REED
Motherfucking phone.
I had her. I fuckinghadher.
A confession was on the tip of her pretty pink tongue. She was mere moments from telling me everything. Or kissing me. Either would have been acceptable. Both would have been even better.
It’s been a while since I’ve been alone with Lila, and I forgot how powerful my attraction to her was.
Rather . . . how powerful itis.
I’ll admit that I lost control. I let my desire mingle a bit too potently with my need to manipulate the truth out of her.
In the casino, it’s easier to avoid lusting over her. All the other temptations at that place battle for top billing in my mind. She’s one of them, but not as insistent as the others. Of course, I still notice how stunning she is each time I see her. You’d be hard-pressed to find a man who doesn’t take note of that.
Lila has curves that go on for days. Hips begging for my hands. An ass ripe for squeezing. That glossy hair. Those full lips. And that radiant fucking smile.
She’s a damn siren.
Yet resisting the draw is easier in the bright lights and clamor of the casino.
Here, though? Alone with her? Forget it.
Something primal sparked to life inside of me as soon as I saw her in the living room. Arousal detonated around us. Just like it did on the night of my father’s funeral.
I shouldn’t have trusted her that night.
And I shouldn’t now.
However, something’s different about her this time. Not only are her walls up like never before, but there’s pain shining in her eyes, tainting their vibrancy. Like something inside her is fractured. I recognize it because it’s so familiar.
It makes me wonder if she’s always been this way, or if it’s a new thing.
If it isn’t a fresh wound, then she’s damn good at hiding it. Unlike whatever’s happening with my sister and the man from the casino—Elliot Riddick. She’s transparent as glass about that shit.
We identified that piece of shit felon through facial recognition from the million cameras in the casino. Although he has a significant criminal history as part of the STK gang, there isn’t evidence of any recent criminal activity. I can’t bring him in for an interrogation based on a hunch.
Once I find out what Lila knows about him, I should be able to connect the dots. And since her ex-boyfriend obviously knows him, there’s no way she’s as innocent as she claims to be.
That Silas is bad news, if that’s even his real name. Despite the clear photo, we didn’t get any hits on facial rec for him, which was the first red flag. His background is beyond sketchy. There’s barely anything on him. Like he didn’t exist until a year ago. All we know is he’s involved insomething.
Lila holds the key to unlocking the truth.
Despite our absurd chemistry, I won’t let my guard down with her.
Never again.
As soon as she swipes her phone screen and puts it to her ear, she scurries down the hall, leaving me in the kitchen with nothing but my racing thoughts. By the time I make it to her bedroom, she’s already locked the door.
Well, she can’t stay in there forever. I’ve got time to kill and patience to spare.
Fortunately, Lila doesn’t make me wait long.
She comes barreling out of her room, brushing past me like I’m nothing more than a gnat.
Naturally, my eyes catch on her tempting ass as she races toward the living room.
Huh. Said ass is covered with tight denim instead of the loose cotton pajama shorts she was wearing earlier. Not sure which I like the most.
