Page 35 of Tangled Lies

My heart pounded away in my chest, running a race I didn’t know I was in.

“Red?”

He didn’t say anything, just studied me. A thought popped into my mind. Me in dresses my uncle would never approve of, letting men he would hate touch me.

“I wonder if my uncle is going crazy right now?” I hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but it put a smile on my face anyway.

When Jett didn’t move, I attempted to push him away.

“Alright, pretty boy. Pick a dress so I can get to this party and be whatever it is you all need.”

He spun me around but didn’t let go. His fingers traced my spine to the zipper of the dress. Slowly he pulled it down, and I shivered at his touch. He backed away, letting me move as I held up the dress in mock modesty. I glanced over my shoulder before retreating into the bathroom.

“And I mean whatever you guys need.” I sighed and finished my thought under my breath. “Which apparently isn’t a friend with benefits.”

I hadn’t meant for that to sound so bitter, but when my heart thudded in my chest, I realized something had changed in me. But what did that mean?

“Wait a minute. No one ever said I didn’t want friends with benefits,” Jett said. He moved faster than I could even remember saying the words aloud.

“But you, Margaux? You’re different. When I kiss you, you’ll beg me for it. You’ll lean into it. You won’t close your eyes like a scared little mouse who’s been cornered. You’ll come to me.”

I should know this game. Men sweet-talked women, but honestly? I’d never been on the receiving end. The men that my uncle kept around, the ones at parties, auctions, high-profile weddings, business networking events, they all assumed if you were a woman you should want them.

He pulled away and smiled. And this time when I took a deep breath, it didn’t ache.

He picked up the red dress, one I’d tried on three outfits ago, and held it up.

“Wear this one. At least we won’t have any issues finding you in the crowd, plus you looked hot. Ronnie might blow his lid, but ignore him.”

I took it from him. “Ronnie?”

“Ronan. He fucking hates it, but I’ve called him Ronnie since we were kids, and he deals with it cause it’s me. Still, he’ll hatethis dress because you look fucking gorgeous.” He winked at me, and I shifted to go back into the bathroom.

“Oh and, Margaux, the shopper sent some shoes over. That choice is all up to you babe. My expertise stops at asses and boobs in a dress and what it will look like on my floor.”

I paused.

“What?”

The man could go from immature asshole to extremely tempting in a matter of seconds, all with a simple twist of his lips.

“Where else would you toss it when I undress you?”

My mouth had to have dropped open. I was speechless. Instead of figuring out what to say, I hid the grin behind the red fabric in my arms and ran for the bathroom, slamming the door behind me just to open it a crack.

“Jett, I assumed it would be Ronan's floor first.”

And this time when I slammed it, it stayed closed, but it did nothing to block out the moan I heard from the other side.

I leaned against the door and tried to control whatever was happening with my heart right now.

I slipped the dress on and watched myself in the mirror.

Stand out in a crowd. This was a first. Would they be watching me? Would they keep me from my uncle?

I stepped out of the ensuite looking for Jett. I almost hated disturbing how peaceful he looked laying on his bed, scrolling through his phone. It looked so normal I cleared my throat.

“Jett?” I asked.