Page 8 of Misconduct & Manipulation

“We both know I’m right. The big story is uncovering the truth behind the Scorpio Society and the only way you’re going to do that is if you have someone inside giving you all the dirty details.”

My eyes widened at his words, and I felt my throat tighten.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I’m saying if you agree to be my girlfriend, you’ll get the big story.”

There were worser jobs, no?

I narrowed my eyes and cocked my head to the side, studying him for a moment.

“What do you get out of it?”

His eyes lowered to my mouth.

“Say yes and find out.”

Can you guess what my reply was?

I’ll give you a hint…it’s two weeks later and I’m in a slinky black dress, walking into Dizzy’s on Johnny’s arm, making our official debut as Stonewall’s hottest couple.

In a momentary lapse of judgement I agreed to be Johnny’s pretend girlfriend, only there is really nothing pretend about the butterflies in my stomach whenever he leans in close.

There’s nothing pretend about the way my thighs clench when I get a whiff of his cologne either.

Squeezing my hip, he leans in, carefully steering clear of grazing my covered wound as his lips touch my ear.

“Would it kill you to look like you actually like being with me?”

It might.

Chapter5

JOHNNY BLACK

My eyes scan the bar as I casually lift my glass, knocking back the aged whiskey like it’s water. Nestled close to me in the booth, Hailey crosses one leg over the other. The short, slinky dress rides up her thighs and my gaze immediately dips, traveling the cream span of skin.

Bringing her here was a mistake.

Initially I thought it was genius idea—I had no doubt the capos of the Society were watching my every move and for the first part of my plan to work, they needed to believe I was working Hailey over. That this pretend relationship was one-sided, and I could bend her to my will. Of course I didn’t divulge that to her when I got her to agree to be my girlfriend. The less she knew about my twisted plan, the safer I could keep her while it played out.

So for the last two weeks, I kept things between us simple. I let it build for anyone who was watching. While she was in the hospital, I stuck close, only leaving her when the cops questioned her. The day she was released, I showed up with flowers. The bouquet was as much of a peace offering as it was a ploy. I drove her home and because she lived alone, I camped out on her couch under the guise that I was helping her through her recovery.

That was torture for many reasons.

Hailey didn’t take kindly to help and even though we were behind closed doors, where no one had eyes on us, I couldn’t just sit there and watch her struggle every time she washed her hair.

The first time I heard her curse in the shower, I ran into the bathroom under the assumption that she had slipped or something. It didn’t dawn on me that she couldn’t lift her arm. It also didn’t dawn on me that she was naked, and I’d be getting my first glimpse of her gorgeous body.

It’s a good thing she didn’t fall because I would’ve left her on the floor.

I stood there, ogling her body.

Memorizing every curve.

Committing the size and shape of perfect tits to my memory.

My mind ran away, and I imagined pulling one of those rosy nipples between my teeth. When I finally got my bearings, I forced my gaze back to her face. There was no mistaking the heated look in her eyes or the blush that tainted her cheeks.

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