Page 6 of Lies Like Love

Eleven years ago, it was on her terms. This time, it’ll be onmine.

Fel’s fiery gaze falters as she turns to once more face me. Strong as she tries to be with her rigid posture, a hint of fear flashes in her eyes.

Good.

She walked intomyparlor—my territory—and she needs to understand how dangerous that is, so she stays the fuck away.

“Already running?” I taunt, not able to help myself. “Always did have a weak stomach when it came to the hard shit.”

Her jaw clenches, as she tries to gather her composure. “Fuck you, Jude.”

“From what I remember, that was off-limits.”

Her lips part and she takes in the sweetest inhale. One breath and my blood runs hot enough that I want to make her regret ever finding me. Or worse, do something I stopped myself from doing a hundred times in the two years we spent under the same roof.

This close I realize she has changed. She’s no longer an awkward, scrawny sixteen-year-old girl who bowed down at the first hint of a challenge. She’s fire-burning molten, and I wonder if I ever really knew her at all.

Peeling my hand off the wall, I step back and create some space. To see her is one thing. To smell her is another. But none of it changes a damn thing.

“Why are you here, Felicity?” My fingers form fists thinking about the fact that she’s not only in my part of town but wandering this part of the city in the middle of the night.

Fel tips her chin up, clutching the box she’s holding tighter to her chest. “Iwashere for a business proposal.”

“If you want to work in a place like this, you’re going to need a little more ink.”

Her gaze hardens at my smirk.

“Not that kind of business.” She rolls her shoulders back. “I make jewelry.”

Tilting my head, I once more take in the box she’s holding to her chest, and I can’t help but be a little curious. She was always making bracelets and necklaces when we were teenagers. But that was pretty, fancy shit she passed out to her snobby, perfect friends. So it doesn’t make sense how that would bring her here.

“It doesn’t matter.” She shakes her head. “This was a mistake.”

She moves a step to the left, but I snatch the box from her hands as she does.

“Hey.”

She tries to claw for it, but I turn before she can grab it and open the lid. Inside, are an assortment of barbells, lip rings, and chains. It’s so left-field for a girl who only has her ears pierced, that I can’t help but chuckle.

Fel slips around me, slapping the lid shut and grabbing it out of my hands. “Like I said, a mistake.”

“I’m impressed, Red.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Didn’t think you had any edge.”

She glares at me, but she knows it’s true. Girl’s vanilla. Problem is, I’ve never considered that a bad quality when it comes to her.

“So you want me to sell those to my clients?”

This might be the first time since I met her, she’s actually surprised me.

“I didn’t know you were the piercer when I walked in here.”

“That a problem?”

“I—” her face scrunches. “I just figured it was off the table now.”

“I could be convinced to sell your barbells. My clients would buy them.” I shrug a shoulder.

“Convinced how?”

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