Page 4 of Trick's Trap

“They do.” He waved at the penthouse elevator. “I don’t expect you to come up to my suite or anything, but we could have a nightcap on the roof garden…”

Movement near the door caught his eye. A pair of men started to enter the lobby. They must have realized it was the wrong hotel because they turned around before the doorman could open the wide, brass-lined doors for them.

When he turned back, Maria was standing close to him. She grabbed his hand. “Take me to your suite.”

Trick cocked his head at her. “What?”

She gripped his hand. “I said take me to your room.Now.”

“O-kay…” That was quite a change of heart. He pointed to the manager’s hallway.

“It’s this way,” he said, surprised to find his heartbeat quickening.

Taking one last glance at the doors, she followed him to the private elevator that led to the penthouse floor. The door closed shut behind them, and Maria took a shaky breath.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Her long brown hair swung back and forth as she nodded too vigorously. “I’m great.”

Wondering why she was lying, Trick pressed his thumb to the fingerprint scanner.

He never got the chance to ask. She was gone before dawn.

Chapter 3

Tahlia needed to stop longing for things she couldn’t have.

She knew better—really, she did. But resisting Patrick’s charm tonight had been beyond her abilities. Being with him felt so natural and intoxicating. She’d wanted to be close to him.Veryclose.

He’d wanted her, too. He hadn’t bothered to hide his fascination with her. The way his eyes would track her and the hunger in them that made her shiver.

Why didn’t I stay?

She wanted to kick herself. They could be having breakfast in that massive suite right now, maybe more.

Patrick had been full of plans. He’d scheduled their entire week…dinner, dancing. It sounded like so much fun. At one point, he’d even offered to fly her to Monaco to see a ‘real’ casino. She almost ran to get her never-been-used passport then and there.

But the fantasy of running away with him melted away with the dawn. As soon as he dropped off to sleep, she slipped out of bed, heading home all alone.

Tahlia couldn’t put a stranger at risk that way. Especially not someone so appealing and engaging.

God, listen to me.Tahlia met the man less than twelve hours ago, and she was already acting like a lovesick schoolgirl. But like all the men she’d been interested in, this one was also off limits—for now. Things might change later. She’d lived in Boston for years, and it had been months since she’d heard from her family. Maybe they were finally backing off?

Except for that pair who’d chased her into the hotel. What about them?

Tahlia shook the idea off.I’m too paranoid.Most likely they were random strangers headed in the same direction as her. She suspected everyone.

Wincing, she climbed the three floors of her Cambridge walk-up replaying the night’s events. She hated the sky-high heels she was wearing, but places like Chao’s had expectations.

Maybe I could call the hotel and ask for Patrick?No, that was stupid. Fancy hotels like the Caislean protected their VIPs anonymity. And Patrick was clearly that. His clothes and manners—not to mention the thumbprint access to his penthouse suite—all screamed wealth and prestige.

The deadbolt should have been a clue. Tahlia always double-locked her apartment door. Opening it required two full revolutions, but this time, the door unfastened after one. Unfortunately, that detail didn’t register until after she kicked off her heels in the middle of the living room.

“Time to go home, Tahlia.”

Starting violently, she spun around, clutching her purse to her chest.

Her cousins were standing just past the doorway of her tiny bedroom, far enough out of sight to ensure she didn’t notice them right away.

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