Page 2 of Traitorous Lies (Prey Security: Charlie Team #6)

While people called her the Kerr princess, and she couldn’t deny that growing up she had been given every single advantage money could buy, she wasn't the spoiled, polished girl that everybody thought she was.

That Monique was the creation of her family, of who they wanted her to be, but the truth was she was way happier dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, taking care of the animals at her rescue sanctuary, than being all dressed up in silk and frills like she was right now.

In fact, she would much rather spend the evening with her pet hedgehog, Cinderella, than talking to stuffy suits like the one she’d almost bumped into.

A giggle at what he’d think if he knew she’d prefer a hedgehog’s company to his own burst out, and it drew the attention of the man in question, and he spun around to face her.

Dressed as he was in his tux with the Jack-o-lantern mask covering his face, she didn't know what he looked like, but his eyes …

They drew her in like magnets, and she couldn’t seem to look away.

Something seemed to arc between them, and it made her heart flutter in her chest.

Who was this man?

Without being able to see his face, she couldn’t know if she’d met him before.

Most of the people there tonight were old family friends, it was the only reason her introverted self had been able to garner enough courage to actually come.

That and the fact that her animal rescue could always do with more donations, and the rich families that were friends with her own were always looking for some charity or other to give their money to, so they could convince themselves they were doing their part to give back .

Ask his name.

Tell him yours.

Say something.

Anything.

Don’t just stand there and stare at him like you're an idiot.

Sometimes, like right now, her internal voice wasn't particularly helpful.

The problem was, she was shy when it came to interacting with other people, especially strangers.

She’d grown up all but sequestered on her paternal grandparents’ estate.

Her mom had bailed when she was barely two years old, and Monique didn't even remember her, and her dad had been the ambassador to Egypt when she was young. He’d been too busy to deal with her, so he’d left her in her grandparents’ care.

They weren't bad people, but they didn't have time for her, so she’d found other ways to form bonds and connections by focusing on animals. Deer, rabbits, birds, foxes, squirrels, bats, raccoons, otters, give her an animal and she was good to go, give her a person and she …

Stood there staring like a fool, like she was doing right now.

“I’m Jaxon,” the man announced, holding out a hand.

Right.

Formalities.

She could do those.

“Umm, Monique,” she squeaked, taking his offered hand and intending to shake it, then staring in awe as he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

Whoa.

Who was this guy, and why had she never met him before now?

Something about him was magnetic. All he’d done was tell her his name and kissed her hand, but she couldn’t get enough of staring at him, and she couldn’t even see his face.

Still, if it was anything like his body she was going to lose her mind.

The way the black material of his tux showcased his broad shoulders and trim hips was phenomenal, and his legs may as well be tree trunks.

This guy was huge, and sexy, and oh so out of her league.

Maybe the Kerr princess could land him, but unfortunately, that woman was only a figment of her grandparents’ hard work and the paparazzi’s love for a spoiled rich princess even when one didn't exist.

“I-I should p-put this on,” she stammered, holding up her own Jack-o-lantern mask, which she was supposed to put on when she entered the house where the Halloween charity gala was being held.

“Don’t.” The man still held her hand, and she had no intentions of pulling it free from his grip. She liked the way his long, thick fingers felt curled around her own.

After ending several relationships with men who were only interested in her because of her last name and everything that came with that, Monique had kind of sworn off men.

It wasn't that she didn't like being in a relationship, because she did.

As long as the guy was down to earth. Didn't mind getting dirty and helping her care for her animals, wasn't interested in exclusive postal codes and fancy cars, and didn't want to talk about the stock market or where he planned to go on his next vacation.

There was nothing wrong with those things, they just weren't her.

But this guy was there, at the gala, and so she had to assume he was another one of those stuck-up snobs who only saw dollar signs when he looked at her.

Tugging on her hand, she could have sworn he was reluctant to let her go, but he did. He even took a step back, and she had to force herself not to whine a protest and reach out for him.

Not cool, Monique.

Not cool at all.

We don’t whine at guys we don’t even know just because they’re no longer in touching distance.

She would have pouted at her own reminder, but it was right. She didn't know this man and she couldn’t assume that he was any different from the men she usually had to put up with flirting with her at these kinds of events.

Whatever magnetic pull she felt toward him, it had to be ignored.

“Can I get you a drink?” Jaxon asked, and she could feel his eyes boring into her even when she blushed and glanced away.

What kind of spell was he putting her under?

How was he doing this? Normally, she’d just say no, easy-peasy, but she couldn’t seem to make the word come out of her mouth .

Instead, she actually nodded.

“May I?” he asked, holding out his hand rather than just snatching up hers like most of the men who hit on her would do.

Wait.

Was he hitting on her?

Or was he just being polite?

It would help her to read him if she could actually see his face.

Reaching out to place her hand in his, she paused for a second. “Could you … take your mask off? So I can see you?”

She could have sworn that now he was the one who hesitated, but then he reached up and pulled off the mask, and she sucked in a breath.

This man wasn't just handsome, he was drop-dead gorgeous.

Like he should be modeling on the cover of one of her favorite romance books kind of gorgeous.

So gorgeous in fact that it took tremendous effort on her part not to reach out and let her hands roam his body to find out just how delectable it was beneath his suit.

One side of his mouth quirked up as though he knew exactly where her thoughts had drifted and thought it was amusing.

“Like what you see, princess?” he drawled, his voice washing over her like a warm breeze, soft and caressing.

Her cheeks heated until they felt like they were on fire, but she wasn't a liar, and he’d asked her a direct question, so she nodded. She absolutely loved what she saw.

Taking a step closer, crowding close, he dipped his head until she felt warm puffs of air against her ear. “I very much feel the same way, princess.”

Something about the way he said the word princess made her shiver.

There was an intimacy there, even though they’d known each other for mere minutes at the most. Normally, the name would rankle.

She might have come from a wealthy family, but she was no spoiled princess.

Monique worked hard every day, and she lived only off the money she raised herself to fund her animal rescue.

When Jaxon’s fingers curled around hers, and he drew her toward where the drinks were set up, Monique found herself smiling. This night was one she’d been dreading, and now she was excited about it. With Jaxon for company, how could she fail to have a wonderful evening?

Just because it wasn't normally what she would allow herself didn't mean there was anything wrong with it, or that anything bad was going to happen.

What could it possibly hurt to spend a few hours chatting with this man?

After all, it wasn't like he was the same as all the other men who were interested in her only because they planned on using her.