Page 12 of Built for Mercy
He shrugged. “I could, but having someone not in my inner circle handle it will cause less issues all around. I’m not really into rocking the boat.”
This opportunity seemed almost too perfect. I get answers, closure, and the chance to avenge my father’s death while Maverick benefits from someone else offing this guy? Not like I was priding myself on being a cold-blooded murderer, but I could do it. And I was confident Maverick could help me get away with it, too.
“Can I—can I think about it?” I asked hesitantly.
His gaze lingered on the folder in my hands. “If you leave here without taking the deal, it’s off the table.”
I bristled. “What? Why?”
“Because I have a narrow window of opportunity to handle these matters. If I miss it, I have to wait until he fucks up again. God knows how long that’ll be.”
“I just—” I shook my head. “I can’t give you an answer right now. I mean, it’s abigask, Maverick. I’d have to literally get away with murder, which isn’t exactly my area of expertise, and that’s if I even go through with it. Cop or not—you said it yourself—it’s not my jurisdiction, which takes the ease of him being a threat to me on the job out of the equation. There’s no guarantee that I won’t get caught or face consequences.”
His unwavering eye contact made my blood heat. On one hand, he was offering a chance to take down a dangerous criminal. But on the other hand, he was asking me to become a killer and betray everything I was supposed to stand for as a cop.Corruption.And yet, despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. To this opportunity. He had an uncanny ability to see through me. Part of me wanted to walk away, but another part couldn’t resist the temptation.
“You’re right. It’s not the right time.” He grabbed the folder and set it on the end table next to him. “That is all, Detective.”
His sudden dismissal stung, and whatever I may have felt when we entered the room disappeared like a vapor in the wind. I didn’t want our conversation to be over. Part of melikedtalking to him. Liked how he saw a different side of me without trying to change me, how he challenged me and gave me attention. Maybe liked that little bit of praise he'd given me earlier.
I rose to my feet, but my heel caught on the edge of the rug under the coffee table. I toppled sideways… right onto him.
It all happened so fast—one second, my shaky legs gave out, and the next, I was tumbling forward. Maverick’s hands shot out, catching me just as I lost my balance, but the force sent me crashing into him. A sharp inhale. A shift. Suddenly, I was in hislap, my knees bracketing his thighs as his grip tightened around my arms. My hands splayed over his shoulders, my breath stalling as I reared back, wide-eyed, heat licking up my spine.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to,” I muttered, moving to let go of him—only to freeze when that same pained look from earlier flickered across his face. His grip twitched, his eyes flickering downward, lingering. A breeze skimmed over my skin, cool against the heat flooding my face. Something felt… off.
Then I felt it—the loose strap of my dress, already sliding down my shoulder when I fell, had slipped completely, the soft fabric pooling against my ribs. My breath hitched as I followed his gaze and—sweet fuck—my left tit was fully out. Nipple tight enough to cut diamonds, my black heart piercing glittering under the light above like a goddamn spotlight.
Mortification hit me like a freight train.
I half gasped, half shrieked, but before I could yank my dress back into position, Maverick’s hand slid up my arm and gently placed the thin strap back on my shoulder. His touch was gentle, even with calloused fingertips, as if he was trying to avoid too much contact.
Ever the fucking gentleman.
He cleared his throat before meeting my eyes again. “No problem.”
We stayed like that, neither of us in a rush to break the moment, no matter how uncomfortable it was. I felt his erection harden beneath me, and suddenly I was extremely aware of the fact that I was sitting in a very attractive man’s lap.
I couldn’t move, couldn’t think. My body was on fire, my hands instinctively sliding over his broad shoulders.
“Leave before I make a mistake I can’t take back,” he growled, his voice rough.
“Why would you want to take it back?” I breathed, teasing the hair at the nape of his neck with my fingertips, my hips rolling over his cock.
Maverick’s eyes darkened with desire and irritation, his own breath hitching. “My family could end your life if they found out we were involved with each other.”
Fear and lust intertwined in my chest, and I couldn’t resist pressing myself against him even harder. “You’re fucking kidding me,” I groaned.
He shook his head, his large hands gripping my waist possessively. Butterflies erupted in my stomach in response. “Partly.”
“And the other part?”
“I need to know if you’re dangerous.”
This bullshit again? Frustration swirled inside me as my hand reached for the small paring knife strapped to my thigh under my dress. With a swift motion, I pressed it against his throat, watching his lips curve with amusement.
“You keep saying that,” I snarled through gritted teeth. “But you never explain why.”
He observed me with curiosity as my hand tightened around the blade. His heartbeat pounded against the knife, and I could feel the tension in his muscles as he held himself away from me.