Page 32 of Trouble

“Hm.” The hesitance on his face was clearly visible—apparently nightclubs weren’t quite fancy enough, but the promise of family money was seemingly still strong enough to spare me his fullscorn.

It was interesting to watch, on some level. I’d known Audrey was pretty uptight from the first moment we met. I’d never thought much about why. Seeing her family, and especially her dad, made it pretty clear her messed up ideas of what was important in life came from them. It baffled me how they could look at a woman like Audrey and never think she measured up—but then again, my Family had its own yardsticks that others would think fucked up. If you were a Steel, you’d better be tough and know how to handle a situation—anysituation—or you were toast. It didn’t matter that Louis and I hated the darker sides of the business, or that they’d driven Marcus nearly fucking insane. Our father had raised us to rule ordie.

I guess by comparison I could give Audrey’s dad a bit of slack—if only for Audrey’ssake.

Still smiling, I wrapped an arm around Audrey’s midriff and pulled her in closer against me. “Of course, my family was thrilled when they heard about Audrey. She’s the smartest bird I’ve ever met—and they seem to believe that she will give up her job and put that brain of hers to work for us if I manage to keep a hold ofher.”

I knew I’d won him over when his lips finally pulled up in a genuine smile. “Oh, of course. She is a very smart girl, her mother and I’ve always said as much. Tell me—Liam, was it? Do yougolf?”

* * *

“Ihadno idea you werethisgood atschmoozing.”

I shot Audrey an amused grin before refocusing on the road. She was in the passenger seat with her bare feet on the dashboard, eyes closed as she carded her fingers through her now loosehair.

“You can say it—I completely won them over. I am, in fact, a god when it comes to handling yourparents.”

“I don’t know aboutgod,”she teased. “But yes. You were very good. Thankyou.”

“My pleasure. Figured it’d be easier on you if they didn’t hate yourfriend.I draw the lines at golfing, though.” I pulled up outside Audrey’s apartment complex and drew the handbrake. “Your stop,milady.”

“Want to spend the night?” She sent me a smile full of promises that made my cock awaken with a spasm. “I do believe you’ve earned a reward with thatperformance.”

“You have no idea how much I want to take you up on that offer,” I said, mentally cursing the nighttime gig my father had set up for us. “But I have to get to work.Raincheck?”

“Maybe,” she said, giving me her best shit-eating grin. “If you accept my dad’s invitation to gogolfing.”

“You little witch,” I growled, but couldn’t hold back a laugh at her cheek. The difference between her demeanor now and before we went to her dad’s birthday party was like night and day, and something in my chest felt light with the knowledge that I’d caused that. I liked making her happy about as much as I liked fucking her—it just hadn’t really dawned on me before now that the two could be separated. With a teasing scowl, I slipped out of my seatbelt so I could lean over and kiss her softlips.

She parted hers beneath mine and wrapped her arms around my neck, enveloping me in her sweet warmth.Fuck,but kissing her got me so goddamn hard! My cock ached to escape the confines of my jeans, and I mindlessly let a hand slide to her breast, squeezing the plump flesh gently. I was halfway starting to consider how to get her convinced to get into the backseat with me when she pulled back with a breathlesslaugh.

“I think we better stop now, before one of my neighbors spots us and calls thecops.”

“Fucking Mrs. Peterson,” I growled, earning me anotherlaugh.

“Thank you, Liam.” Audrey grasped both my hands in hers, the smile slowly fading as she looked at me with so much sincerity my heart gave an uneasy flutter in my chest. “Truly. Today… it meant alot.”

I smiled softly. “I’d do anything for you,love.”

She kissed me again, harder this time. Her need fueled my own, and by the time we finally separated again I was halfway on top of her, my hand fully up her skirt and underneath herknickers.

“You sure you don’t want to come up?” shebreathed.

“Oh, I fuckingwantto,” I groaned.“Fuck.”

Audrey let out a breathless laugh and gently shoved my hand away. “But work. It’s okay. Come see me tomorrow once you’re offwork?”

“Oh, I will.” I reached up to tweak her peaked nipple pressing against the fabric of her dress before I pecked her lips and slumped back in my seat. “Sleep tight,love.”

“Bye, Liam,” she said, giving me that smile of hers that had my heart beating faster in my chest.Fuck,I was so goddamn addicted to thatwoman.

I waited on the curb for her to get safely inside the building before I released the handbrake and put the Jeep into gear. But just as I was about to pull away, my phone beeped in mypocket.

Expecting an update on the job we were meant to be doing later I pulled it out to see a new message fromLouis.

Get home now. Dad’s here. It’sbad.

16

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