“I didn’t think you’d pull it off.”
Brenden’s voice makes me jump. He’s standing at the mouth of a nearby alley watching with hooded eyes. He doesn’t seem happy.
A flutter runs through my stomach.
“You should’ve had more faith then. Are you im—“ He turns and walks away before I can finish, disappearing into the gloom behind him. “Hey! Wait a second!”
I hurry after my husband. Why the hell is he storming off like that? When I won his stupid game?
He’s up ahead, paused halfway down tucked against a closed metal door. I approach, annoyed he dragged me in here for no reason. It smells like stagnant water and fresh trash.
“You should be pinning a medal on my chest for that performance,” I tell him angrily, stopping a few feet away. “Seriously, I demolished your stupid little test. You really thought that would be hard?”
“I thought you’d struggle.”
“Why? All I had to do was get one name. What were you even doing in there, anyway?”
He holds out a fist. It’s clenched around something. “Come get your prize and find out.”
The way he says it doesn’t make me feel good.
I sense a trap, but I don’t know what sort. Brenden’s not going to hurt me. I did everything he asked, and I think I did it very well. I got the bartender’s name without being suspicious about it. If Justin remembers me when his shift is over, he’ll remember my alter-ego, Annie the CPA.
It worked flawlessly. So why does he look upset?
I tentatively move closer. “What kind of prize are we talking about?”
“Something for you.” He remains still, drawing me nearer. I reach my hand to him, palm up.
He drops a simple metal bottle opener into my hand.
“What’s this?”
“It’s what I took.”
I’m about to inspect it when he catches my wrist. I yelp in surprise as he drags me toward him, turning in one smooth motion to pin me against the door. It thuds with a dull boom and rust flutters around me like snowflakes. His mouth is inches from mine, his lips pulled back into a pained snarl.
“What the hell?!” I gasp the words, struggling against him, but he’s got me immobile. His massive body pins me, his thigh between my legs, his hands gripping my wrists and holding them above my head. I’m breathing fast, my breasts rising and falling against him, and my stomach does another lurch, this time with a mixture of fear and lust.
I love it when he’s this close.
But he scares the heck out of me.
“You did what I asked, darling wife, but you did it all wrong.”
I lift my chin and struggle to hold on to some measure of defiance. “You never gave me any rules.”
“You flirted with him.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “So what?!”
“You’remy wife, and you flirted with some worthless bartender.”
“Is that why you’re upset? You’re mad because I used what’s available?”
His jaw works as his lips move closer to my throat. He brushes them against the soft, sensitive skin of my neck as he shifts his mouth to my ear. I bite my lip to keep from moaning.
“Yes, wife, that’s exactly why I’m angry. You’remine.”
