“And when it did”—I gulp down both the anxiety ushering my question and the overwhelming urge to find a rhythm that will both free Tessa’s tongue and have her devouring my cum—“what did they find?”
“They have a witness, insisting someone saw Niko go into one of the row houses,” he begins, and the walls close in on me. “According to the witness, there was a black G-Wagon spotted there that night and some questionable activity surrounding it.”
I blow out a choppy breath, peer at Tessa, and stroke her hair with an unspoken promise to get us out of all the fuckery we are currently immersed in, even though she’s only aware of our piercing predicament, before returning to the screen. “And other than the money, this points to your grandson how?”
“He was renting one of those row houses for the week and driving a black G-Wagon. But he swears he gave Niko the money and went back to the party, and I believe him.”
I wince at that because his grandson was not the only one who was driving a black Mercedes-Benz G-Class that night. I covered my tracks, but that is an unfortunate detail that cuts too close. Tessa grips my thigh in what appears to be comfort. She must think that was a wince from the pain, which is still rough, but considering the picture Mr. Lund just painted, I barely notice it.
“Pardon the fuck out of my rudeness, Maddox.” He sneers my name, which catches me off guard because I am trying my damnedest to keep my shit together. He’s not impressed. “Is your charley horse more like a Charlotte?”
“Excuse me?” I snap.
“I’ve taken a meeting or two with a companion under my desk, but never when it was of this importance.” His tenor rises to a roar, stabbing my eardrum. “And never when this type of confidential information was being shared.”
I am good and truly fucked.
“You are mistaken, Vincent.” I flash a threatening scowl so he realizes beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will not be disrespected. “But even if you weren’t, I’d caution you to watch your tone. You came to us for help. I took time out of my day to listen. And I’m considering all the angles, despite the fact that this is a massive conflict of interest for La Lune Noire.”
A ring of smoke from his cigar wafts toward the screen before he grumbles his distaste for my dealings. “While I appreciate the time and consideration, I would cautionyounot to play games. This is a serious matter. My grandson’s life is on the line. The Noires are known for keeping their priorities straight. That’s what earns respect.”
My eyes drift to the gorgeous blues hitched to me, swimming in discomfort, and while she infuriates me and this deceitful seduction was a dirty move and I don’t understand all that’s happening between us, one thing is damn clear.
Returning to my disgruntled member—the La Lune Noire guy, not the body part—I illuminate my viewpoint. “You’re exactly right. Priorities in this business are vital. Let me attend to mine. I’ll be in touch.”
With that, I end the god-awful call and focus on the only thing that matters right now.
TESSA
This is fucking karma for you.
I can see the headlines now.
Death by Giving Head
Woman Bled Out, Trying to Extract Her Tongue From a Giant Penis
Girl Dies Too Attached to the Noire Family Jewels
My jaw feels rusty, like the Tin Man’s, there’s a dull ache throbbing in my tongue, and I can’t help but think about how much my mother has always hated my tongue piercing. Not that she’d exactly see this as a told-you-so opportunity. She’d be too mortified for that. If I ever decide to concede and tell her she was right, I’ll include my reasoning so she’s too speechless to gloat.
Silver lining.
But when Maddox’s eyes lock on to me, all those issues sail away. I haven’t quite decided if that’s the foolish, giddy schoolgirl who gets sidetracked by the larger-than-life, menacing Noire or if it’s the woman who has needs that haven’t been properly met for a while. Either way, keeping my wits about me and remembering how this will all end is imperative so myheart doesn’t skip with irrational hopes. Because this ludicrous attempt to play Maddox has me feeling connected to him in ways I didn’t expect, far beyond the ball of my piercing jammed into the ring of his.
“That’s done,” he says after ending his call. “You’ve gotten us in quite a pickle, Lockhart.”
Apparently, the shooting pains have him talking like he’s fromLeave it to Beaver. If he adds,Aw shucks, I’m out.
Mentally. Since he’s essentially holding me captive.
“This must really be frustrating.” He chuckles, like a hot, deranged serial killer—that’s a tad dramatic, but my tongue is cemented to an erect, pulsing penis ladder, so I get a damn free pass. “Not being able to talk back,” he continues his taunt. “Maybe I’m not in such a hurry to remove my dick from your heavenly mouth.”
Narrowing my eyes in challenge, I swallow harder than I did a few minutes ago, and a breathless shudder leaves him.
His eyelids flutter closed, and his jaw twitches. “Message received.”
I roll my shoulders back in a badass-bitch move that really doesn’t apply to this situation, but I’m owning it anyway.
