Page 99 of Ruthless Rebel

“Why’s that?” While he looks me up and down, I allow myself to do the same, taking in the mass of hard muscle on show.

“I lost my dancer.”

My stomach squeezes, and I stare back at him wondering if he realizes that whenever he talks about the past, he makes it seem as if something happened to break us up. As if he doesn’t realize it was him.

So many questions come to me that I’m compelled to ask during these moments. Like what really happened?

Why did he break up with me if he thinks he lost me?

What happened to us?

He glances away for a moment then back at me.

“We’re going out today,” he declares.

I give him a narrowed stare. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“Not today, baby.” He fixates on my breasts and allows his gaze to climb back up to meet mine.

“I see.” I’m actually happy to hear that I’ll have him to myself for the whole day, but I decide to make him crazy to test the waters. “I was actually hoping to check on Corey while you’re working. He was going to take me to see the waterfall.”

The music stops abruptly, and Jericho swivels around to face me with a stern expression.

“Come again?” The sharpness in his tone reminds me of nails scrapping across a gritty surface.

“We were just going sightseeing.” I nod with nonchalance, secretly loving the reaction I’m getting from him. “I didn’t want to be bored, so when he offered, I gladly accepted.”

Corey was actually super nice to me over the last few weeks, so I genuinely felt bad for the way Jericho treated him. However, I definitely saw where Jericho was coming from in being enraged. I’m only not more upset because I’ll admit that now that I think of it, I feel Corey might have a thing for me.

“No.”

“No?”

He stands, towering over me, then he leans in close to brushing his nose over mine. “No. And if you want that little asshole Corey to keep his job, and hislife, you will end whatever the hell this fascination is with him.”

I laugh because it’s hilarious to see Jericho Grayson getting worked up over someone like Corey, who would never begin to compare to him.

“What is so funny, wife?” He tweaks my nose.

“You,husband,” I try out the word and like itway, waytoo much. It feels like getting high on adrenaline. From the cunning smirk that lights on his face I can tell he likes me calling him my husband, too.

“Why am I funny, wife?”

“Because jealousy looks odd on you.” I giggle.

“Then don’t make me jealous. Never can tell what I might do if you make me that crazy.” He reaches out and slides the hairband out of my hair, allowing it to tumble down my shoulders.

“What are you doing now, Jericho?” I shake my head at him.

“Getting you ready for the first activity of the day.”

“And what would that be?”

He gives me a look so scandalous my insides blush. “First, this comes off.” He turns me around and pulls the zipper down on the back of my dress. We watch the dress float down my body and pool at my feet.

“This next.” He undoes the clasp on my bra and takes that off, too, then he turns me back to face him and takes in my bare breasts.

That look of wild adoration that always weakens my resolve fills his eyes from corner to corner, turning them darker and filling them with sin. When he looks at me like that, it’s difficult to breathe, much less think about anything else besides him touching me.

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