Page 63 of Lethal Vengeance
Unlike Cruz, who uses unscented products to avoid detection, Sterling smells mouth-wateringly good. The scent of bergamot, an undertone of fruit, and a musk. A few other notes I can’t identify. It makes me want to bury my nose in his neck.
His nose wrinkles in distaste. “A driver? I’m a lord, you know.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine, I’m sure one of the men here would be happy to do it.”
“Not happening, beautiful, but good try,” he inserts with a chuckle. “Since I’m the only one who employs a driver, I would be the logical choice. At least I know the duties.” His mock consideration makes me laugh. “Plus, you’ll be able to see how good I look in a suit.”
“I saw you in a suit the first night. At that restaurant,” I remind him. “You looked very dashing, if I recall.”
“Of course, I did,” he says smugly. “Now, what are you going to wear?”
I blanch.
Sterling sees the panic on my face and immediately takes charge. “Right. Once Cruz and Zane get back, we’ll see about getting you a dress.”
“And shoes. God, I haven’t worn heels in over three years,” I murmur.
Visions of striding confidently into Armando’s domain are slowly being replaced by a teetering version of me in an ill-fitted dress. Sucking my lip in, I nibble on the skin.
A lean finger taps my lip. “Stop chewing your lip. We’ll make sure you have everything you need.” He sweeps an arm toward the room. “If we can pull together almost a hundred men in two days, we can find you a beautiful dress and shoes.”
His green eyes are steady and reassuring, and the panic subsides a bit.
The search for video footage of Armando in the city last night brings up a lot of hits. We start scanning them one by one. It’s tedious work.
Sterling’s hand slides up my back to my neck and strokes back and forth.
Heat flares inside me, but when I look over, he’s fully engrossed in the search. He must not even be aware of what he’s doing. I silently count backwards to distract myself from his hands, and the heat finally settles to a simmer. He stops stroking and pulls me in tighter.
Within the security of his arms, my lids droop. The pain kept me awake last night. Well, that and Raider. The thought of him jolts me out of my sleepiness. I shift to sit up straight.
Sterling puts a hand on my leg. “As much as I love the feel of you sliding against me, if you don’t stop moving, you’re going to feel a lot more of me than you do now.”
My eyes dart to his, and I freeze. “Sorry.”
“I’m not, but maybe it’s not the best time and place,” he murmurs, looking pointedly at the room full of people.
I nod and go back to looking at the footage, careful to keep myself still.
We’re still scanning videos when Zane returns an hour later. “Warehouse is empty. Heard anything from Cruz?”
“Not yet,” Sterling replies. “And we haven’t found anyone with Armando yet. Did you speak to his brother?”
Zane shakes his head. “No, I left a voice mail asking him to call me.” He motions to the other group. “I’m going to check on the revised plans for tomorrow night.” With an impassive glance at me, he pivots and heads straight toward Thomas.
“Is he upset because I’m sitting on your lap?” I blurt out.
Green eyes meet mine, and he hesitates. “Maybe, I’m not sure.”
“Is it because I’m getting close to more than one of you?” I ask hesitantly.
He shifts his focus to me and leans back. “Yes. Zane wants you to be a part of the team, but he’s concerned about the repercussions a more… intimate relationship will have on us, especially if it’s with more than one person.”
“I’ve only slept with Cruz,” I murmur, not wanting the whole room to hear my statement. “But I’ve kissed you, Raider, and Cruz. No promises were made, though.”
His eyes lock onto mine. “Do you want more with me or Raider? Or do you only want Cruz?”
Beads of sweat roll down my back. “I hadn’t thought about it.” I hold his gaze, even though I want to look away from the lie hanging between us.
