Page 13 of Diamonds & Deception

He’s a vision in his dark jeans and light gray Henley that accentuates his wide shoulders and wraps around his solid biceps.

“Hey.”

He pushes off the gate and meets me at the bottom of the steps. His jaw is locked and intense as he traces his finger along my cheek before leaning in and pressing a light kiss on my lips. “Thank you for coming with me tonight.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Drake takes my hand and leads me down the sidewalk to his parked car, then opens the passenger side door for me. He stares at me for a moment before guiding me in. I buckle my seat belt and watch him round the hood of his fancy car.

I didn’t catch the make of it, but when he opens his door and the interior lights come on, I see the rings of the Audi emblem in the center of the steering wheel. He settles himself in his seat and stares at me, not starting the car.

I’m not sure if he’s having a bad day or upset with me, or worse, that he’s discovered my identity. The latter makes me squirm in my seat. I feel the flush on my chest working its way up my neck.

Finally, he speaks. “I told myself I wasn’t going to do this, that I’d wait until the end of the night, but I can’t.” He leans across the center console and cups my chin in his palm. “Can I kiss you, Nora?”

Oh, hell. I shiver in anticipation and nod my head. “Yeah.”

I meet him halfway, clutching onto his strong shoulders. When our lips collide, it’s one hundred percent hot, unbridled passion. “God, you taste so good.” He runs his fingers through my hair and tugs me closer.

He glides his tongue across my lower lip before covering my mouth with his. I cup his neck, drawing him into me since my seat belt won’t let me move any further. We kiss until the windows begin to fog up. Reluctantly, I end the kiss, sliding back into my seat.

“I’m glad you didn’t wait.” As soon as the words slip out, guilt washes over me. Finding who killed Carly is my number one priority. Going out with Drake and kissing him is part of the plan of seduction. Nothing more can come of it.

“We wouldn’t have stayed longer than ten minutes, or I would have mauled you in front of everyone, so, yeah, I’m glad I didn’t wait either.” Drake starts the car with a push of a button. “However, fair warning. I can’t promise I still won’t maul you. Your kisses are addictive.”

“Thank you for the heads up.” I chuckle and bite my lower lip.

“I should give you another heads up. I don’t think all three of my... best friends will be there tonight, but definitely Trey. He’s the quietest of the group so he probably won’t embarrass me too much. But if Ryder or Nolan show up, just ignore everything they say.”

“Oh, so are they the ones I go to for all your dirty little secrets?” I mean it to be a joke, and then quickly remember that’s exactly what I’m hoping to find.

Trey is the one who runsThe Club. According to my research, he was a bouncer at the casino in New Orleans that Drake managed, so I’m guessing Drake asked him to come up here to Boston and work with him.

“Are they immature assholes who like to give me and each other a hard time? Yeah.”

“I don’t suppose you’re innocent in all the immaturity either.”

“Trey and I rarely start the assholery. Ryder’s the instigator, and Nolan’s his wingman.”

“You guys have been friends for a long time?” It’s important to know how close they are. If they’re as tight as Drake is making it sound, they could be involved in the coverup as well.

“I met Ryder almost a decade ago. We both worked on a riverboat casino down in New Orleans. He and Nolan grew up together, so we became a tight group of three. Met Trey along the way and he fit in pretty quick, which is surprising since he’s so quiet.”

“I’d think—” Shit. I almost said I thought that was strange for a nightclub owner, but I don’t think Drake has told me what Trey does. “I’d think anyone who works at a casino would be outgoing.”

I fiddle with the strap to my purse, squeezing it between my thighs, hoping he hasn’t caught my near blunder.

“I guess you could say we complement each other. We’re here.” He pulls into a parking lot next to a brick-faced pub in the Seaport District. “It’s pretty crowded, considering Owen only invited friends and business acquaintances for the soft opening.”

“Are you business or friend?”

Drake unlatches his seat belt and leans over, giving me a quick kiss. “Both.”

When he rounds the car and opens my door, I take his hand. “Let me guess. You ran numbers for him to help him get started.”

“Beauty and brains.” He kisses me again. “No wonder I can’t stay away.”

His compliment warms me more than it should. We make our way to the bar hand-in-hand. I’m excited and nervous to see Drake in this element. It’s what I’ve been working toward, but now that I have the opportunity to snoop, I don’t feel right about it.

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