Page 48 of Don't Lie To Me

“But you have a thing for him? Come on, spill, I know you two disappeared together at your party. What the hell happened?” Her eyes twinkle with mischief.

I shake my head, not even able to think about what we got up to. “It was a lot, and I feel like my brain has been scrambled ever since.”

She tilts her head, her nose scrunching up. “So, he fixed your problem, now you hate him?”

I lean over the table a little closer. “Sis, he screwed me then tried to screw me over.”

Her eyes go wide.

“We had the most incredible night together, then I find him chatting to my brothers, and he announces that he owns a sixty percent share of my club. The one I built from the pile of shit it was when Syd died. Syd is still fucking me over even from the grave, and now I have this asshole permanently in my life.”

She looks disgusted on my behalf. “That sly bastard. What the fuck are you going to do about it then. You’re Sloane Stryker, you don’t take shit from anyone. There must be a way to get rid of him.”

“I’ve seen the contract, this shit is legit. Syd traded a massive share of his club to pay off some debt to Romeo’s papa, and now I have to workwith him. He’s everywhere, Harley, I can’t escape him. It’s driving me crazy.”

“Because you’re still hot for him.”

We have a silent stare-off. She knows I’m not going to admit to anything of the sort. But it’s also impossible to deny.

Just when I think this lunch couldn’t get any more uncomfortable, Detective Reef Wilder walks through the front door. I blink a couple of times, not able to actually believe it’s him. “Oh my God, hide me.” I grab her shoulders, but it’s too late, he’s spotted me and makes his way over to our table.

“You really are stalking me. Lunch yesterday, my house, now you’re here as well?” he asks, smiling cheekily with way too much charm. He tosses a hand through his long blond hair, his eyes lighting up as he takes me in.

I can’t help but smile back at him, feeling like a schoolgirl with a stupid crush. “You came in here after me,” I mutter, trying to get my brain to kick into gear so I can function like a normal person.

“Hi, I’m Reef.” He introduces himself to Harley with a broad smile that makes it all the way to his dimples as he holds out a hand for her to take.

She grins back at him, mischief dancing in her eyes as she shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you, Reef, I’m Harley. How do you know my girl Sloane?”

His eyes come to mine, so much warmth in them it melts my insides and sends butterflies taking off throughout my body. “Uh… Reef…” I start, but I can’t explain this one.

“We went on a date last night,” he tells her, sounding way too happy about it.

“Oh, really.” She looks to me like I have been holding out on her.

I force a tight smile. “Reef is the newest detective under Commissioner Sedgwick, just arrived from New York,” I explain like it tells her why I went on a date with him. If anything, it makes the whole situation more ridiculous, and I know that is exactly what she’s thinking by the way she looks at me. I shift the focus off me. “Harley is someone important for you to know. She and her boyfriends have set up this amazing clinic, with doctors and psychologists and all sorts of classes to help women who find themselves in trouble.”

He nods, taking my friend in with fresh eyes. “I have heard about you. I’m impressed by your initiative.”

“You’ll have to come and check it out. We have our opening day this weekend. Sloane will be there, won’t you, Sloane.”

I nod reluctantly, not needing another place the charming detective can find me.

“I might just do that.” He looks between us, his forehead creasing. “You two seem like an unlikely pair.”

“I don’t see how. Sloane has dedicated her life to helping the women of this town, it’s how we connected,” Harley snips, I think insulted for me.

Reef looks me over, and I see his curiosity. I can also see over his shoulder that Romeo is about to come over here, and that is the last thing I need. I stand in a rush. “Give me a sec, Harley,” I say quickly, taking Reef’s arm and moving around the corner near the bathroom with him.

He doesn’t wait, moving in closer to me, taking my hand in his. “Was I going to hear back from you?” His eyes lock with mine, and I see how desperate he was to see me again. The silly thing is I feel the same.

“You came looking for me because I didn’t text you back?” I sass back, not ready to tell him he has the same effect over me. I don’t knowhow to deal with him, that’s why I didn’t write back to his message. At least not until Malachi gets the dirt on him.

He glances over his shoulder then back to me. “Not quite. I dropped into the club to give you the heads up, I’ve been told to raid the place tonight. We have a warrant, and this time my boss isn’t messing round.”

“Shit, Reef. You shouldn’t be telling me that.” I don’t know why but knowing he’s betraying the rules of his job to help me makes me worry for him. My pulse also goes into overdrive knowing I have some damage control to do at the club to make sure we’re squeaky clean for tonight.

With a light touch, his hand skates up my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. The way he touches me is too light but not enough, and it makes me crave more of him. “I don’t know you all that well just yet, wildcat, but I’m a go-with-my-gut kind of guy, and something tells me you’re one of the good ones, even if you act like a badass. Don’t prove me wrong.” His eyes land on mine, searching my soul for answers I can’t give him. I have done things so terrible I know he would never be able to forgive me if he found out. I did them to protect the people I care about, never without an extremely good reason. But I like the way he looks at me like I’m not pure evil, it makes me want to be the girl he thinks I am.

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