Page 30 of Cunning Lies

I feel safe with Kenzo, even if he is from the mafia.

He grins down at me, like every bone in his body is full of amusement.

“Where’d my shy girl go?” he teases. “You like keeping a man on his toes, Vi?”

“I like a lot of things,” I say, shrinking behind my shoulders.

“Tell me, then,” he says. He pins me against the railing, caging me inside of his arms. “What does my littlevirginlike?”

Instead of answering, I take a long swig of whisky, letting it burn my throat. He said the word ‘virgin’ like heknowsI’m not one. It’s a warning. A signal that I should abort the mission rightnow.

But I don’t. I lick the whisky off of my lips. His eyes follow my tongue.

“I think you’re a very bad man,” I say.

“But what are you, Vivian?” he asks. “Are you a good girl like your uncle claims you to be?”

My full name on his tongue should annoy me, but it lights a fire inside of me. He presses his body against mine, and every thought melts away. A chill runs through me. The only way I have to go is down, past the railing, falling to my death, and we both know it. He has me trapped.

But maybe I like it this way.

I bite my bottom lip, lowering my eyes to the buttons on his shirt. But this behavior isn’t me. I know who I am. I know what I’m worth.

I look him straight in the eyes, and a low growl bellows from his throat.

“I have a few rules I live by,” he says. “You can lie to anyone in the world, but you don’t lie to your family. Even as a kid, I told my parents when I left Los Angeles that I wasn’t coming back. I kept to my word.”

My heart aches for his parents, but I don’t say that. “Tomo isn’t your dad?” I ask.

“Not by blood.”

Everything clicks into place; maybethat’swhy I’m drawn to Kenzo. I have no idea when Kenzo joined up with Tomo, but that means we were both raised by people that aren’t our biological parents. His eyes trace me like he’s taunting me, like he wants to see if I will question his loyalty to Tomo and the Endo-kai, but I don’t. I’ve done so many terrible things for Uncle Jay and Patrick; why would I question what Kenzo is capable of when it comes to the Endo-kai?

“I’ll be honest with you,” Kenzo says. “I need a date for those events. Nothing more. This,” he flicks a finger between us, “it may not last. But it may be better for you that way. You already know I’m a bad man.” His tongue slithers over his lips. “But I willneverlie to you, Vi. And I expect you to do the same for me.”

My stomach twists in knots. I’m almost positive that coming clean and telling him I’m actually pretty experienced in bed—at least if I’ve got alcohol in my system—will make him like memore,but then he’ll know Uncle Jay was lying, and our entire plan will unravel.

Does he think I’m lying?

“What makes you think I’m not telling the truth?” I whisper.

“Tell me your truth.”

My pupils dilate, and a growl rumbles through Kenzo’s chest. His cock twitches against me and he presses our bodies together. I go to grip the railing, but he’s so close that I grab his hands instead. He’s warm. Rigid. Every nerve ending jumps at that physical contact, but I keep my hands there, on top of his.

Maybe he’s asking me to trust him. To believe him when he says he’ll keep me safe. And I want that so badly. Maybe it makes me sad, or even pathetic, but a home is what I’ve always wanted.

Safety. Stability. Love.

But marrying a man from the yakuza doesn’t mean any of that.

Kenzo lifts his hands from the railing, letting me out of his cage. My head spins—I’m not sure if I’m lightheaded from him or the booze. He sits in a deep cushioned wicker seat. It’s big enough for two people, but his legs are spread like hewantsto take up space. Every heartbeat vibrates through my fingers.

“Come fuck me,” he orders.

I flush from head to toe. No one has ever said something like that to me before.

“Right now?” I ask.