Dirty Dealers

“It evens the score.” Her mood changes so suddenly, I’m confused.

“You seem… angry?”

A sharp exhale, and she stands. “Beauty hurts me as much as it helps. It makes me a target. It’s why Zelda got mixed up with men like Wade Paxton. She tried to protect me.”

Chewing my lip, I think about this. “It’s what brought you here… and now you’re with the king.”

“I’m going inside to check on dinner.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Nothing to be sorry for. I’ll be back in a little while.”

She leaves, and I lean back against the cushions. I feel guilty… but how could I have known she would react that way? I can’t seem to win in this place. Everything feels wrong, and my heart hurts. I wish I could go somewhere else. I wish it would stop raining. What do I really wish?

“Are you all right?” The lovely, low voice is like hot caramel through my insides, and I have my answer.

“Logan.” I reach out my hand.

He hasn’t spoken to me or come near me since our walk on the beach when he kissed me—that amazing kiss on the beach. Ava’s words drift through my mind, The way he looks at you…

Insecurity rears its ugly head. I betrayed him.

Seconds pass and he doesn’t take my hand. I lower it only to find his larger one is waiting below. Our palms touch, and his fingers close over mine.

I have no right to feel this way, but I miss his arms so badly. I don’t deserve him, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I start to move when I feel the weight in my lap and quickly catch the small phone.

“Ava wanted me to give you this,” I say.

“How did she—” He makes a noise, and I sense him looking after her the way she came. “Little thief.”

“She gave it back.” My voice is quiet, and in defending her, I feel somehow like I’m defending me. Ava isn’t truly bad is she? Am I?

Logan sits beside me on the chair, and I crawl into his lap. I hear him inhale sharply, as if I’ve surprised him, but just as fast huge arms encompass my torso. I can’t deny this, and I can only hope, beg from somewhere deep in my soul that he might forgive me.

After all I’ve done, what’s left for me if I lose Logan? I’ll never return to Miami. I’ll never help Blix again. If we’re able to find him and arrest him—or kill him—could I possibly have a second chance? I want to say all these things out loud, but I feel like I don’t have the right.

I close my eyes and rest my face against his broad chest. I listen to his heart beating in time with mine. His strong breath swirls in and out, and his hand touches the back of my hair. Electricity hums beneath my skin with every touch, and I’m willing to do anything to earn his forgiveness, even if I don’t deserve it.

?

?Talk to me.” His voice vibrates against my cheek. “What are you thinking?”

I take a deep breath of his warm scent mixing with the clean smell of ocean rain. It makes me want to cry. “I’m so dirty.”

“You came clean.” Our voices are quiet. We’re in this intimate space.

“I did bad things.”

“You’ll never do them again.”

“It’s too late. The game has already started.”

My eyes squeeze closed, and my grip on his shirt tightens. He continues holding me, stroking the back of my hair. I remember holding his body against mine, lying in his bed and tracing my fingers along the lines of his muscles. I remember him making me coffee. I remember the bookstore. The book he bought.

“We never read the book.” I lean back as if I can see him. I long to touch his face, read his expression. I want to know if his dark brow is lowered. I want to see his blue eyes watching me the way Ava said he does, full of desire.

“I read it,” he says. “That night I read it.”