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“You think—” she begins, only to be cut off as we both hear, “Faith,” spoken from behind us.
My jaw clenches at the sound of Josh’s voice, which denies me the end of that sentence, my head lifting, as Faith faces Josh and I step to her side. “They’re unveiling the Merit piece in less than twenty minutes,” he says, focused on Faith. “It would look good for you to be there.” He glances over at me. “Are you going to bid?”
“Depends on what it looks like,” I say.
His expression sours. “It’s a Chris Merit one of a kind.”
“And if it fits well with the one already on my wall,” I say, “I’ll buy it.”
“You already own one?”
“He knows Chris,” Faith supplies. “I’m pretty sure he can get a painting when he wants one.”
Josh arches a brow. “Is that right?” he asks, looking at her, but I watch his eyes narrow, noting the sly intent they register before he looks at me and adds, “You know. Since you’re obviously trying to win over Faith, supporting her work would go a long way. If you can afford that Chris Merit painting, why not buy her entire collection?”
Faith gasps. “No,” she says firmly. “No, he will not.” She looks at me. “I don’t want you to do this. Please don’t.”
Her reaction, which is far from that of a blatant, money-grubbing killer in a financial bind, pleases me, but I need to know it’s not a coy show. “I think me buying your work is an excellent idea.”
“No,” she snaps, looking between myself and Josh. “No. This is not an excellent idea.” She rotates to face me, giving Josh her back. “Ido notwant you to do this.”
“A portion of the sale does go to charity,” I point out.
“You donated to the charity to get your ticket,” she argues. “And I’m going to tell the gallery not to sell to you.”
“That’s like telling them to deny a donation.”
“No,” she repeats. “Youwill notdo this.” Her jaw sets, and her eyes narrow on me. “I don’t understand where you’re going with this, but Iam notfor sale.” She turns and starts marching away. And since that conclusion really is shoving a square peg in a round hole, considering she’s already agreed to fuck me, I’ve obviously hit a nerve.
And judging from the smirk Josh casts my way, he knows it and planned it. “I guess you had better bid on the Merit auction,” he suggests before pursuing Faith, and no doubt doing so with the certainty that he’s now gotten rid of me, but I am not dissuaded from what I want, ever. And I want Faith Winter. And in truth, Josh has given me a gift—a couple, actually. He’s allowed me a glimpse into what makes Faith tick, and at her core, there seems to be pride, not greed. That doesn’t make her innocent of the crimes I suspect her of committing, and in fact, it might simply make her a perfect criminal, able to hide behind a perfect facade of innocence. But that second gift Josh gave me was the realization that at some point, maybe even from that very first provocative moment when I first made eye contact with Faith, my original agenda has changed. I stopped looking for ways to prove her guilt and started looking for ways to prove her innocence. That might seem as if it works for her, but the truth is, it doesn’t. Because when I want to believe in someone and they let me down, they betray me, my wrath is vicious.
I start walking, pursuing Faith myself, not about to let her get away. When I reach the end of the hallway, I find the immediate area a ghost town, the main gallery area cleared. An announcement sounds over an intercom:The Chris Merit auction begins in twenty minutes in Room 4C. The painting is available for viewing in ten minutes.In other words, the guests are now piling into room 4C, and so, likely, is Faith. I’m about to hunt it—and her—down when I spy Faith crossing the corridor toward the “staff only” door, clearly trying to use the twenty-minute gap before the auction to escape and compose herself. I decide to lend her a hand.
With long strides, I pursue her and manage to arrive at the door she’s exited only sixty seconds after she disappears on the other side. Following her, I open it and enter the next room, shutting it behind me to find myself at a crossroads. Forward is the exit, and I’m about to step in that direction when a sound catches my attention, and I look right to find Faith hurrying down a narrow hallway. Again, I follow, and as I pick up my pace, she gives a quick glance over her shoulder at me but doesn’t stop walking. Just before I catch up with her, she turns and enters a doorway.
I give the “Women” sign an inconsequential look, and as I know she knows I will, I push open the door and enter.
Chapter Seven
Tiger
I step inside the two-stall bathroom only to have Faith whirl on me and attack, obviously waiting for this moment. “I meant it,” she declares, her eyes flashing with anger. “I can’t be bought. And why would you even try? I can’t figure it out. I said I’d fuck you, and yet you still do that? Is it a power play? A way to stroke your ego?”
I lock the door and step toward her, expecting her to back away, but she fearlessly stands her ground, and I swear this woman gets more interesting by the moment. She’s also made it easier for me to shackle her wrist and pull her flush against me, her hands settling on my chest. “How people handle other people’s money tells a story of who they are.”
Her fingers close around my lapels. “I gave youno reasonto believe I was that kind of person.”
“I don’t know you, sweetheart,” I say, “and you don’t know me. But I do know that I’ve seen many a thief in virgin clothing.”
“You mean you got burned. Well, I’m not her, whoever she was, and why does this even matter? You just want to fuck me out of your system.”
“Because I do the fucking. I don’t get fucked,” I say. “A motto I live by, and I don’t intend to change that for you or anyone else.”
“Sounds to me like you have trust issues that aren’t my problem,” she accuses.
“A bit like you thinking I was trying to buy you when you already agreed to fuck me,” I say, tangling my fingers into her hair and not-so-gently tugging her gaze to mine. “I’m not him,” I add, “whoever he was, but as you said. Why does it matter? You just want to fuck me out of your system.”
“Whydo I want you?” she breathes out. “You’re such an arrogant bastard.”
