El Diablo (Killer of Kings 6)

He still couldn’t believe she’d helped him to his room. She must have some strength inside her even if he didn’t see it. Earlier he’d planned to keep her in the dark, but he saw the glint in her eyes. She knew too much. The girl was smart and probably a much better actress than she gave herself credit for. No point hiding things when they could get ugly fast.

“You want to know the truth? You’re a liability. I should never have hired you in the first place. I didn’t need a cleaner. I could keep that place in perfect condition without you. I happened to like your smile, and I figured it would be fun to have a woman around the house. Big mistake on my part. Now if the wrong guy finds out who you are, you’re dead. Do you understand me? Fucking dead. So tonight you’re going to play the part of loving fiancée and you’re not going to get into any trouble. When I tell you what to do, you’ll do it. No questions asked. You want to live, you’ll do it.”

“So much for imagination. Everything you told me last night was the truth, wasn’t it? You’re a killer.” She turned away from him, her fingers fidgeting. He never answered her.

When he pulled up outside of the event, he hoped she was ready to look at him as if he was the only guy in her world. Boss would surely kill her, and if he didn’t, well, there’s no telling what that son of a bitch would do.

No one really knew the owner of Killer of Kings. Xavier had tried to look into Boss’s past and had come up with nothing. There was no record of him anywhere. He’d tried using Maurice, the Killer of King’s tech expert and genius, but again, he found nothing.

The world didn’t know there was a devil that lived among them.

He didn’t even know if Boss was a good guy or a bad one.

Either way, he wouldn’t test him. Not right now. Not after one big fuck up already.

Besides, if anyone could find any details on his sister, it would be Boss. He kept tempting him, dangling tidbits of information just out of reach.

After nearly an hour’s drive, Xavier pulled up behind a long line of cars. They were four cars away from the door.

“We’re almost up,” he said.

“I see.”

“You can do this, Alesha. I have every faith in you.”

“Of course. It’s a piece of cake, right? Just pretend I love a monster and that he’s not going to kill me if I don’t do this right.” She took a deep breath. “I should have left you on the floor to sleep. Maybe you would have died in your vomit.”

Xavier growled as he climbed out, handing the valet his keys. “Keep her in pristine condition.”

Another of the valets went to open the passenger door, but he slid in front.

“No one touches my woman.” Taking her hand, he helped her out of the car. “Show time.”

****

Sipping on the glass of champagne, Alesha tried not to think too hard abo

ut Xavier’s arm around her waist. His hand was on her hip, and she was very much aware of his touch.

“Don’t drink too much.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“If I was your dad, you’d be over my knee right now having the spanking of your life.”

That shouldn’t turn her on.

Nope, she wouldn’t think about being over his knee, his large hand coming down over her bare ass.

What the hell was wrong with her?

She kept replaying events over and over from the past few months, realizing that Xavier being a criminal made perfect sense in hindsight. This was some kind of dangerous stakeout. The perfect job just had to be too good to be true.

Finishing her first glass of champagne, she put the empty glass on a passing waiter’s tray. No one had approached them yet, which she was thankful for. What the hell was she supposed to do? Her nerves were going crazy.

The ballroom was full of wealth, the women dressed in designer clothes, laughing and hanging off men’s arms. They all looked like they fit in. Right now, she’d love nothing more than to sit back at home with a cup of steaming hot cocoa and a good book.

Instead, she kept looking at Xavier, hoping people thought she was in love.