Page 40 of Captivating

Her beautiful smile disappears as quickly as it appeared, and I feel like the biggest dick in the world.

“Yeah... well, hopefully someone who doesn’t get off on the pain will think so too. I’m going to have Xander drive me. Are you coming?”

I slide my hand to the small of her back, letting her soft, warm skin calm the rage I feel over hearing those words. “Those are fighting words, Lilah.”

She bristles under my touch. “It’s what we do best, isn’t it, Killer?”

I lean down and brush my lips over her ear, and my chest fucking roars when goose bumps dance down her skin. “According to you, we lie best, and we need to put on a hell of a show tonight, don’t we? I mean, if we want anyone outside our circle to think we’re dating, we’re going to have to act like we’re in love.”

Her long lashes flutter rapidly as she blinks up at me, trying to gain control over her composure. Good luck with that. Mine’s been shot for weeks now.

“Let them think we’re hate-fucking. The sex is probably better that way anyway.” She steps out of my grasp and looks over her shoulder. “I mean... it’s not like the thought never crossed my mind.”

What the fuck?

“You what?” I choke.

Her eyes trail over me, lingering over the obvious bulge in my jeans. “We both know I wanted you to fuck me back in the day.” She closes the distance between us and trails a finger down my chest. “I thought I loved you then.” Her hand stops on my belt,and I swear to God, I’m ready to bend her over right here, right fucking now. “But even if I know I hate you now, you’re still hot, St. James. I bet you’d look real nice with me on my knees in front of you.”

She spins away abruptly and walks out of the room.

“Car is leaving in five minutes, Killer. If you’re going to jerk off to that image, you better make it quick.”

Lilah

“Lilah.” Xander clears his throat as he pulls to a stop at the red light down the street from West End. His eyes search me out through the rearview mirror. “Front or back door?”

With Killian next to me back here, I’m feeling a little more brave than I have recently. What the hell? Guess it’s now or never. “You ready to make our debut, champ?”

“Consider me ready and willing to meet all your needs, princess.”

Oh, he’s good.

That little show in my bedroom was more fun than I thought it would be, and I’d be totally lying to myself if I didn’t admit that I’ve thought about it a whole lot since he came back into my life. Not as much as I did in high school, but enough that hate-screwing him is what I see when I close my eyes at night and reach for my vibrator.

Why do the biggest assholes have to be the hottest men?

“Sounds like it’s gonna be the front door, Xander.”

Xander shakes his head and glares. “Do you have your panic button?”

I tug it from my purse and hold it up, then swap it out for a compact and touch up my lip gloss as the light switches to green, and Xander pulls us up to the line of people waiting for their chance to get inside Maddox’s bar.

They’re going to be waiting all night.

The bar is closed to the public tonight.

Noah and I rented it out so we could celebrate with our friends and family in private.

I’m pretty sure we’re going to be testing the city fire code with the maximum capacity anyway. Last I checked, Noah had invited half the damn town and half our damn tour. Dancers, singers, the band, the stagehands. He kind of missed the small party memo, but it’s his birthday too, so I went with it.

The Rover rolls to a stop, and Xander gets out of the car as Killian turns to me and frames my face. “Listen to me, princess... You listening?”

Damn, he’s so close.

I nod, and he tilts my head back to look up at him. “You want everyone in there to think we’re together, right? Part of the whole bodyguard, keep you safe thing?”

Why does his voice sound like that?

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