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She leans in and plasters her body up against mine, taking my desire higher. She’s giving as good as she’s getting. She’s not totally innocent, but she probably doesn’t know how dark I’ll go.
I end the kiss and stand. Adali's eyes stay on my face as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. Is she disgusted? Hardly. I see need in her eyes. I want to take that desire and mold it into something that will give us both pleasure. Sadly, I don't have time for that now.
Her shoulders rise and fall as she takes in deep breaths. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I needed you to focus.”
She opens her mouth, then closes it, and gives me a sharp nod. I take it as acquiescence and grab her hand before heading downstairs. I head to the office, which used to be my dad's office, but I guess it’s mine now.
“Take a seat,” I say as I lead her over to the couch.
“Why do we need to talk?”
I sit across from her and lean forward with my elbows resting on my knees. “I don’t know what’s going on with our fathers. Why did your father send you to our house?”
She shrugs. “He’s not my father. At least not my real father.”
Shock pulses through me. “I didn’t know that.”
Pain flits across her face before she schools her features. “He wants to get rid of me. He’s always been critical of my desires. He’s always been critical of me.”
I sit back and blow out a breath. “Your mom?”
She shakes her head and glances away. “She died in a drug overdose.”
I narrow my gaze, taking in her features. There was nothing in the way she looks to distinguish her from the Gale family, but now I see it. She has much more refined features. She’s a true beauty. “So you’re not a Gale?”
Her eyebrows furrow, and her lips turn down in a frown. "Are you going to dump me back at their house now?"
The pain in her eyes hits me hard. I need to be careful with her. She has some deep-seated damage. If we play, I’ll need to be careful not to break her down too much.
I shake my head. “I’m not dumping you anywhere. I just need to know what’s going on.”
I haven't convinced her of anything. She doesn't trust me, and I don't blame her. We're not a trustworthy bunch. My father has done something to make Eric Gale think he can make demands. Our family is at risk, and I don't know why. My father has some health issues, and I think I know what they are, but I'm not positive, and my life is in shambles. I need help, but where can I turn?
I can’t go off on Adali. She’s young and innocent. It seems like her family has already hurt her. Being mean wouldn't get me anywhere. She's not one of the sassy women I've dated in the past who love trading insults. This woman is fragile. She’s strong, that’s obvious, but there are parts of her that won’t stand up to the crush of pain if disaster strikes.
“I need to know what happened. That’s all. There’s something wrong with my father, and I sense danger from your father—”
“He’s not my father.”
“Fine, from Eric Gale, and I think there is something else out there lurking in the shadows. I don’t know what, and I’m not sure if I’m meant to know, but I’d like to figure it out before something happens that makes yesterday look like a cakewalk. I still don’t know who those men worked for or why they were here.”
Her eyebrows pinch together, and her lips thin. "My guard will tell Eric everything once he wakes up."
I sit back and blow out a breath. “I fear he will. But does he know what went down? Will he be able to relay to your fath—Eric what happened?”
I meet her gaze and I’m struck by how she leans forward, a conspiratorial look gleaming in her eyes. I need to remember she's a Gale or was raised by Gales, which might as well be raised by wolves. The Gales are in this for the Gales.
“He was out cold for most of it, and I don’t have to tell what happened.”
Can I trust her? That’s the big question. Will I be able to trust this beautiful woman who seems to have been hurt by her family? She’s conspiring with me because her family has been awful to her. There are questions in my mind where her loyalty lies. I’ll need to watch my back.
Irritation rises when my phone rings. I glance down and see it’s the doctor’s office. “Neo Foster here.”
“Hi, it’s Doctor Ansley. We received the scans for your father.”
Ansley blows out a slow breath and I hear a groan mixed in. He’s acting like he doesn’t want to say anything.
