“We were friends a long time ago.”
“Connor is a drug dealer.”
He shrugs. “I’m a hockey player.”
“Don’t do this. Please tell me the truth. You damn well know that I’m working at Old City Records on a case. Stop being so cryptic with me. I need answers.”
“That part of my life is in the past.” He grabs my hand when we cross the street at the stoplight. “Let’s leave it at that.”
“No,” I say loud enough to garner the attention of a couple passing us. “That’s not good enough. You owe me some answers.”
“Keep it down,” he growls, his voice deep and low.
He’s reverting to the asshole that returned years ago. I don’t like his alter ego.
Once we reach my building, he drags me into the dim hallway and up the three flights of stairs. Not until we reach my apartment does Ethan release his grip on my hand. I remove the keys from my purse and open the door for us. Within seconds of shutting it behind us, Ethan has me pinned against the wall with his big body.
“Will isn’t coming home tonight,” he says.
“I know. He texted me earlier.”
Ethan leaves a trail of hot breath along my skin as he fumbles with his zipper. “I want your pretty lips wrapped around me.”
“Why are you acting like this? Fucking answer me!” I yell so loud it’s as if something inside me snaps. “I’m so sick of this shit. You can’t go into that dark place. Years ago, you did the same thing and pushed me away until I hated your guts. Not every problem in your life can be solved with sex. Talk to me, Ethan.”
“Why?” He presses his palms to the wall on each side of my head. “So you can write a story about me? My life is not for sale. It’s not something I want on display for the entire world.”
My heart aches. “You don’t trust me?” I stare into his eyes to gauge his reaction. “I thought by now you would know that I can keep a secret. I would never use anything you tell me, personal or professional, to sell papers.”
He closes his eyes and sighs. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for being an asshole or sorry because you won’t tell me?”
He opens his eyes. They hold so much sadness that tears well up in my bottom lids.
“For being an asshole.”
“Please, E.”
He grazes my cheek with his thumb and catches a fallen tear. “I’m sorry, Mia. For everything. I didn’t want to leave you behind. But I didn’t have a choice. My dad forced me to go back to Boston.”
“Was your grandmother ever sick, or was that another lie?”
“A lie,” he admits. “I lived with my grandmother, but she wasn’t sick.”
I grip his shirt between my fingers and pull him close enough that our lips almost touch. “Why did you leave? I want to know everything or—”
He brushes his lips against mine. “Or what?”
The heat from his breath hardens my nipples, the tiny buds aching for his mouth, his hands, begging to be touched. I’m powerless when it comes to Ethan. And he knows it.
“Or we can’t do this anymore,” I counter.
He sweeps his tongue across my bottom lip. “Give me what I want, and I’ll give you what you want.”
His husky voice sends chills down my spine. “What do you want?” I play dumb, and that earns me a cocky smirk.
“Get on your knees,” he orders. “Take out my cock.”