Page 11 of Liar

WasBritish. His mother is dead.

“And no.”

“No?”

“In the end, he’s incapable of caring for anyone or anything besides business. Best keep that in mind.”

I swallow hard, sensing he’s going to help me. Instead of thank you, I blurt out a different question, one I should have asked earlier. Because it’s obvious he knows his boss well, almost too well. And they’re both foreigners from Europe, Spain and Italy.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“What’s yours?”

I frown at him for not answering me. “Luciana.”

He uncurls from the couch and as the cushion sinks beneath his weight, I’m pitched sideways and into him. By the time I’ve regained my balance, he’s moved so his palm cups my cheek, and his lips are a few inches from my own. “Luciana. Beautiful, naïve Luciana.”

I remove his hand from my cheek, then like the piranha I am, promptly give him a not-so-innocent bite on his fingertip. “Young, but no one’s fool.”

His eyes flash as he leans in, close enough where I’m tempted to run my tongue across his lips. Time seems to pause. Is he going to kiss me?

Then he does, lightly, gently, and on the crook of my mouth.

I turn into the kiss, wanting to taste him fully on my lips.

“Too young for the likes of me,” his whispered words caress the place where dimples would be if I had dimples. He abruptly withdraws then stands and stalks to the door.

Me.

Him.

The truth knocks me back onto the sofa cushions. Diego lied to me. The Bastard isn’t ugly. Or ruthless and without pity. I should have known my brother would exaggerate the truth. Words are words, after all. It’s a person’s actions that define them. And despite his vague warnings, despite his hang-up about my age, Hayden’s helping me.

He unlocks the small fortress of locks securing the steel door to its frame and swings it open.

“Gather six men. Pronto.”

My mouth gapes open. That authoritative tone, deep and full of gravel is all the confirmation I need.

ElBastardo.

Andhe’sbeautiful.

His men assemble outside the door within seconds. Men must surround the house for this to happen so quickly.

“Find out if her brother has killed Arturo. Then bring him back with you.”

“Bring back Diego Murillo de Romero,” I hastily add.

“You heard her?”

The men must have nodded because the next thing I hear is him barking out the word, “Go!”

The door slams shut.

Thisgorgeousmanishim?

“Is your brother as loyal as you?”