Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
He scowled. “There you go again.” He stepped close, wedging his hips between my legs. He still had his hands on my waist, refusing to give me any space. “But don’t worry. We’ll get there.”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing more to tell.”
This time he chuckled, his arms sliding around me as he pulled me more firmly against him. My whole body threatened to go up in flames. God, in another life… Yeah. If I’d met Bear even two months ago, when I’d first met Apple, I might have given him whatever he wanted if I could be in this position, with him touching me and his body so very close.
“I can tell when you lie. Like I said. You ain’t worth a shit at it.” He spoke softly, almost gently.
The next thing I knew, Bear’s lips were pressed gently to mine. Teasing. Coaxing. Tempting. I couldn’t prevent the whimper that escaped. I clutched his shirt, fisting the material tightly to ground myself. This man could very easily take me over and get around my defenses. I had to be very careful. But how the hell could I be careful when I’d never experienced anything like this in my life?
“You feel it too,” he whispered against my lips. “Don’t you.” It wasn’t really a question. Bear knew how he affected me. Had likely planned this exact situation to get me to lower my inhibitions and surrender to him. Which I could never do. If I did, I’d lose the only family I had left, and probably my life as well.
Even knowing what was at stake, I couldn’t pull away from that kiss. His hand slid through my hair, bunching the strands in his fist and angling my head where he wanted me. God help me, I didn’t even try to fight him.
He nipped my bottom lip, and I opened on a gasp, edging my legs wider around his hips. Bear growled his approval and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth with a wicked flick. I welcomed him, soaked up the attention, even knowing this was all designed to get my compliance. He wanted my secrets and was willing to do anything at his disposal to get what he wanted. Including using my body against me.
It should have been easy to push away from him knowing he was just one more person trying to manipulate me into doing something I didn’t want to do. But, giving up the pleasure he effortlessly created inside me, and the closeness I felt from that intimate kiss, was the hardest thing I’d done in my life to this point.
I ducked my head, breaking the kiss and immediately felt the loss. Instead of letting me go, however, Bear pressed his forehead to mine. It was then I realized he was breathing just as hard as I was.
“Tell me you don’t feel it too,” he dared. “Because I don’t think you can lie about this. Not even to yourself.”
“I may be attracted to you, but that doesn’t mean I trust you.”
His low chuckle vibrated through me, sending a shudder racing down my spine.
“Ain’t askin’ for your trust, sweetheart. You’re gonna give it to me. Willingly.”
“You’re delusional,” I scoffed, but I couldn’t hide the way my voice trembled or the way my nipples peaked against my T-shirt.
Bear looked amused. “Probably. But I stand by my opinion. I’ll get you there.”
With a slow, deliberate movement, Bear stepped back away from me. That dark stare of his was molten, burning me from the inside out. Then he turned and strode out of the room. His footsteps weren’t heavy, but I heard him move out of my bedroom and across the hall to his own. My heart pounded and my whole body tingled.
Yeah. I’d been right. I was so fucked.
Chapter Four
Bear
That kiss was a mistake. Probably the biggest mistake I’d made in my life. That kiss sealed my fate for good or ill. Olivia was lying her ass off. She was bringing something bad to the club and refused to say what. Which meant she’d have to be dealt with. Which meant… shit just got real.
I took several deep breaths as I sat on the bed. I needed to get a fucking grip. Now. Pulling out my phone, I shot off a text to Rocket. He was my oldest friend, the reason I was here in the first Goddamned place instead of in an unmarked grave or some shit in a little country on the other side of the world.
Me: Gonna need this whole thing expedited.
Rocket: Figured. Calling you now.
Seconds later my phone rang.
“Byte says one of the guys following her was your handler in Libya.” There was a pause while Rocket let that sink in. All I could do was gasp in a breath. “Yeah. Thought you might want to know that. What do you want to do?”