When He Lies (Protector & Defender #7)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Prey or predator?

Early in life, Simone Sailor had realized that most people had two options in this world.

They could be the prey. The victims who were hurt.

Used. Or they could be the predators. The big, bad sharks swimming through life and taking whatever the hell they wanted as they opened their mouths wide and enjoyed a giant bite.

She’d chosen to be a predator…

Disguised as prey.

It worked for her.

“You look stunning,” her date told her. The tall, dark, billionaire Ryan Quinn stared at her with his intense brown eyes and truly looked as if he were the one who wanted to take a bite. Too bad for him, she wasn’t on the menu. No snacking allowed.

Simone batted her lashes. Fake lashes because she was going all in for this event.

Fake lashes. Carefully applied makeup. Bold red lipstick.

A red dress to perfectly match her lipstick.

A strapless dress, with a tight bodice that shoved up her breasts in the best possible way.

The dress hugged her waist, but the layered skirt flared and swirled around her.

When she turned, it would spin out in the loveliest way.

Yes, she’d spun a few times in her bedroom.

A woman had to enjoy herself when she could.

Though, truth be told, it was a little hard to breathe in the damn dress. The bodice was seriously tight.

Her red heels and her tiny red bag also matched the dress and the lipstick. Her heels were high and sexy, and her hair had been swept up into a twist that had taken her an hour to achieve. But the end result had been worth the effort and the curses.

Predator. She was the predator. Meanwhile, her handsome date looked at her with lust in his eyes. He stood close to her. His hand lingered near her waist. He escorted her easily through the crowd and into the VIP event and, to the whole world, it looked as if she belonged there.

Ha. Never in a million years would a girl who’d spent too much time bouncing around the foster care system actually belong with these people.

She didn’t want to belong. There were dukes at the party.

Maybe an earl or two. She’d caught a whisper that said some Middle Eastern prince might even be in attendance.

They were in the English countryside, at a sprawling residence that looked more like a castle than anything else.

Champagne flowed heavily. Diamonds dripped from every woman’s hand and ears, and oh, but it would be so easy to rob them all blind.

The drunker people became, the easier prey they were.

Most of them would probably not even realize they’d been robbed until they sobered up the next day.

Such tempting pickings. Right in front of her.

“Simone?”

But she had her standards. And some heists were just too easy.

She liked a challenge. After all, what was life without a few interesting obstacles?

The best things required effort. Also, her date had said she looked stunning, and she needed to focus on him and not the diamonds she would not be stealing.

Not like she was some petty thief. “Thank you so much for the compliment.” Her hand rose to press to his chest. Right over his heart. “You look quite handsome yourself.”

He smiled at her, and her heart gave a little kick that she couldn’t control. Unfortunately, her words were not a lie. Ryan Quinn was ridiculously handsome. The kind of handsome that should have only existed in movies or on TV. The kind that came from good camera angles and the right lighting.

The lighting around them was currently shit, but the man was gorgeous. Thick, dark hair. Tousled as if he didn’t care. As if he had not spent forever getting it to appear just right. Probably because he hadn’t. No doubt, he’d just hopped out of the shower and looked awesome.

A faint covering of stubble grazed his powerful jaw. Ryan had the kind of strong jaw that just made a woman want to nibble on it for a bit.

Down, girl. No snacking for her on this case, either.

Ryan’s features were not perfect. Truly, they were not. He had a slightly crooked nose. The bridge was a bit off. Only instead of that tiny flaw making him less attractive, the little crook somehow made him even more handsome. Which should have been impossible.

He was tall, probably around six-foot-three or four, with broad shoulders that filled out his tux perfectly.

He towered over her smaller frame, even though Simone wore her highest heels.

He had a Rolex around one wrist, but no other adornments showed on his body.

She was pretty sure that Rolex of his was worth an easy hundred grand.

She knew her watches. She’d lifted a few back in the early days. Yes, her past was checkered. She was checkered.

“Thanks for agreeing to come to this little event with me tonight,” he said, his voice rolling through her.

He was an American, like her. His voice was warm.

Deep. She couldn’t quite pinpoint which area of the US he’d grown up in, though.

But, fair enough, it wasn’t as if she had a Midwestern accent or a Southern drawl, either.

At least, not if she didn’t want one. If she wanted, Simone could adopt an accent as easily as she applied her fake lashes.

For this particular case, she didn’t want an accent.

Simone Sailor had no accent. Simone Sailor was a hard-working administrative assistant who’d been transferred to the London branch of her employer’s office three weeks ago. She was diligent. She was quiet. She got the job done.

Planning and logistics.

Oh, yes, those were her specialties.

“I hope your boss didn’t mind that I stole you away from him.

” Ryan had carefully guided them through the dancers in the ballroom and toward the double doors that led to the gallery area.

She wanted inside of that gallery. Badly.

So she’d eagerly followed him across the ballroom and toward those coveted doors.

But at his words, her head turned, and her gaze swept through the crowd. Most of those glamorous dresses had to cost thousands of dollars, she knew that. Her own gown had been borrowed from a costume shop. And by borrowed, ahem, yeah, she would be returning it before the owner realized it was gone.

But beyond those high-end, designer gowns and the glittering jewelry, her gaze did not find Frederick Bradwin, her current employer.

A silver-spoon baby who’d recently taken over his father’s company—a company that had been in the Bradwin family for generations.

Textiles had been the cash cow that kept the family loaded in wealth.

But textiles had taken a downturn under the leadership of Frederick’s father, and, in order to save the business, Frederick was now branching into electronics.

Surveillance equipment. As Frederick had told her on more than one occasion, surveillance was the future. Security was the goal.

“I think your boss might be a bit…enamored by you,” Ryan said.

Laughter spilled from her. Simone couldn’t help it. She didn’t remember the last time someone had used the word “enamored” around her. Her stare cut back to Ryan, and she caught him staring at her. No humor appeared on his face.

“Enamored?” Simone tested the word. “I don’t think so.”

“Fine.” Ryan’s stare did not waver. It was a very intense and focused stare. Such a deep, dark brown. “He wants to fuck you.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. Her hand jerked away from his chest and fell to her side because, surely, a shocked and appalled reaction was what she should give him?

“You are mistaken.” Nah, you’re not. The jerk has been putting the moves on me since I came to London.

“We have a very professional relationship.” Frederick was getting on her nerves, and his focused attention had made her speed up her game plan.

Luckily for her, Ryan Quinn had strolled through the office doors just in time.

Almost like a prince charming. While coming for an appointment with Frederick, Ryan had spotted her, and he’d paused immediately by her desk.

Ryan had gazed at her as if truly smitten and immediately asked her out, in front of Frederick.

Since she’d declined Frederick’s multiple offers for an, um, outing under the guise of being his employee and not mixing her personal and professional life, Frederick had been pretty pissed by Ryan’s bold action.

He’d been even more furious when she accepted Ryan’s offer. Again, right in front of him.

That brought her to this location. The big party. Her boss’s family home. And being just steps away from her goal. So close that Simone could taste success. It tasted like the champagne she’d sipped moments before.

“You might be professional,” Ryan returned, his voice a little on the growly side.

How odd. He wasn’t normally growly. This was, in fact, their third date, and he’d been an absolute gentleman on their previous outings. Voice incredibly polite. Not growling. Not with just the faintest hint of savagery lurking beneath his words.

“But the man wants to fuck you,” he finished.

Her shoulders rolled back. A deliberate move in the strapless dress. One designed to try and shift his attention. “I am not interested in fucking him, I assure you.” She gave a little sniff. “I don’t fuck my employers.”

“Are you interested in fucking me?”

Her jaw dropped. “I—” Yes. Her immediate thought. But…No. No, no, she was not. Because she truly did not mix her personal and her professional worlds and getting involved with Ryan, even if it was just for one hot, sweaty, passionate night…

Oh, the temptation.

Maybe she’d had a few fantasies about him. Maybe she’d wondered what he’d look like all naked and sweaty. Maybe she’d woken up one night, with his name on her lips, and her body aching.

But she was in too deep on her current mission. She couldn’t afford to screw anything up. Lust was not worth failure. Pleasure was not worth pain.