Page 101 of The Truths that Deceive

“I still don’t trust you, Smith. But right now, you’re all I have.”

She suddenly grabs my tie and pulls me to her and kisses me, and then she turns and runs, heels clacking.

And I laugh.

Oh fuck. I know the prize tonight. And it’s going to be worth the wait.

I count to five, and then I take off after her. It’s madness. I should be sitting down across from Jones and playing the part of intermediary between him and the people interested in the weapons. I should be sitting this young woman down and making her get me everything on every last fuck who’s had a tie with the Collectors.

The setup, for me, of letting some go, isn’t enough. I want them all to burn. Any who thought of touching my kid. Anywho’s done something to underage girls or destroyed someone for pleasure.

And then I should be handing her in to the CIA contact with money and a need to win points with the agency and letting them do what the fuck they want.

I should do all of that, kill who needs to be killed and walk the fuck away.

Yet my blood’s on fucking fire. I want to deep dive into her, take all I want, everything she has to offer for me. And I’m going to. Right before she gets handed over.

I catch sight of her at the edge of Prince Street, just past Broadway. My phone buzzes and I check the message.

What I want to do is take her somewhere, bend her over, and fuck her senseless. I want to claim that sweet ass I had my finger buried in.

But not yet. I’ve got a meeting to get to.

I send a text to Reaper, and I follow her, right up until she’s about to go into a wine bar. Then, sliding a hand beneath her arm, I steer her fighting, melting body away. Fighting because she wants to run, melting because she wants to flow into me and get the orgasm I taunted her with.

She glares at me. “Smith?—”

“Calista.” I hold out my phone a moment. “Just got word. The senator’s gone to the sex club.”

As much as I want to, I don’t see a way out for her.

I need what she has.

For Jones.

I need everything about the Collectors.

For me.

But Calista?

She’s either going to a CIA black site prison or she’s going to die.

And there won’t be anything I can do to stop it, no matter how much I want to.

Chapter 28

Calista

He told me to trust him… right after telling me he has a meeting with the senator and “others.”

Trust. Not very likely, buddy.

I look around the opulent room, the thick smoke winding in the air, and the rich men with impossibly beautiful women at their sides.

Or on top of them.

The hidden pocket of my dress is heavy. I slide my fingers in, over the slick, flat surface of the phone I lifted off the girl in the elevator. A gorgeous brunette in a short, elegant dress that left little to the imagination.

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