Page 28 of Bit's Bliss

“Cat eyes?” he asked, confirming my first thought.

“Like Grogan’s.”

“What’s the ex’s name?”

“Tiernan Burke, and coincidentally, it’s the same last name of the woman who Malcolm’s been dating.”

“There are no coincidences, young Avila. Haven’t I taught you that much?”

“Yes, sir,” I responded. While I’d never been in the military, Deck’s tone was enough like that of a commander that my response was automatic.

“Anything else you want me to look into?”

“The Wine Consortium’s financials as well as if Tiernan Burke is on their payroll.”

“You got it. I’ll be in touch when I know something. Oh, hang on. Are you getting thecaballerosinvolved in this?” Ashford was one of the few outside of the organization who knew about the secret society.

“I plan to.”

“The sooner, the better.”

“Gotcha.”

I hung up and heard the water shut off. Seeing Eberly’s wet and naked body proved to be something I couldn’t resist.

I snatched the towel she had in her hand as soon as I walked in the bathroom door. “Let me look at you,” I said when she tried to cover herself. “Drop your arms.”

She was so damn hot I momentarily considered stripping out of my clothes, carrying her to the bed, and spending the rest of the day fucking her senseless. Instead, I told her to turn around and took a good, long look at the curve of her spine and the dimples that drewmy eye down to her delectable ass. Before I gave into temptation, I stepped forward and wrapped her in the plush terry cloth.

When she grabbed my hand and tucked it inside to cover her breast, I knew it would be a long, long time before I got my fill of Eberly Warwick. In fact, it might take the rest of my life.

I used the towel to dry her off and, when I knelt to do the back of her legs and her feet, couldn’t resist leaning forward to nip her ass cheek.

Eberly giggled, and I stood and spun her around to face me.

“If you don’t get yourself dressed in the next two minutes, it’ll be hours before I’ll be willing to let you put on a stitch of clothes.”

When she scampered away, I called out to her. “What was that, Eberly? I couldn’t hear you.”

She looked over her shoulder. “Yes, sir.”

10

EBERLY

Rather than go in with me when I spoke to the bank manager, Trevino waited in the lobby, and I appreciated it. As he’d said, my family’s finances weren’t his business. If I had questions once the meeting was over, he offered his support.

My father would’ve insisted on handling it himself, which now caused concern. I couldn’t say what Tiernan might’ve done, but no doubt, he’d make my problems his business whether I asked him to or not.

The banker’s solution for halting foreclosure on the house was to bring the loan current. All it required was that I come up with two million dollars to do so.

“My understanding is the house was paid off years ago,” I said.

“It was, but you and your father used it as collateral for a rather large loan, which he defaulted on.”

“He may have, but I did no such thing,” I informed him. “My name is also on the deed.”

“Your signature is on the loan documents.”