Page 43 of Thirst Trap

Her smirk sharpened. “Maybe I want to do the biting.”

A pause stretched, violent with tension.

Logan rose, towering. “Stay away from my family, Penny.”

“And if I don’t?”

He bent, mouth at her ear, voice low enough to bruise. “Then I’ll give you something real to write about.”

He walked away.

Fast, controlled, every muscle locked tight.

But she saw it.

The flicker. The crack.

He cared.

And Penny?

Penny licked the rim of her glass and smiled like the cat who’d swallowed the canary.

“Gotcha.”

Chapter 22

You’re Coming With Me

Maddison lounged in Lucas’s office chair like she owned the company. Her heels off, legs curled beneath her, scrolling through an internal doc she definitely didn’t have clearance for.

“You’re snooping again.”

She didn’t even look up. “Don’t leave your tabs open if you don’t want me reading about gun shipments, babe.”

Lucas leaned against the desk, arms folded.

“I need you to pack a bag.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“We’re going to the island. Business. Dangerous. Politics. Hot as hell.”

“And romantic?” she smirked.

“No.”

“So just sweaty criminals and bad tempers?”

“And me.”

“Perfect.”

He handed her his apartment key. “Go to mine. Pack for me. Then yourself.”

She rose, circling the desk until they were inches apart.

“You’re letting me in.”