Page 34 of Crown of Smoke

Fear curls in my gut. I’m confused by what’s going on. I know Flynn is a dangerous, mysterious man, but until this moment, I hadn’t been afraid of him. And then it hits me… he was here when I was taking a bath. Embarrassment mixes with the fear and confusion.

“You’re lucky it was me and not one of Kean’s men. If you think they wanted to hurt you for trying to ask questions the other night, imagine what they’d do upon finding all this.” He gestures to my makeshift home office cluttered with my research for the Kean story.

I back up until I hit the closed door. Fear and attraction war inside me. This man who saved me, who touched me so intimately, is now an intruder in my home. “You should go. I don’t feel safe.” I’m not sure telling someone who is trying to intimidate you that they’re succeeding is a good idea, but I’m clearly out of my element here.

He takes another step closer to me. "You should be terrified right now," he says, his voice low and rough. “But not of me.” He sucks in a breath and with it, his features soften. “You need better locks, Lucy.” He gently brushes a tendril of my hair away from my face. The soft caress of his fingers has my body remembering his touch, the way his hands felt on my skin in the bathroom. The possessive gleam in his eyes when he caught that man touching me.

A tug-of-war ensues in my head. This man is dangerous. Reckless. When I’m around him, I’m reckless. I had unprotected sex, for God’s sake. Thank goodness it’s early in my cycle and the chance of pregnancy is slim.

His head cocks to the side, and he gives me his lopsided smile. “Tell me you’re not afraid of me.”

“I’m unsettled.”

“I’m sorry about that, but you need to understand how vulnerable you are here and get a fucking deadbolt.” He leans closer to me, so close that I can feel the heat of his body. My mind flashes to that kiss against the bathroom wall, his hands gripping my hips. The way he growled when someone interrupted us. How he claimed me right there, not caring who heard.

"Will it keep you out?”

His lips quirk up. “It might. Is that what you want?”

No. I should, but heaven help me, I want him to stay. As I stand here, I’m fighting the urge to reach for him.

His hand cups my cheek, and I lean into it without thinking. He’s like a Svengali. I’m helpless against the pull of him.

"Tell me to leave," he murmurs, thumb tracing my bottom lip. "Mean it this time, and I will."

My laugh comes out shaky, but I force lightness into my tone. "So this is your dating strategy? Breaking and entering? Most guys just use dating apps."

"Dating apps are boring." His thumb still traces my lip, sending tingles down my spine. "Besides, I prefer the direct approach."

"Direct approach meaning stalking?"

His grin is equal parts dangerous and devastating. "It's not stalking if you say yes to that date I keep offering."

The worst part is how tempting that sounds. My body betrays me, craving his touch even as my mind screams about red flags and warning signs.

"That's terrible logic. Breaking into someone's apartment is still breaking in, regardless of relationship status."

"True." His fingers trail down my neck, making me shiver. "But I’m teaching you a lesson."

"You're impossible."

"I'm persistent." His eyes darken as they follow the path of his fingers. "Especially about things I want."

The possessive note in his voice sends heat pooling low in my belly. "And exactly what do you want?" I place my palm against his chest, feeling his heartbeat thunder beneath my touch.

“I think I’ve made that clear. After all, I’ve broken into your home.”

I’m glad he didn’t say he made it clear in the bathroom. It would have made me think this is just about sex. Except it couldn’t be more, could it? We’re just two people with a powerful attraction, but there’s no future here. When my story is done, when the Keans are exposed, Flynn will move on to wherever he came from. Our world intersects now only because of the Keans.

“You’re too cocky for your own good,” I say, trying to regain my wits. "Breaking into apartments, following dangerous people, getting into fights. One of these days, your luck will run out."

"It's not luck." His hand covers mine where it rests on his chest. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Do you?" I look up at him. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're being reckless. Those Kean men, they're killers. I've done enough research to know what happens to people who cross them."

He laughs. “Says the woman who walks into the lion’s den and doesn’t have a decent lock on her door.” He leans close to me, and that edge of danger about him vibrates. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me. I can tell you, I’m much more familiar with the Keans’ world and how to survive in it than you are.”

“No one is invincible, Flynn. What happens if they figure out who you are?”

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