Page 67 of Don't Lie To Me

The air around me crackles with electricity, and I know he’s approaching me. Romeo slides in beside me, a stupid smile on his face as if he’s so damn happy to see me. Even though we have been sitting in the same bar just a few yards away from each other for hours.

“I’m working, Romeo,” I mutter, only briefly glancing up from the next application. My body is now alight with sexual tension just knowing he’s close to me. Focus, Sloane, don’t let him distract you. I run my eyes over the next application. The next guy is younger, not much of a looker, but he’s an investment banker, so what he looks like means shit.

Romeo’s hand brushes my thigh, running all the way up to my hemline, leaving a trail of goosebumps skating over my body.

My eyes rise to meet his, a brow raised in question. “Did you need something?”

“Are you alright?” he asks softly, with way too much concern in his voice, his dark eyes looking deep into mine. It’s like he’s trying to search my soul. For what I don’t know, but I don’t like it.

I roll my eyes. “Fucking Jagger told you about the call.”

“Sloane, stop pushing me away. I just want to help you.”

I place my hand on his, picking it up and removing it from my thigh. “You can help me by letting me get on with my job. I have never been so interrupted with distractions in my life.”

The next thing I know, both his hands come to the side of my face and his lips are on mine. He kisses me so passionately it makes my toes curl. For just a second I let him, kissing him back because it’s exactly what I need, a distraction from the constant turmoil I’m feeling.

Until I remember I’m right here in the middle of my club, with my brother and bodyguard sitting at the table just beside us. I pull back from him in a rush, panting far too much for such a short kiss, but hedoes things to me he shouldn’t, like turning me into a melted pile on the floor. “What did you do that for?”

“I wanted to,” he says, way too smugly. He knows he has a stupid amount of power over me.

My glare intensifies to icy. “You can’t just keep kissing me whenever the fuck you want to,” I snap back, trying desperately to get my racing heart under control. He can’t, because every time he does, I fall a little further under his spell, and while my heart might race for him, my head is smarter and knows this man is deadly for me.

“Why the fuck not, doll face, I think I proved my point last night. Maybe it’s time to give in to your attraction to me and stop fighting with me over everything.” He stares me down with just as much intensity, and I can’t find anything to come back at him with.

I don’t know what is wrong with me, but Sally’s words keep rattling around in my head.Have fun, you deserve it.

His lips tilt up at the sides cheekily. “Finish up whatever it is you’re doing, then you’re coming with me. You’re taking the night off, we have all decided.” He motions in the direction of the table he was sitting at, where Jagger and Onyx are still deep in conversation, but Onyx’s eyes find mine. They always find mine. Is he really okay with Romeo taking me back to his place for the night? Why on earth are they getting along so well? It’s kind of disturbing.

“You three assholes don’t get to decide anything on my behalf.” I flick my glare back at him.

He considers me carefully, and he should be careful. The way I’m feeling right now, I’m liable to stab him for the fun of it. “You owe me a date, we had a deal, remember.”

I want to get up and storm into my office, but the asshole has me trapped in this booth with him. Probably his plan all along. What I don’t get is why this date is so damn important to him.He sees me every day, he’s constantly in my face annoying the shit out of me. Why does he need a date with me? I lean in closer so my brother can’t hear the next part. “And what, I suppose Onyx is accompanying us as well? Have you two been conspiring behind my back and got some fucked-up orgy planned?”

His eyes run down my body like he’s imagining just that. “Nice to know where your dirty mind went, doll face.” He laughs lightheartedly, standing up. “We leave as soon as you’re done with the paperwork.” He turns and walks back to the table with my brother and Onyx, a smug-as-shit grin on his face like he just won something.

He thinks he has so much power over me. Fuck him. He’s about to learn I didn’t get my reputation by being a good little girl and doing whatever the fuck assholes like him tell me to. I do what I want, when I want. I finish up assessing the last application quickly then send it off to Malachi. As soon as I’m done, I stand in a rush and move through to my office, finding the keys to my car, the car I haven’t driven in years because Onyx drives me everywhere. But tonight, I’m getting out of this place alone. God knows I need a break from the misogynistic world I live in. I slip on my jacket and pop the keys inside. Find my gun and pocket it on the other side.

I walk out of my office, ready to make a run for it, and flinch when I find Onyx is standing in the hallway right outside waiting for me. Fuck. I know after all this time I should expect it, but today he surprised me. In my head I was out of here, tearing up the highway with the wind in my hair.

He puts out his cigarette, his gaze shifting over me. “What are you up to, trouble?”

My hand rests on my hip defensively. “What makes you think I’m up to anything?”

“I heard that altercation with Romeo, and I saw the look of determination on your face as you marched back into your office. I know you better than you know yourself, Sloane. You’re up to no good.”

I close the gap between us, getting right up in his face. “Did the boys club all have a little meeting about it? Discuss what you’re going to do to keep the poor damsel in distress safe from the big bad wolves?”

His brow rises, surprised by my sarcastic tone. “You pissed?”

“You think?” I sass, furious.

“We just want what is best for you, Sloane.”

I huff out a laugh. “Really? If that was true, you would give me what I really want.” I pause as I go to run a finger over his lips. I promised myself I wouldn’t throw myself at him anymore. But man, he messes with my head. “Did you tell my brother how you really feel about me, how you screwed me the other night? How you want to do it again and how you got off watching Romeo make me scream his name last night? Did you talk about that as well or was it all just how to control me.”

“Trouble,” he growls, the word a guttural warning that hangs heavy in the air.

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