Page 49 of Vicious Kingdom

Leo leaned forward. “Men like me don’t earn anything. That implies someone else holds the power to give or hold back. We take.”

I arched a brow. “And just how do you proposetakinga smile? That’s something that is bestowed.”

“Did you enjoy your tropical smoothie this morning?”

That made me smirk, although I hid it well enough. “Spying on me, Mr. Baldwin?”

“Hard to spy when you stake out a new cafe every fucking morning. I had to walk six more blocks to find somewhere to buy a coffee,” he snarled.

I shrugged. “Sorry for the inconvenience. If you’d like, I can text you—or your precious secretary—to tell them where I’ll be so we’re sure not to run into one another.”

His voice was hard like granite. “So that you can change your mind and switch locations at the last minute to annoy me?”

I let out a harsh little laugh. “You think too much of yourself. As if I would go to all that trouble just to ruin your day.”

I totally would, but that wasn’t something I was ready to admit.

Leo’s gaze darkened as he leaned closer, the space between us charged with a tangible element—the one that was missing from every other interaction.

“You know what I think? I think you enjoy this little dance we do,” he said, a sultry undercurrent lacing his words.

“Dance?” I feigned innocence, but my heart hammered against my ribs. It was working. He was here, verbally sparring with me. “I don’t recall asking you to tango, Baldwin.”

His eyes dropped to my lips for a fraction of a second. “No, but you’ve been circling my world. Like a vulture. Waiting.”

I moistened my lips, watching his pupils dilate in response. “And what would I be waiting for?”

“For me to crack.” His voice dropped to a whisper that caressed my skin. “For me to admit that I still think about you.”

The air between us became thick, almost suffocating. I leaned forward, mirroring his posture until our faces were mere inches apart.

“And do you?”

Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Never. Vultures aren’t worth a shark’s time.”

The sting in my chest wasn’t something I would let him see.

“Then why would I try such a game if I was doomed to fail? Honestly, you’re not worth my time either.”

Reverse psychology—a winning stroke if there ever was one.

I watched as the corner of his mouth twitched. “What gameareyou playing, Annaliese?”

“No game.” I lowered my voice. “Just living my life in the same city as you.”

“Hmm.” His gaze dropped to my lips, lingering there before traveling down the column of my throat. “That dress is…deliberate.”

Heat bloomed across my skin where his eyes touched. “Is it working?”

“That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.” He reached across the table, his fingers grazing mine so lightly I might have imagined it. “Tell me what you want.”

I suppressed a shiver. “Maybe I just want you to look at me the way you are right now.”

His nostrils flared as his lungs filled with a sharp inhale. It was time to drive another stake into his heart.

“Maybe I want every eligible bachelor to look at me the way you’re looking.” I laughed and straightened. “I have to go on a date with someone. It’s the purpose of this event, after all.”

“And how am I looking at you?” His voice had dropped an octave, rougher around the edges.