Page 73 of The Lieutenant

“You think so, do you?”

“Yes, as if you can let your hair down when you’re here. There’s personality. Warmth. The other office is cold and stark, the pictures on the walls obviously expensive but boring. You created a scene you wanted other people to see. When you’re here, you’re awake and alive. The colors in your artwork are bold, the subject matter daring. Even your furniture has a creative element.”

Everything she’d said was true. When she headed for the credenza, I almost stopped her. As I should have expected, she honed in on the three photographs I had in frames.

“You have no personal pictures at the other office.” Her statement was made wistfully as she selected and lifted the one photograph that always brought an ache to my heart. She studied it carefully before looking me in the eyes. “Christos, Dimitrios, and Leandro. It’s a wonderful and very candid depiction of your family. Handsome and happy.”

The ache returned. “We were happy. It was taken outside the house in Corfu. We were goofing around. I don’t even remember about what. Dad snapped the picture.”

“It’s lovely, but you do remember every single detail. Don’t you?”

My kitten had suddenly shifted into being a psychologist. Perhaps that was a way of obtaining the information she wanted. “Perhaps you’re right. The day was similar to today, but hardly a cloud in the sky. We were teasing our parents about which kid they loved the most. Sounds ridiculous now. Grown men acting like kids. Later that night, we went out on my sailboat. Music. Drinks. Leandro fell overboard. They were some of the best times we experienced as a family.”

Going down memory lane only fueled the rage that much more. She took a moment before responding.

“That’s what makes you human and why you’re so close with your family.” She ran her fingers across my face in the photograph before returning it to the exact same place, checking to make certain she wasn’t off by a centimeter.

Sharing the private information had come far too easily.

“I’m so sorry you lost your brother. I know the pain all too well of losing someone you care about. But he would want you to live. Right? To share the energy that I feel in this room. To refuse to look back at any aspect of your life. Just move forward.”

There was nothing decent to say to her at this point. It also wasn’t the time to interrogate her about her past. That would be done in private.

“Leandro was a special man. I’m nothing like him and that’s fine with me.”

“Do you see the way he’s looking at you in the photograph?”

I hadn’t really paid attention to it in a long time. She backed away so I had a direct line of sight. Leandro was staring at me.

“That’s a look of admiration. Something you should think about. There’s a lot to admire about you.”

Smirking, I beckoned her with a single finger. “And according to you, a lot to despise.”

“All true.” A laugh bubbled up from her throat. Even her eyes flashed in amusement at my expense. She was a woman refusing to be tamed or controlled.

She was even more incredibly gorgeous when she laughed. The sound always brought a series of chills down my spine. Her rounded hips shifted back and forth as she walked toward me, lifting her glass as soon as she was only a few inches away.

I allowed mine to clink against hers, watching her intently as she pulled the glass to her lips. I longed to devour her here inside my office. Even that would need to wait.

She said nothing as we moved toward the elevator. This time as she backed in, she never blinked. The apprehension had disappeared and for the first time, I couldn’t read her expression.

The crowd was lively, the music pumping, and as I led her through the club, she constantly scanned the perimeter. I stopped near the dance floor. When she stepped around me, swinging back and forth to the music, the strobe lights captured her scintillating essence.

The way she danced was sensual and I sensed she was allowing herself to get lost in the music. Perhaps she was attempting to block out the strong connection between us. I allowed her to enjoy herself, remaining by her side while offering a certain amount of space.

Even with her wearing heels, I still towered over her, able to notice a group of men standing at one of the few tables located next to the dance floor. They were actively staring at her. None of them was able to conceal their obvious hunger for her, one whispering to the other something that immediately raised my hackles. While they were regulars and harmless, their attention to her flashed a warning.

Soon, one of the three noticed my intimidating glare that would terrify most men, no matter how powerful they considered themselves to be. Within seconds, they turned their attention to anything but the prize they were hoping to taste.

By the smile on her face, I could easily tell she’d noticed my moment of jealousy. My arousal was intense, creating an urgent pulse in my cock. The moment had felt primal in its necessity.

“Do you always do that?” she asked, this time being the one to crowd my space.

“Do what exactly?”

“Make people feel small and unnecessary.”

“If needed, then yes.”

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