Page 59 of Forbidden

“I was just doing my job, Layla. That’s it.”

So I was correct when I thought he lived up to his father. To be an enforcer you have to get your hands bloody. I took my eyes off the patch and looked him in the eye.

He was so much bigger than me. Stronger. Scarier. These things should have intimidated me. But for some reason, I wasn’t. I wasn’t intimidated. If anything, I felt safe. Which was the only reason I wasn’t pushing past him and leaving.

He was doing his job, which meant he wasn’t being with me because he wanted to. Good. That meant whatever spark we had between us was dead.

“I think I should go. In order for you to do your job. You should be directing those questions at Cyrus. Not me.” That was a level-headed decision. “I’m all numbers. That’s it. If you think you have a threat, take it up with Cyrus.”

“Why did you call him Cyrus and not Dad?”

I didn’t even realize I had done it. Maybe because Rex had been floating in my head tonight. I swallowed. I was not telling him Cyrus was not my real father. “Just to make it clear who we are talking about. Now move, Tyson.” I stepped to the side, which he matched.

“You think our business is over?” He made that sound like the disappointment of his night.

“Yep.”

“Good. You hungry?”

I stared at him. He couldn’t be serious. “Are you bipolar?” Because that would explain his mood toward me.

“If I was, would that make you stay?” He had the nerve to grin at me. He was back to being carefree. Like he didn’t have one worry on his mind. He wasn’t acting like the sergeant at arms now. He was acting like he wanted to spend time with me without being forced to.

Us having tea together wouldn’t fall in the category of work.

“Nope.”

“What can I say to get you to stay?”

“Nothing.”

“I really pissed you off, didn’t I?”

I was glaring at his feet. Yeah he had. It was almost like his life’s mission was to put me in a foul mood.

“Come on. Can’t I coax you with some type of meal?”

I dragged my eyes off his feet and looked him in the eye. “Name one reason why I would stay here willingly.”

I was only here because I had to be. Now that was done, so was my visit.

I was expecting him to realize he was facing a no-win situation. There wasn’t a reason for me to stay. He couldn’t use the ‘as friends’ line because we were not friends. He couldn’t use the ‘for business’ line either because we had finished that. So there was no reason to stay.

It looked like he was coming up with that conclusion, too. I went to step around him. But again,he met my step with a more determined look on his face. I didn’t understand his expression. Suddenly his hands landed on my hips.

Oh my God, he was touching me.

Just don’t touch him back.

He dipped his head. He wasn’t going to do what I thought he was going to do, was he? Just as I thought it, his lips were on mine.

Fuck, he did it.

I kept my lips clamped and stiff. I was not kissing him back. I was not encouraging this.

“Come on darling, kiss me back,” he murmured against my lips, his voice dipping into begging. I didn’t kiss him back and then he bit my bottom lip, forcing my lips to part and he took advantage of it.

His hands went to my hips. As much as I didn’t want to, as much as I knew I shouldn’t, I found myself giving in and I was kissing him back. His tongue moved so perfectly in my mouth. He backed me toward a wall. My back hit the wall at the same time as he lifted me up.