Page 36 of Their Cruel Love

Why is she trusting me? It seems so odd.

And then,there are much simpler ways to punt me off the face of the earth.

Which means this is genuine and extremely dangerous, but maybe she won’t mind if I don’t return.

She snaps her fingers, and Robard goes outside. I hear him walk away down the hallway, then footsteps return. Several people are returning.

“You will have to be a submissive,” my stepmother is explaining. “Which should be easy for you. If we can find the place where this Killer Crew does whatever it does, you must consent to whatever these two men I have summoned ask you to do. You need to act the part. You will get us the information we need so that we can take action. I will not have the fraternity smeared, or our people killed for funsies.”

Funsies.I smirk at her use of the slang.

I nod then turn and peek over my shoulder as three men enter.

I had an inkling as to who this would be, and now I see I was right. Marcus and Razor stand with Robard.

Marcus already looks ready to kill someone. This is not surprising. I inhale and hold that breath, wondering what to say to break the ice.

“You?” He’s looking at my stepmother. Marcus shakes his head. “Hell, no. Not if you pay me a million. Not you. Not her.” Now he jerks his chin at me. “If I’d known you were one of the board members here…” He wrinkles his nose and mouth in distaste. “I’m leaving the fraternity, now.”

Razor shrugs at me, and I swear I can detect amusement in the crinkles about his eyes, and the rising of an eyebrow.

Marcus, Razor, and me. I have a suspicion I am meant to be the bait on this investigation. If this somehow gets off the runway, if my stepmother convinces Marcus to cooperate, I willnotsimply be bait.

I open my mouth, thinking of saying so, when Razor ambles over. He stops by my side then play-acts zipping his mouth. When I hesitate, he casually places his hand over my mouth, molding his fingers to my face with his palm resting on my lips. My breath stutters, my heart does too. My toes do that secret clenching they do when I’m unexpectedly turned on. I shoot him a pretend frown, and he shakes his head, lightly.

I can’t help that my tongue dips out to touch his palm, but the increased intensity in his stare amuses me, excites me.

I’m really starting to want this to happen.

Marcus stops whatever he was saying and turns to look. And when Razor straightens but leaves his hand over my mouth, I’m feeling lost. It’s possessive. It is deliberate. He clearly knows Marcus back to front, and he’s goading him.

And now I have two men staring at me; only Marcus is sending daggers. Fuck me though…just…fuck me.

Thank god my stepmother can’t see inside my head because I’m getting painfully horny.

14

Phoebe

“None of us are children, Marcus Thompson.” My stepmother is admonishing him. “Before we make hasty decisions, let me add some…facts that might sway you.” I like how she useswe—it makes it sound like we’re in this with her.

Razor removes his hand from my mouth and rests it on my shoulder, letting me watch this battle play out in full, high definition.

Although his glower is steaming the air between them, Marcus spreads his hands and waits.

Which is when I discover how much I enjoy watching this man be chastised, a man who recently fucked me into oblivion. A grin threatens to erupt, and I twist my mouth straighter.

“Deliver the goods on this and you and Razor will receive three million pounds to be split between you.”

He barely moves.

“And you will receive extra renumeration, in proportion to the losses your family suffered when their business collapsed.”

Now his face contorts, but I can see his puzzlement beneath the rage. “What? Why? Why now, Emma Bartholemew? After you fucked us over.” He slashes a glance at me, and I get why he might think I’m involved.

My vigorous head shake of denial is barely over before he’s addressing her again.

“Well?”

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