Page 93 of Empire State Enemies

I clench my teeth, trying to rein in my conflicting emotions. “Listen, nobody’s coming after you or your family. I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to you.”

This isn’t how I envisioned this confrontation going. I thought I’d be basking in catching my thief red-handed.

How the hell did I end up the bad guy again?

“No, you’ll go after Deano, and then he’ll know it was me,” she panics.

I let out a sharp breath. “I promise, I’ll keep you and your family safe. You have my word.”

Her frantic eyes search my face, looking for some hidden agenda. “Are you playing me? Acting nice just to draw me in and rat me out?”

“For fuck’s sake, no,” I snap, the accusation striking a raw nerve.

Suddenly, she’s right up in my face, fury blazing in those mesmerizing eyes. “I know what you think of me, Connor. I heard every nasty word you said to Mason. That I’m just some thief chasing credit cards and Porsches. In the almighty Connor Quinn’s eyes, I’m just another gold-digging whore, right?”

Fuck. I’m a colossal asshole.

“Lexi, that was all a load of crap. I didn’t mean a single word of it.”

“Sure you didn’t,” she fires back, disbelief written all over her face.

“I swear, I meant none of it,” I stress, desperate for her to believe me.

“So why the hell say it?”

I lock eyes with her. “I ran my mouth to Mason to make him back off. It was a dumbass move, completely out of line.”

At her bewildered look, I add gruffly, “Couldn’t stomach the thought of him getting his hands on you.”

Her “Why?” is barely a whisper.

Why indeed?

Because you’re fucking mine.

Mine to fight with, to taunt, to hate.

I don’t share what’s mine.

And I sure as hell won’t share you with anyone.

“Do I really have to spell it out for you?” I give a cynical laugh. “For the same idiotic reason I let you believe I spent the night with Willow, just to watch you spit fire at me. Believe it or not, Lexi, you’ve become the sole bright spot in my bleak fuckingdays lately. Our fiery little arguments are what I look forward to.”

It’s not even the Macallan talking. This nonsense is spewing out of my mouth like it’s god’s honest truth. Raw and real.

She gears up to sling another sharp retort, but I’m done with the back-and-forth.

Without hesitating, I grab her face and crush my lips against hers, pouring every ounce of frustration, desire, and all the things I can’t say into that red-hot kiss.

TWENTY-FIVE

Connor

Our lips collide with an intense heat, enough to make the whole damn building catch fire. Her nails dig into my shirt, tearing at it like she’s trying to strip me bare.

In this moment, it’s just us. No bullshit, no lies, no hidden agendas.

Just pure, unadulterated lust for each other. And damn, she’s responding to me with everything she’s got.