Twisted Lies 2 (15 page)

I wanted to deny it. Everything about
Sinthia Michaels was complicated, too complicated, but I wanted her
in my bed. I knew she wanted to be there, too, but for some reason,
she was hesitant and damn skittish. I needed time to work her a
little more. I wanted no doubts to be in her mind when we
fucked.

“Given what I know about her, I’m going to
have to take it slow until I figure out what’s going on between her
and Bigsby,” I clipped out.

Leaning up against the wall with his thick
arms crossed, Max sent me a you-are-so-full-of-shit look. “Uh-huh.
I call bullshit on that, Core.”

A smile twitched across Rocco’s lips. “Me,
too. Shit. Every time anyone mentions her name, you get that look,
bro.”

My irritation swelled. “What look?”

Ram took a large swallow of water before
responding, “The look you get when we’re about to take over a
company—predatory, focused, and possessive.”

Ram knew me well. He was right. From the
minute Sinthia had stepped onto that rooftop, I’d known it was time
for a change, and she would be the woman who could satisfy my
distinct and dark sexual tastes. I wanted her despite the fact that
there were a million reasons I shouldn’t.

It didn’t hurt that I loved her point of
view about sex and me, because she held no punches. She was a
welcome change from both the women who threw themselves at me
because of my money and those I slept with to sate my sexual
cravings. None of it was real, and all of it was exhausting.

“Are you fucking with me right now?” Kevin
stared us with an incredulous look on his face. “I can’t believe
you guys are cosigning on Core going cock deep into her. It’s
illogical.” His voice was rough and serious as usual.

Ram’s lips curled up into a smile. “Logic
has nothing to do with this shit.” That faint smile was still on
his lips when he pointed his finger at me. “He’s in
fuck-and-destroy mode. I say let them fuck it out so he can get her
out of his system.” He pointedly looked at me. “Besides, I kind of
like her. Her take-no-shit attitude reminds me a lot of Maya,” he
said quietly.

Even after all these years, it was still
hard to hear her name. “She’s nothing like Maya.”

No woman could ever compare to Maya. Maya
was the first woman who had loved me for me, who had stood by me
when I was poor, and who had grounded me when the money started
rolling in and I got lost in fast cars and fast cash.

Maya had been my balance, my rock. The major
reason I’d decided to turn my back on my criminal empire was for
fear of losing her and my unborn child. But I’d lost her anyway,
and my world had shattered into a million pieces. Just one tragic
moment, and she’d been taken away, leaving me emotionally void.

Ram knowingly stared at me. “If you ask me,
I think it’s past time to move on.” He cocked his brow at me.

I bit back a growl of frustration, wishing
my friend would just shut the fuck up. “I didn’t ask you,” I
grated, “so keep your damn opinions to yourself.”

He wanted me to let go of the memories of
the love of my life as if she’d meant nothing. If it were so easy,
I would have done that years ago, but the loss still hurt like a
motherfucker.

Ram’s brow furrowed. “I’m just keeping it
real. You’re thirty-six now. It’s been fucking years.”

Contrary to his belief, time had not healed
old wounds for me. It’d only made the loneliness worse. I longed
for her to still be here to enjoy the life I’d built, one that had
been in the making when she was by my side. When she’d died, I’d
gone on a violent rampage, lashing out at everyone around me,
including my friends.

Without her, my life was cold, and I wasn’t
alive.

My body tensed as the recollections of that
fateful day echoed through my mind. Those memories of fire
engulfing my SUV, taking Maya with it, had haunted me for years.
Making matters worse, I’d never found the person responsible for
the car bomb.

***

Maya’s hand curled around mine. Her eyes
were wide and filled with excitement as I ushered her along the
sidewalk toward my waiting SUV.

She stopped, reaching up to grab my face
between her hands. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“Not in the last hour.” I bit her lower lip.
“Let me hear it.” I hugged her.

“I love you, Core.” She wrapped her arms
around my waist, burying her face in my chest.

I’d never believed in love until I had hers.
She was everything I didn’t deserve—kind, loving, tough. And she
was mine. She was the first person I woke up to every morning, and
I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love you, too.” I ran my hand through her
hair as she peppered me with kisses. “Don’t tempt me, woman, or
I’ll take you back upstairs and give you round two of slow and
steady fucking.”

She tipped back her head and smiled at me.
“Promises.” She paused. “You know, I’d rather be upstairs, being
fucked by you than sitting in floor seats at some basketball game.”
She frowned, biting her lower lip. “Besides, the tickets cost too
much.”

And that was one of the many things I loved
about her. She didn’t care about the trappings—money, cars, or the
lavish lifestyle—that my illegal deeds had brought me. She loved me
for me and embraced me for the man I was—hard and broken.

I grabbed her chin. “Nothing is too much for
you. You know that.”

She was my kind of perfect.

“Stop spoiling me, Core. I don’t care about
the money or cars. I just want you”—she stepped back and pressed
her palm against her round stomach—“and our baby.” Her face pinched
with pain, and then she smiled.

“Are you okay?” I asked, anxiously looking
her over.

“The baby kicked.” She kissed me. “You worry
too much. If it were up to you, I would be swathed in bubble
wrap.”

“You’re damn right. I need you and my baby
safe.” I frowned. “There’s just too much shit going on right
now.”

The tension and violence between my team and
a rival gang had been ramping up over territory and money. There
was no way around it. Someone was going to get hurt. This was more
of an incentive for me to leave my criminal world behind.

“I trust you to protect us, Core.” Her smile
widened. “Oh, the baby kicked again.”

She snatched my hand before placing it on
her stomach. I rubbed my hand over the swell of her belly and
smiled at the answering movement from my little one.

“See? The baby just said, ‘Hell yeah,
Daddy.’”

I continued to caress her growing stomach
with reverence. I thanked my lucky stars that she wanted a family
with me. Bending down, I brushed my lips against hers, and she
caught her breath.

“How did a beast like me get such a
beauty?”

“What can I say? A big cock and a smile get
me every time.” She winked at me.

I swatted her ass. “Come on, woman. Let’s go
to the game and get back home so I can thoroughly ravage you.”

With our hands clasped together, we strolled
down the sidewalk. I opened the SUV’s door, allowing her to get in.
Closing the door, I walked over to the driver’s side and hopped
in.

I glanced over at her while starting the
SUV. “Do you have the tickets?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes.”

I arched a brow. She was prone to
forgetfulness.

She dug into her handbag and then sheepishly
looked over at me. “Shit. No.” She shook her head. “I left them on
the kitchen table.”

I sighed, killing the engine. “Really?”

“Don’t give me that look, Core.” She crossed
her arms. “A girl can get a little distracted when she’s getting
fucked on top of the kitchen counter.”

I lifted a brow. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Immensely.” She smiled impishly.

“Well then, the distraction was well worth
it.” I winked at her. “I’ll get the tickets.” I kissed her hard on
the lips. “You just stay here and look gorgeous.”

“Like this?” She licked her glossy lips, a
move that always turned me on.

“Perfect.” I leaned forward and licked her
bottom lip. Pulling back, I yanked the key out of the ignition
before sliding out of my seat and shutting the door behind me.

I turned away and headed for the
building.

“Uh, Core?”

I glanced back at her.

“It’s cold in here.” She pouted playfully.
“I need the key.”

Sliding the apartment key off the ring, I
handed her the key ring before hurrying away.

The next instant, I heard an explosion. The
force of the blast threw me back. I yelled as I slammed into the
sidewalk. My breath rushed out, and shock froze my body.

A crowd was gathering on the street. Dazed,
I reached up, feeling blood oozing from the gash across my cheek.
My eyes were on the burning SUV—or what was left of it. My heart
slammed into my chest, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

Maya and my baby were dead.

***

I knew one thing for certain. No woman could
replace Maya in my heart, not even the smoldering siren,
Sinthia.

But I did want her in my bed.

I rubbed my chin, wondering how her dark
tresses would look arranged against my pillow. My cock grew hard at
the notion.

My thoughts were interrupted by Kevin’s
animated loud voice.

“Okay, so what happens if she finds out
you’re using her as a pawn to bring down Bigsby?”

To annoy him, I just stared at him.

“Well?” he asked, perturbed by the silence
as he usually was.

“She won’t,” I said with a voice sharper
than I’d meant it to be. The reminder that I was breaking my number
one rule of never mixing business with pleasure was fucking with my
mind—big time. My obsession with her was crazy and fucking
reckless, but I found myself shaken by my need to possess her.

Kevin scoffed, “There’s a high probability
she will.”

I slid him a withering glare. “If it
happens, I’ll deal with it.” I wasn’t worried about Sinthia finding
out.

I’m Core McKay, a billionaire, and I’m
always in control.

Once I got her into my bed, she wouldn’t be
leaving until I was thoroughly sated.

“What I’m more concerned about is Bigsby’s
interest in her.” I frowned, remembering the covetous glint in
Bigsby’s eyes while he’d eye-fucked Sinthia at the gala. “I have a
sneaking suspicion that Bigsby’s interest in Sinthia is more
personal than business.” A grim smile curled my lips. “And the
faster I can get to the bottom of their connection, the sooner I
can get Sinthia into my bed.” I stared at Kevin. “So keep
digging.”

Kevin took one look at my face and then
snorted. “How far do you want me to dig?”

My face hardened, and I drew up to my
intimidating full height. I asked icily, “How far do the gates of
hell go?”

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Twisted Lies 2
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My readers—I’m humbled by all the support
you’ve given me. Thank you.

To my street team—Thank you guys for riding
so hard!

Also, to my husband—A huge thank you for
giving me the space to write this one.

Sedona Venez is a romance junkie with a dirty
mind. She lives in New York City with her hot ex-military
hubby—
hooah
—
and
their fur baby. She loves writing sizzling, sexy complex stories
about strong but broken characters who push boundaries, overcome
their fears, and risk it all for love.

To learn more
about Sedona Venez and her collection of contemporary and
paranormal romance novels, visit her at
www.sedonavenez.com
.