Page 60 of Tempt Her

“That’s perfect,” I ease. “He’s going toloveit.”

“Yes, he will. And he’ll think of me every time he uses it.”

Stop it. Don’t laugh or vomit at how often Gentry whines “Mommy” when he comes.

Though I’m certain Phyllis is innocent of the origin of Gentry’s sick fantasies, she can’t be naive about his crimes.

Other than him, she’s the only one who sees the numbers. She’s on all his business accounts. She must know what he’s up to and who he’s hurting.

I croon, “Yes. He adores you.”

And I’ll adore her destruction too.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Scared of Love by Ali Gatie

“Look at what I got.”

Mateo pats a small, black plastic case.

I finally escaped brunch with the succubus. She stayed behind to revel in Gentry’s next eighteen holes—or nineteen holes since he’s playing with some of his “buddies.”

Between his games, Gentry joined us. Sipping Chardonnay, he whined about why he didn’t win, blaming the condition of the greens.

I grinned, knowing it was the condition of his putter I bent.

“I’m on the yacht tonight,” he barked at me in front of his mom, making her grin.

Yeah, she was right. He can’t part with that damn vessel and fine. I’ll figure out another way to take him down, though I was tempted to pray for a rogue wave to do it.

But no.

I want satisfaction now.

“That’s fine.” I smiled. “They start painting the exterior tomorrow. I’ll stay home and handle the hassle.”

No, I’m handling Mateo for the rest of today.

Gentry can rewind the video and watch me walk outside with a book. He’ll assume I’m still there, reading all afternoon on the patio. But since the cameras are covered, prepped for tomorrow’s exterior work, he won’t see how I snuck out of the side yard, darted between our house and the neighbor’s, and out to the street where Mateo’s truck waited for me.

“What is it?” I ask Mateo about the mystery case, loving the feeling of riding in his truck.

Kicking off my sandals, I prop my bare feet on his dash, and he grins at my pink toenails.

“Counter-surveillance gear. Tomorrow at the house, I’m sweeping it for all his devices. Now that we’re done inside, I want to make sure we’re still safe in certain places.”

I want to kiss Mateo for the hundredth time.

I want to tell him more about how Cade and I are trying to bust Gentry, but I’m unsure what I can divulge.

“Does that gear really work?” Still, an idea sprouts, thrilling me.

“Yeah,” he says. “We use it around Ford’s place.”

“Why does he need counter-surveillance?”

“Told ya. He’s protective like that.”

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