Page 29 of Of Desire And Deception

“I love how my name sounds on your lips.” She shivered as I bit her earlobe hard enough for it to sting, then licked the pain away. “You pretend to be unaffected, but when I have you like this—alone—”

I ran my finger down the plunging neckline of her black patterned vest; over the swells of her breasts.

“Delightfully vulnerable—”

Wynn moaned when I found a hardened nipple through the fabric and pinched it.

“Afraid—”

I ground my erection against her lower belly, ensuring she was fully aware of her effect on me, testing my own limits.

“I can barely restrain myself.” I grazed her jaw with my teeth, licking across her bottom lip. “You’re a honey trap, and I cannot seem to stay away. I want to taste you. Strip you bare and find out how you feel everywhere.”

I was too close to letting those intrusive thoughts out, frightening Wynn away for good. I pulled back, running a hand through my hair and watching Wynn’s dazed eyes clear again. She was better off staying far away from a monster like me.

I lowered my head and raised my eyes, unable to tear my gaze away from her. She deserved a warning, at least. I snarled, “Run along now, goldilocks.”

She didn’t hesitate, spinning and running around the broken glass and spilled vodka without sparing me a second look. The door clicked behind her, leaving me standing in silence. My chest tightened, feeling the loss of her presence acutely.

I was a danger to my little bartender, and I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to resist the undeniable pull between us. Everything inside screamed for me to chase, subdue, and conquer.

But not tonight.

Tonight, goldilocks had escaped the ravenous bear.

Chapter Ten

Three missed calls from an unknown number. I knew what that meant. My check in this week had been with Selena, but I guess it wasn’t enough for Madden. I glanced at the clock, checking the time. Damnit. I had a few hours before I needed to be at Deception, so I could call him back.

I shuffled to the kitchen, deciding I needed coffee first. I scooped the grounds into the top and set it to brew, then dressed while I waited. One thing I learned early at the bureau was that you dressed for success. Even if that meant slipping into jeans and an indecently low-cut vest for a bartending job. It was like putting on armor.

The aroma of determination filled the air in my apartment, and I took my time adding creamer to the coffee to lower the temperature a few degrees before sipping. The bottom of the mug came too soon, but I decided I couldn’t put off the call any longer. Madden could send somebody to get me or pull me from the assignment.

Grabbing my phone, I dialed the number I’d memorized. It would come back as a gynecologist’s office if anybody tried to trace it. Nobody thought twice about a woman calling her doctor multiple times, especially with the quality of the healthcare system in America. It could take months to get anything done.

The line rang through to the options, and I entered a code not listed on the menu. There was a moment of silence, then another ring.

“After-hours line,” the familiar voice said. My boss didn’t have the personality to be a receptionist.

“I need a refill on my birth control.” Seriously, whoever came up with the code answers was inept. The idea of calling an answering service because you’d run out of birth control made no sense.

“What the fuck are you doing, Black?” Madden snapped, dropping the calm façade. “The Nerettis are wreaking havoc on the city, and you’re playing bartender!”

“Woah, what?” I hadn’t heard anything about the family getting involved in another war. Their conflict with the Bratva seemed to have cooled off.

“Nevermind,” he nearly shouted, and I could practically see his hand slicing through the air to cut off the line of conversation. I waited for his next instruction. “You reported you didn’t find anything new.”

“Right,” I agreed. “You said I had until the holidays, and I’m working on it.”

“Fucking work faster then, Black. Your boss is out picking innocent men off the streets.”

“There’s proof of this?” If so, there was no reason for me to gather information. They could just arrest Cosimo.

“The sources are reliable,” Madden answered haltingly.

So it wasn’t confirmed. Relief I had no right feeling made my shoulders relax a fraction. I poured myself another cup of coffee, adding caramel creamer. If I kept having to deal with my boss, I was going to buy the pumpkin shit.

“I’ll tell you what I told Selena,” I said calmly, hoping the soothing tones would work on whatever stick Madden had up his ass. “If you want me to get you more, I need that security system shut down—the cameras, at the very least. If you can do that, I can search the offices. The other rooms won’t have anything useful.”

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