Page 10 of Sweet Lies

“No, princess, it’s most definitely not you.”

Pulling my gaze away from his hand, I look up into his eyes. That’s the first time he’s used that word like a term of endearment rather than as a means of getting under my skin. I want to hear him repeat it.

“You’ll find your Prince Charming, I’m sure.”

“What if I want it to be you?” I whisper boldly. There was something about him sitting there at the table in the dark that made me bolder. I was more confident with Andre on a good day, but this was a new level.

His expression turns deadly as he drops the spoon into the ice cream. “I’m no one’s prince. You should remember that.”

“You don’t scare me.” I don’t know what’s come over me. He brings out the worst in me. Or maybe the best. I feel as if I can speak freely in front of him, and he won’t judge me or treat me like some sensitive flower.

Before I register what he’s going to do, he’s an inch away from my face, his hand holding my head in place. His lips are just a breath away. My heart stops. My eyes search his for his next move, but they’ve hardened, and I can no longer read them. The walls of the kitchen close in, making the air feel hotter.

Kiss me. The thought comes over me overwhelmingly. I’ve never had that thought about anyone else on instinct. I’d thought about wanting to be kissed, but never had the desire just come over me.

“I should scare you, Rebecca. I’m not the prince in this story. I’m the dragon they use to protect the tower.”

With that, he pushes away and leaves as if he’d never been in the room.

I place my hand on my chest, trying to force my heart back to a normal rhythm.

The kitchen encounter taught me he was right—Nick wasn’t the guy for me. I fearAndrewill be the only one who will break down my walls.

Who needs a prince when they have a dragon?

ChapterThree

ANDRE

“That didn’t take long,” Elijah notes as he lights a cigarette, eyeing the bleeding man on the floor. He was now curled up in a ball, his face unrecognizable even to his own mother. “I think that’s a record for you.” He takes a drag.

“You think so?” I say, laughing as I glance at the Rolex on my wrist. “I didn’t pay attention.”

“Take my word for it.”

“Yes, because your word carries so much weight.” I laugh as he gives me a good-natured slap on the back. “I didn’t even get to play with the tools this time. Pretty boy here was more concerned about his face for the ladies than other areas.”

“All the same to me. Maybe heisone of the more intelligent people. Quick to talk.”

“Maybe we misjudged him,” I get out before my phone rings.

“Hello?” I ask, confused. My dad never calls, especially when he knows Elijah and I have a job.

His voice rushes out the message, and before I can get a response out, he’s hanging up.

Elijah appears concerned as I put the phone back. “It’s nothing. He wanted to remind us to pick up the cake for Rebecca’s birthday.”

He nods. “Yep. We can’t forget that. Dad will have us both hung up by our ankles.”

Glancing at the bleeding man, I ask, “What do you want to do with him?”

Elijah shrugs. “Leave him. He won’t forget to pay us on time again, and he gave us some useful information for our time. He may be of more use yet.”

Leaving the dark alleyway, we climb into the black Lexus parked nearby. “Did your dad decide on the car for her sweet sixteen?” I ask, playing with the radio.

“Last I heard, it was down to two choices. Claire went with him to test drive them both. Speaking of my sister, there’s something I wanted to speak to you about.”

My blood turns cold. “Since when do you pull punches?” I ask, trying to gauge how dangerous a talk this was going to be. I’ve been avoiding her as much as possible. “You know Claire and I are just friends,” I say, laughing.

---