Page 119 of Positively Pricked

He was one ofthoseguys – charming before and a prick after.

As a relationship type of girl, I'd never experienced that particular dynamic, but I'd heard plenty from my more adventurous friends.

I couldn't help but think of Tiffany. During our impromptu lunch date however many weeks ago, she'd mentioned that she was meeting up with Zane later on that same night.

At a hotel.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what they'd been doing.

And now, how was Zane treating her?

Badly.

Shove off?

At the time, it seemed rude enough, but now that I thought about it, it was more than rude. It was heartless.

And yet, it was exactly what Ishould'veexpected from the same guy who'd gotten me fired, who'd kicked his cousin out of his family home, and who'd given me way too much grief already.

I gave a little shake of my head. To think, I'd almost fallen under his spell.

Idiot.

Not him.

Me.

I felt my gaze narrow as I eyed him across the table. Oh sure, he was gorgeous. And rich. And sexy as hell. But inside, he was as cold as they came.

Nothingeverruffled him, and it was easy to see why.

It was because hehadno heart. And if he'd ever had a soul? Well, he'd probably sold it southward a long time ago.

As if reading something in my eyes, Zane's expression darkened, and an icy chill settled over the table. After a long, intense moment, he said in a low voice, "Whatever you're thinking, you're about to be proven right."

I felt my eyebrows furrow. Was that a warning? It sure sounded like a warning.

What was he truly telling me? That he'd seen the way I was looking at him? That he was getting ready to make his move? That I wouldn't be spared from his usual charm-them, fuck-them, dump-them routine?

Talk about arrogant.

I made a scoffing sound. "That's whatyouthink."

Suddenly, I didn't care how sexy he was, or how utterly mesmerized I'd been for those few brief moments. I was no longer charmed. And, whatever he'd been anticipating, it wasn't going to happen, not that he'd outright asked.

But still, a girl knows, right?

His gaze shifted to the view outside, and for the briefest instant, I saw an expression that looked an awful lot like regret.

I gave a mental eye-roll. Regret?Oh, please.Probably, his only regret was that he'd bothered to order wine.

With a look of grim resignation, he returned his gaze to mine and said something that, once again, caught me off guard. "I'm sorry."

What was that?Threeapologies? All in one night?

But the truth was, I had no idea what, specifically, he was apologizing for. For being a jerk? Or for making me forget, if only for an instant, that he wasn't a nice person?

Whatever it was, I wanted to make him say it. I said, "For what?"

He looked down and closed his eyes for a long moment before saying, "For what's about to happen."