“Fuck,” he mutters angrily. “Don’t—”
I slide a hand into his hair and pull with everything I’ve got, moving my other hand to his balls and giving them a rough pull. His expression morphs into a darker anger than I’ve seen from him before.
“Kennedy, st—”
As soon as he moves a hand down to protect the family jewels, I slam the butt of my hand into his eye and use one of my feet to kick his knee several times.
He growls furiously and I fight harder, instinct requiring me to get this two-hundred-pound man off of my chest. Finally, I manage to slide out from under him. I spring to my feet and back up, arms out in front of me in a fighting stance.
“Stop,” I say, breathing heavily. “I’m not some damsel in distress who needs your lessons. I’ll hurt you if you come at me like that again, asshole.”
He stands and our eyes lock. For a few seconds, I think he’s going to charge me again.
“What if I had a gun?” he asks softly.
“I’d talk my way out of getting shot.”
“Like you did with Grayson?” He puts his hands on his hips, the anger returning. “You were scared shitless back there, Ken.”
“Maybe I just wanted him to think I was.”
Nix takes a breath, studying me. “Tell me who you are. I need to know.”
I shrug. “Tell me whoyouare.”
“You already know. I’m a hacker and a criminal.”
“Who taught you?”
He almost smiles. “No, it’s your turn. Who are you?”
“I’m a woman trying to make a name for myself.”
He takes a couple steps toward me. “And is there room for me in there somewhere? Are you willing to let me see more of you than you show the rest of the world?”
“I already have,” I admit. “You know my real name.”
My body heats in response as he comes closer. “I found that out myself. Tell me something I can’t dig up on my own.”
I run my tongue over the back of my lip ring nervously. Though I can’t tell Nix any of the secrets he wants to know about me, I want to give him something. I want him to know that he’s different and that against all logic, I trust him.
“What if I show you something instead?” I ask.
He nods. “You can start there.”
I slide the loose straps of my top over my shoulders and it falls away, revealing my breasts. I don’t wear bras with backless shirts, and I consider never wearing one again as Nix inhales sharply while he takes me in. He holds his breath as I shimmy out of the top and then unzip my miniskirt, pushing it past my hips.
“Holy shit,” he whispers.
Now he can see not just my body, but also the ink that runs down the left side of my torso. As he studies me, his gaze dark and hungry, I slide my panties down past my tall leather boots and step out of them, then adjust my necklace so it falls down my back like it’s supposed to.
“You keep asking who I am,” I say softly. “This is me.”
He covers the last few steps between us and runs his fingertips over my ink and across my bare stomach. It only takes the brush of his thumb tip to make my nipples hard.
“Lie down on the coffee table,” he orders.
I lick my lips as I look at the modern table made of glass and steel. My body can’t even consider saying no to him. I take off my necklace and toss it on the couch and then walk over to the table and lie down. The glass top is cool against my back, a contrast to the warmth between my thighs.
