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He nodded, relief written all over his perspiring face. I dug into the skin of Knox’s hand with my freshly manicured fingertips until he let go of me with a hiss, and then excused myself, making my way through the groups that were milling around and up a set of stairs. Through an open door, I spotted another large room, this one with a small bar and clusters of tables and chairs scattered through the space. Swiping a champagne flute from the bar, I made my way through the room towards the doors on the far side. They were covered by curtains, but when I pulled them apart a little and tried the handles, one of the doors opened. I slipped outside, pulling the curtains closed behind me.
Leaning against the stone balustrade, I sipped my champagne. I needed a moment to myself to process what had happened, and then I needed to confront Knox.
I didn’t get a moment to myself.
The door opened behind me, and I turned around to see Knox standing there, with a dark look on his face.
Fuck.
23
ELENA
Knox closed the door behind him and stood there, his gaze fixed on me. I was cornered with nowhere to run. Leaning back against the balcony balustrade, I attempted to look relaxed, although I didn’t think he was buying it.
His hand went to the inner pocket of his suit jacket, and he pulled out a slim black flask, which glinted in the dim balcony lighting. Opening the cap, he tipped it to his lips.
“Can I have some?” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back.
“You want some of this? Come and get it.” It was a challenge, and I took it. Crossing the balcony to him, I reached up, curling my fingers around the smooth metal flask.
But he didn’t let it go. Instead, he wrenched it out of my grip and lifted it back to his lips. His dark gaze flicked down to my mouth, so quick that I almost missed it.
“Taste.” His voice was a low rasp as his mouth came down to mine. It wasn’t a kiss, because he’d told me he wouldn’t kiss me again. It was a slow slide of his tongue across my bottom lip that left a lingering heat when he drew away. I licked my lips, tasting a hint of the fiery burn of the whiskey, craving more. More of him. I shouldn’t. But Iwanted.
“More,” I whispered.
“A question for a drink.” He stared down at me. “You answer a question to my satisfaction, I let you have another taste.”
I sucked in a breath. This was a dangerous game, but maybe I could even the odds and find out more about what he knew in the process. “What about a question for a question? I answer to your satisfaction, and I get to ask you a question.”
One eyebrow raised. “What about the drink?”
“I have my champagne.” I held up my glass. “And you have your whiskey. How about if we skip a question we don’t want to answer, we drink?”
He was silent for a long moment, but then he gave a single nod. “Okay. Go inside and get a bottle. You’re going to need to drink more if you want to keep up with me.”
“I can’t just take a bottle.”
“You fucking well can. There’s plenty behind the bar. Just get one. Unless you’re too scared to play with me.” His lips curved into a smirk. I wanted to slap it off his face. Or maybe kiss it off his face. At this point, it was fifty-fifty.
“Scared is the last thing I am.” When he moved to the side to let me through the doors, I re-entered the room, heading straight over to the unmanned bar and ducking behind it. No one paid me any attention as I slunk back to the doors with a bottle in hand.
On the balcony, Knox had taken a seat at the tiny wrought-iron table and chairs set that stood in the corner. Ivy snaked up the wall behind him, dark, glossy green against the midnight blue of his suit. After placing my bottle and glass on the table, I sat in the unoccupied chair. The metal was cold against my bare skin, and I shivered.
Knox didn’t miss it. In fact, he smirked at my discomfort. It didn’t surprise me—it wasn’t like I’d expected him to offer me his jacket or anything. His calf brushed against my leg as he shifted in his seat, and I was suddenly aware of how close we were.
His dark gaze met mine. “I’ll go first.”
I nodded, apprehension swirling inside me.
“Did you really think that my dick wasn’t big enough to satisfy you?”
My mouth fell open, and the corners of his lips kicked up in amusement. “Wasn’t what you thought I was going to ask, was it? Don’t worry, we’ll get to the hard questions soon enough. That’s a fucking promise.”
Drink or tell the truth? Fuck it, I might as well say it. If I drank, it was as good as an admission anyway. He knew the truth. “What do you think?”
“That’s not an answer. Tell me the truth.”
