Page 33 of Playing With Love

But still…

Dinner with Lenox was scary.

“Yeah, I think I heard something like that.”

“So do my son a favor and rescue him from me poking around in his files.”

Shit. I couldn’t say no.

“Only if you let me pay.”

“Liza—”

This time I interrupted him. “Actually, not me, the ATF will be buying us dinner.”

“Deal.”

Gah.

Okay. I could do this. I could have dinner with Carter Lenox and not spill all my secrets.

This was a mistake.

Huge.

Lenox and I were across the street from my hotel at this steak joint that from the outside looked like it was an aging restaurant in a small town. The inside had seen better days and those days were a decade ago. But three nights ago when I was tired of hotel bar food I’d ventured out and took my life—okay, overstatement—but I did put my gastrointestinal safety at risk by trying Jack’s Steak Joint. I was more than a little shocked to find the food was excellent and their bartender mixed the perfect Bloody Mary.

Though tonight I barely tasted the Bloody Mary. And I was sure the calamari we’d shared had been delicious but I hadn’t tasted a single bite as Lenox peppered me with questions.

Innocent, ordinary, run of the mill queries about my job, but it felt more like an interrogation than him asking because he was curious. Even after I realized he was probably doing what any good boss would do, even though he was no longer The Boss, in essence he still was. He had started TC, he was invested in its success and the people who worked there. He’d want to make sure Tucker wasn’t going undercover with a total nimrod. He still made me uncomfortable—not in a skeevy way, in a ‘I didn’t want to fail his test’ way.

Our dinner had been delivered, my third and final drink of the night sat untouched, and Lenox’s iced tea had been refilled. It was the perfect time for him to perpetrate his attack with no imminent disruptions on the horizon.

“How’s this going to work with you and Tucker?”

Fuck.

I stopped sawing through my filet and glanced across the table.

Green eyes held me hostage as they waited for my answer.

“We’re going in as husband and wife.” I told him something I was positive he knew but was hoping he didn’t, and that was the reason for his question.

“I know, that’s why I’m asking.”

I must’ve looked like a deer caught in the headlights before said deer decided if it was going to run and save its life or stand there and die. For the record, I wanted to run for my life but I couldn’t get my body to cooperate.

Lenox gently set his cutlery on the table.

His gaze turned knowing.

My heart went wild in my chest.

Then carefully, softly, he told me, “I know you two share a past. I also know because I saw him yesterday. Something’s changed and that change is not conducive to the two of you playing husband and wife. Now, darlin’, tell me, how’s this gonna work?”

I closed my eyes to block out the pain.

“It’s not,” I answered him truthfully.