Treachery

“Tell me why I shouldn’t hate you forever for what you did to me.”

At that, his eyes snap up, and he drops his fork to his plate with a loud clatter.

I still in place when he rounds the island to walk to me, his head tilting just slightly as that arrogant grin I both love and hate stretches his lips apart.

Bracing his palms against the counter on either side of me, he cages me in place, careful not to touch me as I turn in my seat to look back at him.

“I think we both know at this point that neither of us feel hate when we’re around each other. A

“You did some really shitty things,” I remind him, barely able to handle how close he is, how good he smells, the way my body burns as his eyes study every inch of my exposed skin.

“I did. And I can’t apologize for it. Not fully. I did what had to be done at the time I did it.”

“So then why shouldn’t I hate you?”

He blinks, the dark line of his lashes brushing over his skin before his green eyes meet mine and hold me in place.”

“Because I don’t hate you. Quite the opposite, actually. You’ve somehow wormed your way into the group and become another member of my family. I protect what’s mine, Luca.”

“I’m not yours.”

He grins, his voice so low and sultry that goose bumps race over my skin. “You’re mine. Even if you don’t know it yet.”

Swallowing down the knot in my throat, I round my shoulders and tilt my chin. “I’m still angry at you. Fucking pissed.”

Ta

He kisses me then, one hand releasing the counter as he traps my face with his palm, and his tongue slides into my mouth.

My heart is racing beneath my ribs, my body battling with my mind because this man kisses like he fucks. He moves like a predator made just for this, one touch and he blows your mind until you can’t see straight.

Heat blooms between my legs, my thighs clenching together because all I want is to let him take what he wants without worry of what it will do to me.

But I’m stronger than that.

At least, right now I am.

Pulling away from him, I meet his stare, fighting like hell to ignore the want behind eyes the color of a forest at midnight.

“You’ll have to do more than that to make me want you again.”

I hate how breathless my voice sounds.

Another arrogant grin. “I plan to frustrate the hell out of you until you’re begging for my cock. There’s nowhere you can go where I won’t get to you. I’m a wicked tease when I need to be.”

I don’t doubt it.

He’s had years to hone his skills.

But it won’t happen.

Even if I’m having trouble believing that at the moment.

Smiling sweetly, I lower my voice to a soft purr.

“Thankfully for me, you have an excellent shower with those low showerheads. A girl can have a good time in there if she stands the right way.”

Soft laughter shakes his shoulders. “Well, if that’s all you need, then you might want to do some laundry as well. I’ve heard amazing things about the spin cycle.”

He winks at me, and my breath catches in my lungs.

“I might just take you up on that offer.”

“Good to know,” he whispers.

Needing to get away from him as fast as possible, I jump down from my seat and walk away.

He calls out to me as I walk through the door.

“I’ll have you again, Luca Bailey. You might as well get used to that fact now. And after I’m done splaying your legs open and devouring you whole, I have no plans on ever letting you go.”

That’s not a smile on my face as I run off to retreat upstairs.

Definitely not.

And I swear that’s not an odd pulse in my heart that’s beating like a lovesick bu

Because only a stupid woman would feel that way for a man like Ta

And I am anything but stupid.