“Sit.” He drops my bag down onto his desk before he plucks me off my feet like a doll and places me in his giant chair. My feet never meet the ground. “Don’t move.” The snarky response I had on the tip of my tongue dies, and I swallow hard. He’s bossy, and for some reason. it’s hot.
He’s the enemy, I remind myself, and I will not allow him to seduce me with his manliness. Not to mention that one dimple he’s got in his left cheek. If he ever fully smiled, would one appear in the right cheek too?
“Of fucking course,” he mutters when he finds something. I try to lean forward to see what he’s looking for, but I’m not paying attention.
“Ah!” I let out a small scream when I fall off the chair, but Ari is quick to catch me.
“I thought I told you not to move.” He sounds annoyed as he plops me down in the chair again.
“You’re not the boss of me.” I fold my arms over my chest. Why can’t I stop trying to push this man’s buttons? When I looked up the Reins Detective Agency, his picture along with his two brothers was on there. From the looks of it, he’s the oldest and the hottest.
“I think right now I’m very much the boss of you.” He gives me a stern glare, and although I think it’s meant to scare me, my body is not having the correct reactions. Ari is firm and direct, and it’s different than I’m used to.
“Whatever shall you do with me?” I lean back in the chair, letting my legs swing back and forth. This is going to play out one of two ways: Ari is going to let me go or call the police.
From what I could find on the Reins Detective Agency, they seem completely by the book, but you never know. Even if they are, it doesn't mean they don’t have something on my father. I don’t think my dad has any dark secrets, but I could be wrong. His judgment at one time was horrible because he married my mom, but then I guess he got me, so that could be a small plus.
I can’t read his expression to try and make a guess, and I also can’t make a run for it. He has my ID in his hand, which was a rookie move. Why the hell did I bring my ID? At least I turned off my phone. I’ve learned that much from crime shows.
“You’re a Delanito.” He cocks his head to the side, and I'm sure it’s to measure me up against my mother.
I might have some of her features and coloring, but I didn’t get her body. She’s got curves in all the right places with legs that go on forever. I’ve got small features and no ass or boobs to speak of. I’m sure it’s why Ari was surprised when he realized I was a girl and not a young boy.
“I am.” I might not be proud to be my mother’s child, but I am proud to be my dad’s. “I want everything you have on my dad.”
“You do realize I’m the one holding all the cards.”
I let out a sigh and drop my shoulders.
“Besides, not all the information is here. If you want, I could take you to it.”
This sounds like a trap.
I’ve never been good at avoiding them, so why start now?
Chapter Four
ARI
I glance down at her student ID so that I don’t keep staring at her. My god, how am I supposed to concentrate with eyes like that? It’s like she’s seeing straight through to my soul, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. When she looks at me, it’s like I want to tell her every secret I’ve ever had and then confess that I was the one that put the dent on the side of the garage when I was in fourth grade.
“Says here you’re a student.” I tap the ID on my palm and damn it, I have to look at her again. “What are you doing in the city?”
“I’m on spring break. What, is that illegal now too?”
“You mean on top of breaking and entering?” She huffs, and although she’s trying to be tough, all I can think about is how goddamn cute she is when she’s angry. “Listen, Sadie Delanito, you want the goods, you better start talking.”
She makes a little growling noise that sounds more like a wet kitten than a tiger, but the thought of her kitty being wet is too distracting, and I have to focus.
“I’m here for the week.” She doesn’t explain further, and I can see that I’m going to have to ask the right questions.
“Are you parked here in the garage?”
“Maybe. Are you going to try and steal my car?”
I have to lower my head to hide my grin. “Aren’t you forgetting you’re the thief?”
“Damn it,” she whispers to herself. “Okay fine, yes I’m parked here. Enough with the interrogation.”
