Page 45 of Wicked Sin

“I will find you.”

“Like you did in Washington?”

“Yes, like—” He cuts himself off.

Tension lights up the space between us. “Wait. Howdidyou—”

He moves in, lightning fast. Blocking me from moving, even though he isn’t touching me. One of his hands presses against the cabinet beside my head, the other arm is out wide. A human barricade.

“Luke?”

“I did what I needed to do to keep you safe.”

“You put a tracker on me. Where is it?”

“Your wallet.”

“You fucking asshole.”

“You ran away at the first fucking opportunity.”

“And I was fine.”

“Only because the asshole who wants you dead didn’t know that you’d left the fucking state.”

“But why didn’t they?” My pulse is racing. “The FBI knew we were going to D.C.”

Luke’s eyes narrow.

“I’m not an idiot,” I tell him. I’m so fired up right now. Jesus, how did they all miss that fact? “You should ask him that. And get off my fucking back until you have more information.”

“You’re a brat. You know that?”

“Excuse me?” I push against his chest, and he takes a step back. Now there’s plenty of space between us again, and I fill with all my pent up feelings. “My life has completely exploded. Literally! In front of you! And I don’t really care if you don’t like me,Detective Vasquez.I’m doing the best I fucking can with the crappy cards that I have been dealt.”

“I didn’t say I don’t like you,Taylor. I said you’re a brat.”

“And let me guess, you think I need a spanking? Go fuck yourself, Detective. You want me to get on my knees and give you an appreciative blowjob? Never going to happen. Never. Not in a million—”

“Stop it,” he growls. “I don’t want sexual favors from you.”

“No? That would be a first.” I step into his personal space. Now it’s my turn to crowd him. “You know my past. You know what I’m capable of. You telling me you haven’t thought about it?”

His jaw flexes, and he spreads his arms wide. “Bring it on, princess. Unload.”

“I’m good,” I whisper. “Glad to get all of our secrets aired like this.Stalker.”

He laughs. “That’s a good one. You’re the queen of secrets, aren’t you?”

“You don’t have any right to my secrets,” I hiss.

And then I hear myself. I’m hissing at him, picking a fight for no good reason.

With a gasp, I step back.

Luke follows, reaching for me. His hands curve around my biceps, then slide down my arms, until he’s holding my hands. “Come here. It’s okay.”

“What? Are you going to try to hug me again? I’m so broken and angry I can’t even be hugged.”

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