Page 53 of Where the Wicked Reign

“I know a lot about you from my observations over the years.”

“You mean, your stalking?”

“Semantics. But either way, I was going to say that it’s different in person. I’m sure there are things that have been missed because of that.”

“I can’t just go to your place. We’re supposed to be keeping a low profile. An invisible profile. Staying away from each other. You even had to use evasive maneuvers to meet me here tonight.”

“I’ll sneak you in.”

“How? In the trunk of your Ferrari?”

“That would be an issue, seeing as though you’re claustrophobic.”

I started. Every time he brought up something he’d learned about me, it sent me off-kilter. It straddled the line between touching and disturbing. And I just couldn’t seem to settle on which one out of the two.

“I’ll make it happen.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want to have thisdate?”

“Why else? To spend some time with you. To get to know you. Properly this time.”

That was worrying. What was his game here?

Trying to get inside my head so he could control me to his liking? Had what I’d revealed about my skills in order to get them to partner with me on this operation freaked him out? Was he concerned that I was a threat to him and his boys? Was this his attempt to leash me through some heavy-duty psychological manipulation?

The problem was, he was already partially inside my head. He’d definitely made a dent. How could he have not with our three-year-long war?

What had happened the other night had only exacerbated it.

The fact that we were here for business and I’d already imagined hauling him up against the wall, ripping off our clothes and slamming down onto his cock was proof enough of that.

I couldn’t afford that. I needed my head clear.

There seemed to be only one way to do that, seeing as though the most obvious way of steering clear of him wasn’t possible.

“I’ll come to your place. But forget the dinner.”

“Forget it? Then what—”

“We’ll fuck.”

His eye twitched again, this time wildly. “That wasn’t what I had in mind.”

“But itison your mind outside of thisdateidea, anyway.”

“Of course. After the other night—”

“Exactly, after the other night when we were interrupted. You can invite Julian to supervise like you apparently need.”

He cocked an eyebrow, a whole lot of suspicion sparking. “You haven’t been with anyone in years and you’re just fine with having an audience?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

Realization sparked in his eyes.

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