need to talk,” I said before she could tempt me to kiss her again. Before she could ask me any other questions, of which I was sure she had. This wasmyturn to get some answers, and she would facemyquestions now.

First of all, I had to figure out who the fuck that man was. I’d killed him for her, but the more I calmed down away from the site of danger, I couldn’t ignore that fleeting suspicion that I recognized him. That I’d heard him before.

If he was just a stranger preying on a single woman passing by, that was one thing.

But if he was someone from the Cartel I’d met or a representative from another crime family, his focus on Isabel would mean something much different.

“Like why you’re following me?” she asked bluntly as I tore off my wet shirt.

I grabbed a towel and began to dry myself off as I led the way out of the too-steamy bathroom. “Don’t pretend that you weren’t happy about my following you an hour ago.”

She followed me out, using a second towel she’d picked up to dry her long, black locks. “I was. I am. As twisted and fucked-up as it is for me to say this… Thank you.”

I glanced back at her as she strained to swallow, seeming to struggle with getting the words out.

“Thank you for…”

“Helping you,” I finished for her.

She shook her head, her brown eyes defiant. “No. Forsavingme.”

How ironic. I had been chasing her to kill her, and now I starred as the opposite. Her savior. Her hero. And fuck, if I didn’t love the sound of that. It suggested that she wasmine, too. After convincing myself she would never be mine, would never be an option, it was damned exciting to think differently about her now.

“Why are you following me?” she asked.

I shot her a stern look as she slipped out of her heels. “No. It’s my time to ask the questions.”

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