Page 111 of Cozen

“Then what is it?”

“Something he has.”

Sargon didn’t entirely know what to make of that statement. She was here to take something from Jett—to steal?

“Except you’ve gotten tangled up with him in a personal way, now,” Sargon said. “Was that part of your plan, too?”

“Do you need me to answer that?”

Sargon’s jaw hardened. “He’s settled himself with the idea that you owe him something, Cozen. And he wants to collect.”

She straightened a bit in her heels, and nodded once. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“I’ve almost got what I want. And then it’ll be over with.”

“Are you—”

“I have to get back to work,” she interrupted. “Thanks for letting me know … this, I guess. It helps.”

“Helps with what, Zen?”

Cozen didn’t answer. Instead, she turned on her heel, and moved to head back down the hallway. Sargon couldn’t let that happen. Either she didn’t care that her safety was in jeopardy, or she was willing to risk it.

Either way, that didn’t sit well with him.

Sargon didn’t let her get very far. He grabbed her wrist hard, and pulled her back around. Anger flashed on her face, and he saw her swinging hand coming in just enough time to catch it before she landed the well-aimed slap.

Instead of the slap, he pulled her in close, and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. Instantly, her body relaxed in his arms, and her lips moved in a familiar rhythm against his. The second her lips parted to allow him entrance, he deepened the kiss to get another taste of her sweet heat.

She still tasted like cherries and vanilla.

Sweetness and sin.

Her hands came up to grab his jaw as their tongues warred against one another. Those fingernails of hers—always manicured to sharp little points—dug into his skin and left one hell of a sting behind.

But he loved it.

Jesus, he loved it.

And her, he thought.

He loved her.

It was a strange feeling, but it was true. A thick rope wrapped around his heart and with every tug from Cozen—her words or her actions—the rope became tighter. Pulling him even closer to her.

Somehow, he did. Somehow, this happened. Somehow, he too had found himself tangled in a mess with this woman.

If only …

Cozen pulled away, and her gaze dropped from his. “Again, I have to get back to work, but thank you for—”

“You’re not being safe, Cozen. This is not a game.”

“It’s always a game when there’s a prize to be won.”

“Just say it,” he murmured. “Say it, and it ends. I will make sure of it.”