Page 9 of Scarlet Mark
His lips curled, a pair of dimples flashing that had no reason to exist on his chiseled features. It made him appear boyish. Innocent. But one more glance in his dark, open gaze proved that to be a venomous lie.
I should have paid more attention.
But my instincts didn’t riot around him, not like they did around the others…
“Killian Bedivere,” he said. “You’ll find I’ve yet to lie to you.”
So he was the heir to a massive fortune? “Are you friends with Malcom?” I’d never seen Killian at one of the parties. I would recognize him in a heartbeat.
“Hardly. He’s just a client who requested my special set of skills. And he’s paying quite handsomely for them, too.”
“Skills,” I repeated, trying to lull him back into talking, since he seemed to enjoy that. Distractions were something I had mastered long ago. Escaping was another talent of mine. I just had to find the right moment. And somehow encourage him to remove the knife digging into my rib cage.
“Finding people. Killing them.” He watched me carefully, as if searching for some sort of shock value. It wouldn’t exist.
This man knew nothing about the horrors of my upbringing.
Yes, he’d caught me off guard.
Yes, having a blade pressed into my skin scared me.
Buthe—the man—did not.
I knew my fair share of monsters. He could join the club.
His lips curled. “It’s such a shame I have to hand you over to your former betrothed. I sense you and I would have quite a bit of fun together.”
The mention of Malcom made my stomach churn. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
Killian’s eyebrows—dark and gorgeously shaped—lifted. “On the contrary, princess. You have no idea whoyouare dealing with.”
“You misunderstand,” I said, my nails digging into his shoulders. “I mean Malcom. He’s… he’s not who he pretends to be.”
He chuckled. “Is anyone?Scarlet Rosalind.”
I sighed. There was no use. No one would listen to me. No one would care. I learned a long time ago that the only person I could rely on was myself. This was no different.
“You realize it took me three weeks to track you down?” he continued. “That’s a record for me.”
“You’re welcome,” I deadpanned, eliciting a laugh from him. Glad he was so easily amused.
“Oh, I like you, Amara,” he murmured, angling his head toward mine. “I know he wasn’t your first con. You pulled it off too beautifully for him to be a first. So who was it? Or have you fucked up so many lives that you’ve lost count?”
I frowned. He thought I was a con woman? That I’d willingly entered Malcom’s life to, what, steal money from him? A laugh caught in my throat. As if our past had been that easy. Maybe I wouldn’t be here now, desperate enough to work in a club likeDiavolo Rojoto earn a few bucks in exchange for my soul.
“Come now,” Killian coaxed. “Entertain me at least a little bit.”
“I already danced for you. That’s all we negotiated.” A snappy retort but I couldn’t help it. This man was serving as judge, jury, and executioner—literally—without knowing a damn thing about me. “Malcom’s playing you, and you don’t even know it.”
His eyebrows rose, then his chest shook with hilarity. “No one plays me, darling.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” I said sweetly, my lips curling. “So how do you plan to get me out of here?” Because someone would notice me leaving against my will. This club catered to sex, but they also seemed to care about their employees. And Bridget, my mentor, was on the floor tonight. One glance her way and she’d send security after us.
“I have a present for you in my pocket,” he murmured, his grip on my hair tightening. “Be a good girl and find it for me. Slowly.”
The belittling endearment had my eyes narrowing. I was neithergoodnor agirl. But I’d happily inspect him to see what other weapons he had hidden on his person.
As if sensing my thought, his lips twitched.
