Page 36 of A Devious Arrangement
Her anger blinds her to the fact that I’m stalking closer, careful not to spook my little hellcat.
I drop my mouth to her ear and breathe, “I think you’ll take it perfectly.”
She inhales a sharp breath and jerks back, but I catch her by the waist, holding her against me.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She uselessly squirms to get out of my hold.
I chuckle, lining my body to hers and walking her backward until the islands pressed against her back, trapping her. “I may be playful, but I’d never joke about you.”
“Let go before I break your finger.” Her delicate fingers grip mine, and I can tell she’s really trying to hurt me. It’s too bad for her that she doesn’t stand a chance.
“Fuck. I could do this with you for hours.” I laugh, lowering my face inches from hers.
“You are delusional,” she hisses, and I narrowly miss her headbutt.
I bite my smirk and say, “You’ll grow to like it.”
“Sebastian Everette. Get out of my house.” She shoves me hard, and I let her squeeze out from underneath me. I track her as she moves through the kitchen and pours a glass of water.
My smile is a dare when she holds it up between us.Come on, Princess. Let’s see what you got. Break out of that perfect shell you’re always hiding in.
The water soaks my face and the front of my shirt. Satisfaction tingles my spine that I’m the one that makes her this way. I lick the water that drips over my mouth and watch the way her eyes focus on it. She’s caught in my snare, chest rising and falling as I rub my thumb over my bottom lip.
Her gaze shoots to mine, a flush curling over her cheeks. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“You shouldn’t have avoided me.” I take my time raking my wet hair off my face as I close the distance between us until her hands flatten on my chest, negating her protests. “But it worked out better than I had planned. Gave me the perfect excuse to come here. Not that I need a reason to see my girl.”
“Woah. I am not your girl.”
My lips graze the shell of her ear. “But you want to be.”
Stasia pulls at her hair until strands fall around her cheeks, then covers her eyes with her palms, taking several deep breaths. She’s still trying to get a hold of the situation when she finally looks up at me, her face a mask.
“Tell me the real reason you’re here.”
“Smart girl.”
Her brows are pinched together, lids lowered in a glare. She’s not going to talk until I give her an answer.
Adrenaline rushes through my veins at her challenge, and there’s a bubbling feeling of giddiness climbing up my throat. I’ve never felt like this before, and there’s no chance I’m letting her go.
I lean against the counter, my elbow resting behind me, supporting my weight. “I know you need that tiara.”
She sucks in a breath, a barely visible tremble rolling down her.
Tilting my head, I go on. “What I don’t know is what the Russians want from you.”
“How do you know that?” she whispers.
I stand tall. “That’s not what matters, Princess. What matters is they have something on you that has you so desperate you’re willing to risk your life for it. And I don’t like it.”
“I’m not telling you anything.” She’s shaking her head no as I walk closer.
“Sure you will.”
Her face scrunches. “And why in the world would I do that?”
I shrug. “Because I’m your best bet to get it.”
