Page 151 of Never Die for a Sinner
Her smile fades, and she continues to run her fingers over the tattoos on my chest. Like if she doesn’t look at me, she won’t have to tell me the truth.
“You know I’m going to find out one way or another. I always do.”
She lets out a sigh, pursing her lips.
“I tried to talk to Alex today. You know, because I haven’t spoken to him all week.”
I hate that little fucker.
“And?”
She shrugs as if it’s nothing. “He found out about our contract. He called me a whore.”
I grit my teeth so hard they threaten to snap. Scratch that. Iloathethat little fucker, and the day I throw him off my property will be the day I celebrate.
“Don’t look like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re thinking about killing him.”
I cock a brow, brushing the hair back from her face. I’m so fucking irritated, I want to leave this bed right now, and dogwalk him off a cliff for daring to say something like that to her.
“Thought’s crossed my mind.”
She sighs, rolling over onto her back.
“He’s not wrong,” she muses. “I mean, Iamtechnically your employee who’s sleeping with you. I left him and came straight up here and climbed in the shower with you.”
“Ava—”
“And what does it matter, anyway? Maybe I am. I mean, I agreed to have sex with you for money.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I snap.
She pauses, her gaze narrowing on mine.
“Don’t be rude.”
“No, you don’t be cynical.”
Her jaw feathers, and she looks away.
“He is right,” I tell her, reaching for her chin. Looming over her, I turn her face to mine, searching her gaze. She’s hurt, but she’s trying to hide it. “Youaremy whore.” She bristles at my words, her eyes shining in the fading light in my room. “You’re also someone I can laugh with. Someone I can talk to—more than anyone else.”You make me want to be better . . .“You may be my whore, Ava, but only because you want to be.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” she grumbles, and I push her back, sliding over her to rest between her legs. Taking each of her hands in mine, I raise them above her head, pinning them to the mattress beside her head.
“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing with you half the time, but I know you mean a whole lot more to me than I ever planned.”
She swallows thickly, and a shiver rolls through her. I roll my hips into her because even though I came twice, it’s never enough.
It will neverbeenough.
“I know,” she whispers, and I can feel her heart beating fast against my arm.
“Don’t let someone who’s not even fit enough to lick the bottom of your shoes tell you who you are, Ava. Not me. Not Mendez. Only you get to decide that.”
She smiles softly, reaching up. She brushes her thumb over the scar on my lip, tracing it. I want to nip the pad of her thumb, but I don’t, forcing myself to hold still.
