Page 69 of Depraved Truths

“The pleasure is all mine.”

He takes my hand, pressing a light kiss to my knuckles. From all appearances, this is typical gentlemanly behavior that seems innocent in a room full of people. Only I, and maybe the bartender, paid to look the other way, can see the leer in his gaze.

“I’m Anna.”

“And who are you here with this evening?” he asks coyly, glancing discreetly around us.

“It’s just me tonight. My husband is out of town on business.” I finish my martini and pull the olive off the stick, sucking it into my mouth in a move that I hope seems seductive—because now, it’s all I can do to keep the contents in my stomach where they belong.

His eyes darken with lust as he watches my every move.

“Hey, William,” a gray-haired man calls, beckoning him to join a group of men.

William glances back at me, regret flashing in his eyes, though the lingering lust remains. “It was lovely to meet you, beautiful. Maybe I’ll see you again later tonight?”

“I sure hope so,” I reply, my tone sultry, as I lightly trail a finger down his arm.

He turns and walks over to join the group of men.

“How are you holding up, Little Killer?” Eli’s voice is soft and just hearing that comforting tone eases some of the tension in my body.

“I’m making it,” I reply, turning to whisper back as discreetly as I can.

“I’ll cut off his fucking hands for touching you.”

A thrill shoots up my spine, and I clench my thighs. His possessiveness is just one of the many things I adore about him.

I order another drink, asking the bartender to lighten the alcohol. I sip it slowly, watching the room, waiting for the right moment to reappear. Tammy heads toward the backyard with my mother. Dinner’s at nine. Glancing at the enormous grandfather clock, I note it’s just after eight.

“It’s time,” Bryce’s voice whispers in my ear.

Spotting William, I casually stroll by, heading toward the patio. I stumble, falling hard into him. My drink sloshes onto the side of his shirt and spills onto the floor. His dark glare is immediate, but he quickly masks it.

I gasp, looking up at him with feigned horror. “Oh my god.” Frantically, I pat his shirt with my napkin, trying to clean the mess. “I’m so sorry, Governor.”

Hunt gestures for the wait staff to clean the floor and remove my now-empty glass. “Darling, it’s fine.”

“But I’ve ruined your shirt. I insist on paying for the dry cleaning,” I say, my voice trembling, my eyes filling with fake tears.

“Absolutely not. It’s just a shirt. I have thousands more.”

“There must be something I can do to make it up to you,” I whisper, lowering my voice so onlyhe can hear.

William stares at me for a moment before calling over one of his security team. He whispers to him, and the man gently takes my elbow.

“The Governor wishes to meet with you upstairs in his study.” He escorts me down the hall and ushers me into a room I’ve seen countless times before.

“He will be with you shortly,” the guard says curtly, giving a professional nod. I suspect he knows exactly why the boss is pulling me aside. He shuts the door, leaving me in the large room.

I walk over to the shelves lined with law books. There’s a door leading to what I know is a private bathroom, and an oversized desk made from a deep cherry wood sits as the focal point of the room. Two chairs face it, and a loveseat sits near the window, draped with heavy champagne-colored curtains.

I perch myself on the edge of his desk, the slit in my dress sliding dangerously high.

The door creaks open, and William steps inside, locking the door behind him. He’s changed into a pale blue button-up shirt, similar to the one he wore earlier, and as his eyes scan me, desire flashes through them.

“You said something about repaying me?” he jeers, as he comes to stand in front of me.

I smile mischievously and reach for the straining bulge through his pants. Groaning as I stroke him, his head falls back in pleasure. He moves to grab me, but before his hands can reach me, a cold knife presses against his throat, freezing him in place.

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