Page 25 of The Deceptions

But it didn’t.

Because she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for.

And now she’s back, haunting me all over again. For five years, I’ve waited and waited for her return. Who can truly walkaway without getting vengeance against the ones who did them wrong?

No one.

I knew she’d be back. But I didn’t know she’d haunt me so soon.

“You're not paying attention to anything I'm saying,” Wilder grunts, waving his hand in front of my face. “Pay attention, Mal. We're here for a reason.”

Right. A reason.

My brows furrow until I find my boxers and pants bunched up in the corner of the bathroom and pull them on.

“I am.” I grin, zipping up my pants. It's bad etiquette to let your dick hang free in the middle of a conversation. Even though he barged in on my personal time. I think her juices are still clinging to my cock.

I'm never washing him again. Not until I get my hands on her again.

Wait a damn minute. Her words from our conversation ring through my mind.

“She said she's leaving. How am I supposed to find her again if she's leaving?” I growl, gritting my teeth, momentarily forgetting what I planted on her.

A tracker.

Something that will help me watch her every move from afar. I’ve waited patiently for her to return. Now, my little ghost won’t be able to slip between my fingers again.

My shoulders ease. Only slightly. Wilder, who wants to lose a hand, stops my movements. I jerk back from his hold, glaring daggers. He sighs and puts his hands up in surrender.

“Mal!” he barks out, looking me up and down. “Focus! And…” He pales slightly, taking in my wild hair and wrinkled clothes like what I did finally caught up to him. “You actually did it,didn't you? Holy shit. You… And her… and…” His head whips back and forth with his lips popped open.

Honestly, I thought my dick hanging out would have been his first clue. Or maybe the satisfaction on my little ghost’s face when she rushed out of here. Or maybe even the stench of sex. Isn’t that all a huge red flag waving in his face?

He’s really losing his edge.

“Careful, you might give yourself whiplash. Do you want all the sordid details, Wild?” I grin again, but it melts from my face. “On second thought, no details.” I can't have him poking around in my newly awakened sex life.

But only with her.

“Mal. You…”

“Gave it up?”

“But…” Wilder shakes his head. He knows all too well that I've never done the deed. I barely tolerate being touched. As to why now? Well, that's my little secret. “I thought you were…” Asexual. Had no interest in either gender? Well, think again. That's what he thought for all these years we’ve been buddies. I've never looked at anyone with sexual interest.

Except her.

“Moving on…” I say, waving a hand. My keeper can't stop looking at me like I'm some sort of anomaly standing before him. His lips flap open and closed, but no words come out. Huh. I've finally accomplished shutting him up. Interesting. He always has something to say. Even when we were broody teenagers, coming together because of our boss. We didn’t start off as friends, but now he’s my best—maybe only—friend. We’ve worked hard together, running errands and jobs for the boss man.

“Boys,” Boss Man says when we enter his office. His dark, lifeless brown eyes sparkle with a knowing glint and his mouthtilts into a pride-filled grin as he leans back in his leather chair behind his desk.

“Sir,” Wilder says, tightening his shoulders.

He’s still new in these parts and hasn’t quite figured out how to react when the boss man stares him up and down with a hardened expression. Gone is the smile and the pride. Now, he wants the information.

“The job is done,” I say cooly, shoving my hands in my pockets with a grin.

I feel Wilder’s gaze on the side of my face.