Page 70 of King of Pain

But I also heard what Kate told me about my own insecurities. Do I power through because I feel inferior?

Does Mason take advantage of that?

Her fingers slide over my arm. “I can’t say for certain. We haven’t talked about your family much.”

“Why not?”

She hesitates. “You didn’t want to tell me at first. You wanted me to just get to know you. But then…”

“But Mason…” I fill in, looking down at her. I can tell by her wince that I’m on the right track. “What did he do? Or ask me to do?”

She shakes her head. “This is a conversation for when you have all your memories.”

“I want to have it now.”

She bites at her lip. She’s beautiful and adorable and the feel of her hands are like magic.

“How serious are we?” I try again.

“We’ve only known each other a short time.”

“But we’re getting serious quickly, aren’t we?”

“Yeah,” I see relief shine in her eyes as her shoulders wilt. “I think so. I mean you said so, but…”

I’m getting it. “Is this different from your other relationships?”

Her eyes go wide and then she winces. “I haven’t had other boyfriends. You’re my first,” she whispers. “But we honestly haven’t put any labels on what we’re doing yet.”

I lean forward and kiss her forehead. I haven’t kissed her yet because… I don’t remember doing it before and I wasn’t sure if I was welcome or not. I have no idea where we are on the intimacy scale.

But the taste of her skin, a hint of citrus, a bit of sweet, a salty musk that’s all her own. I could lick her like a popsicle.

“What labels would you put on our relationship?”

“Luke. It’s not fair of me to lead you in any direction.”

“Mason did not have those qualms.”

“I heard,” she frowns.

“Tell me the truth.”

“We told each other that we loved each other,” she looks at her lap.

“So why does Mason think that you’re not important to me?”

“Because,” she lets out a long slow breath. “Everyone in Vegas thinks you’re dead. And the guys who the police think killed you are the same ones trying to steal your project.”

My brow furrows. “But…”

“If you stayed at the cabin, hidden, then they keep those men in prison while permits go through.”

“And you agreed to stay with me?”

“I…” She draws in a breath. “You lied to me. Told me they were still a threat.”

I sit back in my seat, my back thumping the cushioned chair. That’s a shit thing to do to a woman I said I loved. “Anything else?”

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