Page 14 of Burning Bridges

Her eyes don’t leave mine as she brings the glass to her full lips, taking a slow sip of the amber liquid. When she pulls back, she runs her tongue over her top lip like she’s enjoying the hints of cinnamon and brown sugar of this particular American whiskey. I get a vision of them on my cock, working the head over just as slowly, licking my salty arousal off the tip before she takes me deep in her throat as I take hold of that damn ponytail, showing her just how I like it.

Fuck, letting her in my office was a terrible idea. I need her out of here before I do something I know I shouldn’t. “What did you need to talk to me about?”

She places her glass on the coffee table in front of her and reaches into her bag, taking out an envelope, that she then passes to me.

I glance inside the envelope, and it’s stacked with cash. I look her over, puzzled. “What is this?”

“Next month’s payment in advance. Just to apologize for, you know, the delay in my last payment.” She smiles sweetly, and now I know she’s up to something. First the expensive new car and now she suddenly has this kind of money just lying around ready to pay me in advance.

“Where did you get the money?” I demand, looking for answers in her face that I know won’t come from her lips.

She looks suspicious as fuck. I wonder if she even knows how easy she is for me to read. After years of watching her, I know what she’s thinking without her saying a word, and right now, I would bet my left nut she’s here tonight for more than paying me in advance. She’s got a plan to fuck me over, I can feel it. “I don’t think that’s any of your business, Rivera,” she snips, her gaze dropping away from mine.

I shove the envelope back in her direction. “I don’t want your money anymore,” I growl, waiting to see what she makes of that.

She looks at me like I have gone mad. “W-why…” she stutters. “I know my debt isn’t paid off. And what about rent?” A look of realization washes over her, and her expression changes from confused to angry. “You feel guilty, don’t you? The big tough Leo Rivera has a conscience after all. I don’t need your fucking pity now, Leo,” she yells at me. “Take the money.”

She’s wrong, I don’t pity her, but I do feel responsible for her mother’s death. If I had worked out what Gator was doing earlier, I could have prevented her overdosing. What I don’t understand is why Piper would be fighting to pay me. A week ago, she was broke as hell and asking for favors. I know because Jett gained access to her bank accounts. There is nothing left. Her business is surviving just because she is so heavily booked out. So, unless she is stashing cash in glass jars in her back yard, she’s broke.

“I think you have paid enough for your family’s wrongdoings. I’m offeringyoua free pass. Take it, this will be your only chance,” I suggest, making sure she knows how serious I am about this. “The building your salon is in is now yours. I will have the deeds sent over to you this week. Now you don’t owe me anything.”

She stares back at me like I have lost my mind, and maybe I have. But when I started this fight, it was never about her. She was just collateral damage for what her father and brother were doing. She has paid enough on their behalf, and I want to know what the fuck is going through her head right now, but with this debt still outstanding, I can’t be sure. And it’s not like I can’t afford to gift her the building. We both know I can. “So, I just walk away from you now, with nothing left between us?” she asks, unsure.

“We have no business left,” I respond like its plain as day, waiting for her to show her cards.

She should be relieved, happy even, but she glares back at me, and her pretty smile from earlier has formed a thin line. I can almost see her overthinking every detail. She crosses one arm over the other, squeezing her tits together. I get the impression that I might have just pushed her to exactly where I want her. Angry Piper is more likely to let her guard down and say what’s really going on. “What, so you can go back to just stalking me? Don’t think I don’t see you, Rivera. I know you watch me when I’m working at the salon. When I’m talking to business associates. Through my bedroom window late at night. You see everything, don’t you?”

I snigger at her attempt to rattle me; she thinks she’s clever, but she only sees me when I want her to. I know she loves me looking at her as much as I like to watch. It’s a sick obsession I have had for way too long, but it serves me well when I need to know her whereabouts. “Don’t feel special, Princess. I observe a lot of people. It’s my job to know what’s going on in this town.”

Her pouty lips turn up at the side, amused, and she stands from the couch, taking a couple of steps closer to me. “Yes, but it’s different with me. You watch me because you can’t take your eyes off me. You see something here you want a taste of.” She runs her hands over her breasts and down her curvaceous body, and as if to prove her point, my eyes follow her every move. “Just like when we were teens. You never stopped wanting what you can’t have. You're obsessed with me.”

My gaze settles back on her eyes. They challenge me to take the bait. Every fiber of my being wants to. I have waited a lifetime to have her alone, standing in front of me just like this. “It’s just work,” I tell her, knowing I have lost the edge to my voice. As much as I don’t want her to, she’s getting to me.

To my surprise, she unzips her skirt, letting it drop to the floor, revealing a tiny black thong. So, this is her plan tonight, to seduce me. I adjust my legs, relaxing in my seat. I motion for her to turn around. If she wants to show me her beautiful body, I’m all for it.

Like a good girl, she obliges, slowly spinning for me so I can see her perfectly round ass. My fingers ache to grab hold of it. She knows exactly what she's doing. Her hands move to her hips. “You never quite got what you wanted back then, did you?”

The way she looks all sultry, with such heat in her dark eyes. It’s so tempting to imagine she’s here because she wants me just as much as I have always wanted her. But I know this creature, and this isn’t her offering her body to me out of lust. It’s out of necessity. She would do just about anything to get whatever she wants, and until I know exactly what that is, I’m happy to go along with this little ruse.

I motion for her to come and sit on my lap, and her eyes sparkle like she’s already won. She came here tonight with the intention of winning me over. She wants to play this very dangerous game of cat and mouse. I can oblige because I like games, but she has to know I always win. She closes the gap between us, climbing onto my lap so she’s straddling me. The heat of her pussy pressed against my rock-hard cock is enough to drive me fucking mad.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Princess?” I mutter into her neck, sucking the skin just below her ear. I was taught many lessons under William's close watch, and one of the most important ones was to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.

Chapter 9

PIPER

Tonightwasacinch.I have him right where I want him. My debts paid off and him eating out of the palm of my hand. I’m almost disappointed it was so effortless. I was prepared to pursue him for as long as it took. I thought Leo was smarter than to let someone like me play him so easily, but maybe I really am just that irresistible to him.

There has always been this pull between us. It started so long ago I’m not sure who was the first one to glance in the direction of the other, drawing them in. All I know is from the moment I first laid eyes on him, I wanted to know him, wanted to be close to him. It was an obsession that slowly crawled under my skin. I couldn’t explain or understand, and just because my life turned to shit didn’t mean those feelings disappeared completely. I might hate Leo for everything he's put me through, but I want to feel his hard body pressed against mine more than I want to take my next breath.

Over the last year, the craving has become unbearable. Every time I’m in his space, the feelings become stronger, and when Tony told me to keep an eye on Leo, I knew exactly how I intended to do it. I would finally give Leo what he wants—and let myself give in to what I thought I could never have.

“You don’t have to worry about me, Leo. I’m a big girl, and I’m certain I can handle whatever you have planned for me.” I fiddle with the top button of his shirt. One by one, undoing them so I can get my hands on his bare chest. He’s solid muscle covered in ink. I explore his chest, then I let my hands roam up his neck and into his hair. He kisses down my neck, filling his hands with my breasts as he makes his way down my clavicle. I press my body forward, desperate for his lips on my nipples or wherever he wants to put them. It feels so good to have his rough hands roaming over my body. I want my clothes off completely so he can really touch me.

His hand comes down my front, running over my panties, and I know that he's feeling how wet I am for him. I grind against his hand, showing him exactly what I want. I need him to release this pressure that’s been building.

Instead, his lips pull away from me and his hand comes to my chin, holding my face firmly in place so I can’t move. He stares deep into my eyes. He’s so intense, the darkness of his pupils drawing me in. I blink back at him, wishing I could look away. This is too intense for what I had in mind. I just wanted to show him what he's been missing out on, show him I can be a sexy distraction from the pressures of his life. This was supposed to be light and fun. Not real.

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