Chapter 11 – Nico #3
Her statement caught me off guard. I frowned, trying to sort through the implications.
“Franky said you haven’t eaten them anytime he puts them on your plate,” she added, sinking back into the water until her chin bobbed right above the surface.
Oh, that. For a second there, it almost seemed like she knew more about me than I did about her.
Wanting to level the playing field a little, I turned the questions on her. “I do. What’s your least favorite food?”
The way her body stilled sent a note of caution through me. I knew I touched a chord, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it was.
It wasn’t until she let out a strangled sound that a flash of déjà vu slithered under my skin.
“Onion.”
With a soft laugh, I shook my head. “Who hates onion? It’s in everything.”
Her nose wrinkled. It was adorable. “I don’t mind it cooked, especially hidden in a sauce or something, but strings of it? Or raw. Don’t even speak that into bein’.”
I leaned back, throwing both arms over the back of the tub. I couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity. Like this was something from a dream. And while I sure as shit didn’t believe in reincarnation, I was willing to bet money on that at this point.
“Tell me two truths and a lie,” I suggested, wanting to sort through more of this woman’s secrets.
“That’s too much work,” she protested. “My brain is fried.”
My fingers tapped against the plastic. “One truth, one lie.”
“Good night alive! I should have just gone to bed,” she muttered.
“Please.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Okay, fine.” There was a pause while she thought. I focused on her face, ready to memorize whatever tell she used when she lied. “I’m on the run from the law, and my high school boyfriend wrecked my first car.”
I froze.
There was no tell. No small shift to shed light on the truth and reveal the lie.
Impossible.
Everyone had a tell. It was just the dim lighting out here. She wasn’t that good of a poker player.
“I like the first one,” I mused. “Right up my alley. That’s the truth.”
She smirked. “That’s the lie.”
Thinking about it for a second, I wanted to slap myself upside the head. “That’s why you have the no boys driving your car rule.”
“I practically handed that to you on a silver platter,” she laughed. “You sure you’re this big, bad boss in training?”
So…she knew.
Which made things infinitely more interesting.
“Your turn,” Rae quipped. Her body shifted, and water splashed up my front.
“I thought you didn’t want to play.”
One inked shoulder lifted from the surface. “Maybe I want to know something about you. Something no one else knows.”
Something no one knew.
There were two ways to play this, and I sure as shit wasn’t going to that place inside. It was caged for a reason. My demons didn’t need to see the light of day. Ever.
But she wanted something more than veggies. That I could give to her.
“I can make you come in under three minutes, and I shot a man this morning.”
Her sharp inhale was viciously sweet.
Once more, I cursed the lack of light. Did her cheeks flush dark? Was the vein in her neck jumping with a rapid pulse? I gripped the sides tighter to keep from crossing the distance and finding out.
Rae sat up slowly. Her spine straightened, and her chin tipped up. “Even if you think the first is true, I know it’s a lie.”
My dick was so hard at this point that it was painful.
“And it’s not like you’d confess to killing someone so flippantly,” she said, a slight sneer tinging her voice. “So…you’re cheating.”
“Kind of.” I leaned forward, unable to stop myself. I braced my elbows on my knees, hands clasped tight under the water. “They’re both true.”
Rae gasped. “You killed someone! Who?”
“Shot,” I corrected her. “And he doesn’t matter.”
She shook her head, but mid-shake, a yawn escaped her mouth. Dio mio, she was exhausted.
“Alright, whatever. I’m done,” she murmured.
I had to physically restrain myself as she stood and carefully climbed out of the hot tub. The bikini bottoms were cut down to barely two inches that curved straight between her ass cheeks. Glorious. Decadent. Sinful.
“Enjoy your evening,” Rae said flippantly.
I nodded. “See you tomorrow.”
She tugged the sweatshirt over her head. The fabric muffled her laugh. “Lord have mercy, I hope not!”
A crease formed between my brows. Was she…running? “What do you mean?”
“Monday is my day off,” she quipped. “I’m not coming up to the main house, even if it catches fire.”
With a snarky grin and a quick flap of her fingers, she darted away. Barefoot. Bottom half still dripping and exposed to the elements. I let out a strangled groan and reached to palm my aching shaft. She had no idea what she did to me.
Then again, she probably knew damn well and didn’t care.
The treacherous little creature. Completely ignorant of the dangerous line she danced. The only reason I didn’t launch from the water and give chase was that she clearly needed sleep. Keeping her up—even for a damn good reason—wouldn’t be fair.
“I’ll give you tonight, little thief,” I promised. “But I have you in my sights.”