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Closer, closer, closer. He locked his gaze on mine. I couldn’t look away. Did I want to?
“And you like that.”
His shoulders rose and fell in a pronounced rhythm. “Much more than I should.”
He spoke darkly, his voice decadent. It both soothed and excited as it swirled around me.
“Then help me.” My knuckles hurt where I fisted his lapels so tightly. “Please,” I whispered.
Something thick hung between us. Something that pressed heavy on me, though it wasn’t unpleasant.
His throat worked as he swallowed. “Choose.”
My chest seized. I pleaded with him with my entire body not to make me do that. “I can’t choose between you and Alma.”
“What about Alma and your daughter.”
“Penelope. Always.”
Satisfaction transformed his features for a second as if I’d passed some imaginary test. Did he honestly think there was any doubt who I’d choose? Had I not already proved I’d choose my daughter over my sister over the years by keeping my distance?
“I’ll tell you what I tell all of my clients.”
I lifted my chin. “I amnota hardened criminal.”
I wanted to swipe that little smile from his face.
“Did I misunderstand the situation? Do you not need my services?”
He was gloating. Bastard.
“Yes,” I said through my teeth, hyperaware of his fingers still digging into my hip. Of our bodies melded together. He was warm. So warm, just like he’d been the night he pulled me from the ocean.
Inky, cold water threatened to pull me under. My lungs burned as the sea had me in her iron grip. I kicked and thrashed and seemed to be sinking.
“Barn?”
A tender palm cupped one of my cheeks. His warmth seeped into my suddenly chilled bones. And that awful, insulting nickname was spoken with such concern, I didn’t mind it. I actually was happy to hear it over the muted noise beneath the sea.
He brushed his thumb over my cheekbone. “Where did you go?”
The place my nightmares always took me. Though now the two scenes had meshed, and sometimes it was hard to remember which was which.
“Can we get to work now?”
I was rattled. He heard it. And I hated to show him any more weakness than I already had.
His mouth flattened.He’s not going to let this go. He’s going to make me talk and I don’t want to talk.
“This relationship requires a lot of trust on our part.” He brushed my cheek again. “But you have my track record that proves I always do my very best for my clients.”
A pit formed in my stomach.
“I’m the vulnerable one here. I’m the one exposed. And right now, I have to be the one to take a leap of faith when it comes to the trust between us.”
I opened my mouth to object, but he stopped me by placing his thumb on my lips.
“Don’t make me wrong for the first time in my career, JoJo.”
