Page 29 of The Lieutenant

“You’re assuming I have a good side.”

She immediately jerked her hand away. “Why do you do that? You invite me to your house. You ply me with wine. You cook me a fabulous dinner, yet you want me to think you’re a horrible person. Why? Is it easier to push people away when you make them hate you? No. That’s not it.”

“Meaning?”

“People fear you and you like it that way. You gain great pleasure in everyone either kowtowing to your needs or praying you won’t address them directly. I know I’m right.”

The woman was more than a handful.

I gave her my attention briefly before pushing my plate away. “Fear has a place in every organization no matter which side of the gray line the company walks.”

“You didn’t answer the question.” She continued to twirl her linguine in a spoon, darting me quick looks every few seconds.

“The quick and easy answer is yes, my entire family is feared.”

“Because of what you’ve done or what you could do?”

I grabbed my glass of wine, contemplating the answer. She’d caused me to do that on several occasions. While our conversation had been light while making dinner, mostly discussing diving experiences, she’d turned serious once we’d crowded around the island. I’d found it interesting she hadn’t wanted to use the dining room, specifically requesting we have dinner in the kitchen.

She was surprising in several ways, which caused my possessive nature to spiral into a very dark territory in my mind. I’d surprised myself when she’d mentioned some deadbeats hadplaced their paws on her. My instinct had been to hunt them down, ending their miserable lives.

The reaction hadn’t been something I’d felt in a very long time.

“A little of both, Kara.”

“Do you intentionally set out to intimidate your opponents or does that come naturally?”

“You think quite badly of me. Would you like my complete history to prove my worthiness?” I grabbed the open bottle of wine, refreshing both our glasses.

“I know enough to realize you’re highly calculating. A graduate of the University of Oxford with honors, doing so in three years instead of four. Becoming a part of your father’s corporation at the age of twenty-three after serving as a soldier in his organization after your college graduation. Since joining the Nomikos Corporation, you’ve gone from being an assistant all the way to now serving as first vice president. You and your brothers have increased profits by over forty percent since taking the helm from your father. You’re an international firm considered highly respected with plans to continue expanding, which is what you told me yourself. Did I miss anything?”

“You have far too much time to do research on your hands, kitten. You’re correct in your boring dossier. Do I use methods of intimidation to accomplish the regular goals I establish for myself? Only in the sense of ensuring the information I’ve been provided is one hundred percent accurate. My brothers and I agree that the key to becoming highly successful and extremely wealthy is knowledge. I don’t shy away from the fact people are very terrified when they face any member of my family. I’m notashamed of admitting it or using every attribute I have in my bag of tricks to win the deal. And I assure you that I always win.”

“Eloquently said.” She pulled the napkin to her lips, taking her time blotting them. Yet when she pulled the linen away, I noticed a remaining spot of marinara. When I reached over, she flinched. Her fear was more palpable than I’d anticipated.

Or intended.

“No matter what you think or perhaps what you’ve read in some godforsaken tabloid, I’m not in the business of hurting women. That much I can promise you.” She remained stiff, but didn’t try to pull away when I swiped the tip of my finger through it. As I brought my finger to my mouth, she dragged her tongue over her bottom lip.

My cock instantly twitched.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t need to. The look on your face gave you away. Trust is something you find very difficult.”

A slight hue of rose crossed from one side of her jaw to the other. “We all have reasons why trust is difficult. You’re not the only one who’s ever been betrayed. And I don’t know you at all, Havros. For all I know, this beautiful glance into your life could be fake.” She had her legs crossed, swinging the one on top up and down nervously. She’d removed her high heels, her bare feet as sexy as the rest of her.

The bright red toenail polish was another insight into the personality hidden underneath a coat of armor. My thoughts drifted to all the filthy things I wanted to do to and with her.

Kissing every inch of her body.

Licking her heated skin.

Sucking on her sweet clit.

And fucking her until she screamed from sheer ecstasy.

Kara was the first woman to push me away. As with any red-blooded male, that only made me want her all the more.

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