Page 15 of A Devious Arrangement
She wants me distracted, plying me with alcohol and showing off the sweet tips of her nipples, and I’m going to play right into her game. I let my eyelids lower and sway a little in my seat. I may be tipsy, but I’m nowhere close enough to be drunk. It’s a good thing there’s no way she could know that.
Assessing me for several seconds, she must decide it’s safe to move forward with her plan and ask her first question. “My brother told me the Order keeps most of their valuables in this hotel. Tell me why they would do something so risky.”
There it is. What does my little princess want with that information? She’s playing a very dangerous game here. I should end it, but there’s a thrill growing in me, one that I haven’t felt in years.
Her voice is light, as if she’s just making small talk, but her knuckles are white with tension as she looks at her cards, waiting for my response.
She loses again before I can answer.
This time, she plays it safe and leans over to remove her shoes. She lifts the hem of her dress until an inch of smooth skin above her knees is visible. My cock twitches as she bends low, fingers fumbling with the clasp.
I kneel in front of her, loving the way she squirms in her seat as I raise her foot up to my chest.
“I don’t need your help.” Her knee is bent, and she’s applying the slightest pressure, digging her heel into my pec, showing her displeasure.
“Ah…but I want to.” I deftly undo the strap around her ankle and glide the shoe off, making sure I graze my fingers against her. I hum in the back of my throat when I feel her faintly tremble under my touch as I slide over the slippery fabric of her stockings. This is way hotter than I expected.
She faintly trembles, and her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. She really shouldn’t have had that last glass of whiskey because she’s lost the ability to hold her mask in place.
I’m not complaining. I’m enjoying every second of this.
Not wanting to let go, I knead my thumb into the arch of her foot. She goes to pull away, but I know exactly what will keep her there, and I never once agreed to play fair. It’s devious on my part, but she’s the one who suggested this.
“We keep most of the jewels here because this building has multiple levels of security.” I give her a taste of what she needs, and she leans forward, eating up my every word.
An unease fills me. If she was speaking to anyone besides me, she’d be in more than a little bit of trouble. “Stasia, you should be careful. You’re giving yourself away. Did your brother already tell you this is where the Vault is located?”
The blood drains from her face, and I realize my mistake.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. The location of the Vault is the worst-kept secret.”
Her skin’s heating under my palms, and her lips are parted as her chest rises and falls rapidly. That’s it.
I rise from the ground and place both hands on either side of her, effectively caging her.
She doesn’t move as I lower my lips toward hers, close enough that our hot breaths mix together. Now she’s the one that’s caught.
I shift so our mouths brush across each other, and her round blue eyes are dark on mine.
Her breaths come out in shallow pants, and she swallows before asking, “So you keep the valuables in the basement.”
Shock rolls through me as I realize I don’t quite have the control of this situation as I thought I did.
I stare into her eyes, desperate to know what she’s up to.
“Yes. There are several rooms down there.” I rest my finger across her lips. “But shhh. That’s a secret.”
She nods, her mouth parting, and the tip of her tongue touches me.
A groan rumbles in the back of my throat, and I’m about to replace my finger with my mouth when the door swings open.
There’s a startled squeak. “I’m so sorry. I thought this room was empty.”
“As you can see, it’s not.” Even as I say it, Stasia’s using the distraction to skirt from beneath me, grabbing her shoe and money before scurrying out of the room.
I drain my too-full glass, letting the amber liquid burn down my throat, and collapse against the back of my chair.
That didn’t go how I expected, but I still can’t be disappointed. She made a fatal mistake.
