Page 906 of Lessons in Cruelty

“You didn’t mention you were going on a trip.”

“It didn’t come up,” Rooke says, taking a casual sip of his beer.

“You know what else didn’t come up?” My boots are inches from his socks. If he’s daunted by the fact that I’m towering over him, he doesn’t show it. And he probably wouldn’t.

Rooke’s eyes narrow, a small frown creasing the skin between his brows. “Desperation isn’t a good color on you, Fox.”

Fuck this guy.

I lick suddenly dry lips, huffing out a laugh. “Honestly, I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m doing.”

“Or what you want,” he says. If his voice hadn’t been so even, it would have been a taunt.

“I know what I want, and so do you.”

Fuck it. All or nothing.

I take another step until I’m standing between his knees.

“Question is, Bastian…What do you want?”

He leans his head back on the sofa, eyes heavy-lidded as he gazes up at me. His chest rises and falls with each slow, even breath.

“I want you on your knees,” he says.

My body locks up in sheer terror. “Just like that, huh?” I say weakly.

Rooke’s hand slides up his thigh to his jeans. He pops the top button with a flick of his wrist that makes my insides twist like a pretzel.

“Just. Like. That,” he murmurs.

I swallow, and slowly set my beer down on the coffee table without taking my eyes off him. If there was any doubt Rooke was a predator, that he considered me prey, the look in his eyes just eviscerated it.

“I—” I cut off with an awkward laugh. “I’ve never⁠—“

“Sucked another man’s cock?” Rooke’s eyebrow arches. “I’m shocked.”

He slides a hand behind his jeans. Down, down…all the way down.

“There’s really nothing to it,” he says. “Just open your mouth. I’ll do the rest.”

“And then…” I have to stop to clear my throat, because good lord. “Then you’ll answer my questions?”

Rooke tilts his head. His hand grips, and even though I’m not looking directly at what he’s doing, it’s obvious he’s holding his cock.

It’s just as obvious how large said cock is.

Question is…how badly do I want the truth? Am I willing to risk Rooke pulling a bait-and-switch on me again?

Hilarious that that’s the thing I’m most worried about.

The radio on my belt crackles. I hadn’t even thought to remove it.

That was a mistake.

Rooke’s face shuts down. He tugs his hand out of his jeans, jaw tightening.

“My personal life isn’t your concern, Deputy.”