Page 32 of Deceptive Games

“You mean before headmitsto it. Luke keeps a lot of his feelings in check, thanks to Karen.”

“I know, and he takes it out on himself when he can’t contain it anymore,” he sighed, linking his fingers with mine and stroking my thumb with his. “Did he used to suffer from depressive episodes as a kid?”

“His mom put him through hell, so yeah, he’d go through rough patches. Why?”

“It gets bad,” he said softly, finally meeting my gaze. “Some nights I sleep beside him to keep an eye on him. I always have the feeling that one day I’ll wake up and he’ll be gone.”

“You think he’ll run away?”

“I think he’ll do anything to make the world around him go silent when it gets too much.”

Pain speared me in the chest as I stared at him. “You think he’d kill himself?”

“Keep your voice down,” he muttered, but he nodded. “We’ve had a few situations before. He probably won’t like me telling you so much, but I need to know that if I can’t be there for him for some reason that you’ll push your issues aside for a day and be there. It’s not fair to put that on you, but I need him, Rory.”

“Will you tell me if it gets bad?”

“Yeah.” He studied me for a second before speaking again, curiosity in his voice. “Why did you fall in love with me?”

“Your angel eyes were deceitful,” I scowled, intending on pulling away, but he held my hand firmly.

“I’m serious. What did you like about me? I know it wasn’t because I have money, which is a new thing for me. I know we shouldn’t have touched your diary, and maybe my karma is that I have to live without an explanation for your feelings, but I’d like to know.”

My gaze dropped to our joined hands and I released a breath. “You’re too hard on yourself if you don’t think someone could love you. You’re sweet, patient, and thoughtful when you want to be.”

“I’m still cursed to my miserable life of divorce though, right?” he teased, the tone hollow. “I can’t even blame you for saying that. You’re right.”

“I was angry. You broke my heart, Jense,” I sighed, pulling back as he lifted a hand to cup my cheek. Frustration filled his eyes but he didn’t push me, dropping his hand again.

“If I could take it all back and tell Holloway to shove the plan up his ass, I would. You’re not just some game to pass the time, but I fucked it all up. I love you. I wish I’d just said it sooner and grown some fucking balls.”

My body heated from his words, my chest aching with confusion. Part of me was celebrating, but I was also hesitant to believe him. He’d played me before, so he could do it again.

“I think you feel guilty and your feelings are misplaced,” I said firmly, wanting to pat myself on the back for sticking to my guns and not throwing myself at him like an idiot.

“You’re not listening,” he said gently, reaching out and ignoring my scowl as he took my chin in his hand to hold my gaze. “This isn’t a new feeling from the aftermath of what happened. I loved you before it went to shit, and I can’t get you out of my fucking head. I love you,” he repeated, my heart starting to overrule my brain.

“Prove it.”

One second he was staring at me, the next, he was surging forward and claiming my mouth in a bruising kiss. It was rough, passionate, and full of everything he couldn’t put into words.

When I didn’t fight it, he hauled me onto his lap with a groan, my arms going around his shoulders to keep him close.

I didn’t mean to, the whiskey made me do it.

He cursed against my lips as I ground down on him, my fingers ending up in his hair as a frustrated growl left me. An orgasm was close, but I couldn’t quite reach it.

“Can I touch you?” he asked with a groan, and I nodded as he slipped a hand between us and tugged my panties to the side. I’d obviously lost my goddamn mind.

My pussy clenched around him as he pushed a finger inside and started teasing my clit with his thumb, his lips trailing along my jaw and down my throat.

“Fuck, Jense?—”

“What do you need? Faster?”

“Another finger.” He didn’t hesitate to do as I asked, his teeth nipping at my jaw as I rode his hand. My fingers dug into his shoulder and I grabbed his chin with my free hand to force his mouth back to mine.

The orgasm tore through me and I cried out, his fingers continuing to work me until I was a puddle on his lap. Then, he pulled them out of me and popped them into his mouth.