Page 129 of Cruel Legacy

“You mean you stole it from him.”

Her deranged clown posse falls in behind her and nods. I wonder what it’s like to travel with your own fan club and have them mindlessly agree to whatever you say. I try to imagine it and grimace. I’d be pissed off and freaked out. I’m not cut out for minions.

“I mean, I held out my hand and asked nicely. He was happy to comply.”

“Finn wouldnever. He doesn’t let anyone hold his knife or his favorite beanie.”

“And yet…” I tap my chin. “I’ve played with both.”

“That’s impossible.”

I give her an understanding smile. Sympathetic even, as the man of the five minutes comes through the door. “Here he comes now. Why don’t you ask him?”

She rushes over to Finn, then has to backtrack, because he doesn’t stop walking until he’s level with my table.

“Tell me Finney. Tell me she’s a lying, whoring thief.”

I snort a laugh because I am a thief, or have been when a situation calls for it, but I never whored myself out. Any and all sexual encounters were consensual, and no money was exchanged. Even this little bet I made with Finn had a dual purpose. I wanted him to give me permission to use his knife, and I needed an orgasm.

My gaze connects with his. “Go on, Number Three. Clear up the confusion.”

I hold the knife by the tip with one hand and rub the other back and forth across the handle, the way I did his shaft.

“Did I steal this exquisite blade, or did you hand over your favorite knife to me when I asked you to?”

He confirms, “I gave it up when you asked.”

“And were you under duress when you did it?”

“Not in the least.” He drawls. “I was in a verygivingkind of mood.”

His eyes darken, and my stomach clenches as I see the lust in his eyes. I get it. When we’re being flirty, I can totally see the appeal with Finn. He’s yum and sweet and oozing sexy fun. He might just be my new favorite thing to play with. We’ll see. He has potential.

“How. How did this happen?” Eloise stabs her finger towards his head, breaking our stare off. I flip the knife around, catching it by the handle. LJ’s gasp gets my attention, and I lower my hand.

I glance around the table. Nobody else seems to have noticed what I was about to do. He’s not mine. There’s no reason why I should be itching to cut this bitch for pointing her finger in his face, but dammit, I almost did.

“She said she’s played with your beanie too. Is she drugging you, Finn? Is that it? Is she your supplier, and this is payment?”

His what? I supplied him with an orgasm, but that’s not what she means. “Drugs? Bitch, really? Because the only way he can be nice to me or part with things is if I’m his drug dealer?”

She links her arm through his and pulls on him as if trying to shield him from me and my illicit wares. The urge to cut her rises up in me again. What the hell is with that? It’s her. I don’t want to defend him. I just hate her.

“Thatiswhat girlslike youdo where you come from, isn’t it?”

Finn shrugs her off. “I’m not on drugs, Eloise. Thea asked to use my knife, and I let her. What I want to know is why the hell you think who I loan my shit to is any of your business?”

“Because it is, Finn.” She stomps her foot. “I’m your future wife. I have the right to know where our future combined assets are going.”

Oh, this is too funny. I don’t keep it in. I throw my head back and laugh. The sound draws her attention back towards me. “What the hell are you laughing at?”

“You. Oh Sovereignly Stupid One. I’m laughing atyou. You’re all up in arms about this materialistic shit.”

I wave the knife around. “How would you feel if I told you that some of your future went right down my throat?”

I let the weight of my implication set in and watch her face morph into shock, anger, embarrassment, and then back to anger, again.Bullseye.

I turn back to my food. I cut into the steak and stab it with the tip of the knife, and raise it, holding it out to share with Finn. He leans down, accepting it. His mouth near my ear when he asks, “Oh, Pet, was this the whole purpose of our little wager? So you could throw it in Eloise’s face?”

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