Page 47 of Betrayal

“You meant vicious when you said ruthless earlier.”

“Yeah.”He brushed the back of his hand down her cheek, relief in his gesture.“You have soft skin for a woman who pretends to be tough.”

“So, what’s the deal?”

“What do you mean, what’s the deal?”Clearly, he was playing for time.

“Did Casildo’s dad decide you were less hostile, and if he had to be humiliated, he’d rather it be you than Nick?”

“Wow.”He huffed out a half laugh.“There’s honesty, then there’s blowing my entire cover.”

“We’re dancing around here, Hunter.There are some fairly high stakes at play.You’re interested in some horizontal tango—"

“Doesn’t have to be horizontal.I’m open to experimentation.”

“And I have certain unbreakable rules.”Anna slid one hand around his back and squeezed his butt.“Rule one—talk first, touch later.”

“You’re confusing me.”

“This is encouragement.”

“You’re a tough negotiator,” he said, when she brought her hand back around his hip to brush the bulge behind his trousers.

“Part of you is happy to say hello.”

“I’m a placeholder.In a few months, I essentially transfer the property back to the Hariri family and recoup costs.”

“Won’t Nick guess what you’ve been up to?”

“He might.But it’ll be too late.”

Her caress was a little bolder, making him suck in a swift breath.

“Do that again.Sweet heaven.”

Anna repeated the action, her pressure a little firmer.“How did my lease get caught in all of this?”

“Collateral damage.”He groaned.“If Casildo’s dad signed a new lease just as I made my offer, it would look dodgy.The managing agent was overzealous, claimed you weren’t really serious.”

“Your ‘father and son, two peas in a pod’ reputation—where did that come from?”

“I bought a building.”He sighed.“Didn’t even know Nick was interested.Some up-and-coming business blogger called Bizgos wrote it up as a competition.Then I did it a second time.”

“Andcoincidences like buying businesses your father might have an interest in is impossible.”Anna moved her hand back to his butt, her squeeze nudging him closer to her.

“Well, I may have been approached by someone being threatened by Nick.Nick fed Bizgos the story he wanted published, then it gained a life of its own.It was complicated by the fact Nick approached me to become a junior partner in his business.”

“You refused, when you were supposed to be pathetically grateful to be part of his orbit.”Anna put the puzzle pieces together.She gave a little wiggle against his crotch, pleased when he went rock hard.

“He lives in his own reality.”

“I know the type.”She scrunched up her forehead.

“That blogger doesn’t understand Nick’s brand of insecurity.My refusal to deal triggered payback, so the third story was about The Hariri.The blogger is accepting Nick’s insider gossip as gospel.”

“I’m going to require serious compensation.”Ending her caress, Anna wrapped both hands around his neck, pulling herself into his body.

“A longer lease, a reduced rent, anything,” he muttered.