Sins, Lies & Spies (Black Brothers #2)(11)
Desire?
Anger?
Interest?
Compassion?
Incapable of stopping myself, I slanted forward, halving the space between us. I could hear the chaotic drum of her heart. She smelled citrusy—almost like a lemon meringue pie—and I had the ridiculous urge to lick the long column of her throat. Her breath caught and her lips parted, a faint blush moving up her cheeks. Time suspended, shimmering around us with unleashed potential. A hundred thoughts trickled through my mind, sending a dark, unsettling heat rippling through my body. If I were a gambling man, I would’ve bet she wanted me to kiss her and a whole lot more. I felt like I was losing my mind because there was no way anything could happen between us.
Her warm chocolate eyes hardened, turning black, and all too soon, she snapped out of whatever trance we were under. She slapped my hand away. “I’m not afraid of you, Knox Black.” The smoky warmth of her voice made my heart bang against my ribcage.
She turned on her heel, slamming the door behind her. And then, she was gone, leaving a whirl of citrus perfume and still unanswered questions in her wake. Dumbfounded, I stared at the closed door wondering what in the hell just happened and why I let Trinity Jones walk out of here without interrogating her.
CHAPTER SIX
Trinity
Loud music filled the bar where I used to work as a bartender. I recognized some of the faces of long time customers, and I waved to a few of my former coworkers as my heels clicked over the worn wide planked floor. People were packed wall-to-wall in the narrow space, slamming back beers and other concoctions. Excited, boisterous and carefree voices rang out, celebrating the beginning of a new weekend.
I plopped down on the barstool across from my best friend, Leslie. She owned the bar where I found my first job after I moved to D.C. I showed up for a job interview, and she hired me on the spot.
Originally, I had planned to work nights and attend community college during the day. It never happened. I never had enough money to spare. Between rent and other meager living expenses, I couldn’t save more than a hundred or so dollars a month. Every time I got close to having enough money for a class or two, some event would derail everything, and I’d have to start all over again.
“I didn’t think you’d show,” Leslie said as she slid a drink across the translucent, backlit onyx counter.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m running later than I expected.” I lifted the cup to my lips and frowned when the warm, smoky liquid splashed onto my tongue. When we were dating, Miles’s habit of ordering bourbon neat rubbed off on me. At the time, I thought it was sophisticated, but now I acknowledged the truth. I hated the taste of whiskey. I was a vodka girl. I gulped it down anyway, craving the relaxation found at the bottom of a few drinks.
She sucked her lips into her mouth. “What happened?”
I glanced to the side, taking in the drunken people walking in jagged lines. “I had a shitty night and even shittier day. I need a drink or five.” I fought to keep the smirk off my face. My explanation had to be the understatement of the century.
She shifted forward, bracing her pointy elbows on the smooth countertop. Leslie was my complete opposite. She resembled a dainty little elf with light blonde, almost white hair and fine facial features.
“What happened?”
I groaned, slumping in my seat. “I had some stuff to take care of for Miles.” I never shared what kind of work I did. I couldn’t. Unfortunately, the confrontation with Knox Black last night paled in comparison to what happened today. When I told Miles that Knox had already handed the thumb drives over to his client, he f*cking lost his mind. He screamed. He broke things. He threw his files off his desk.
Her sky blue eyes narrowed. “Why are you still working for him?”
“The money—”
She held up her hand. “Don’t lie to me. You don’t need the money. Not like when you showed up for an interview at the bar three years ago. You were desperate, but you’re not anymore.”
“I’m not doing it for me. I’m doing it for Faith. She needs me. I promised her I’d help her any way I could.” I may have left my sister in the care of my inattentive uncle when I moved, but I never forgot about her. I sent her money every month starting the day I received my first paycheck. Now, I paid her college tuition. I wanted her to have opportunities I never had. I owed her that. I wouldn’t be like my mom and abandon my family. Family first. Since the day my mom left, I lived by that mantra. Even if they didn’t want it, all of my family members had my unconditional loyalty.
She raised her eyebrows. “Faith can get a loan like thousands of other college kids. It won’t kill her, and you’ll find something else soon enough. You’ve already wasted too many years of your life on him. You need to get the hell away from him while you’re still able. He’s not going to give up on you.”
I looked down, the tips of my ears burning. She was referencing my hook-up with Miles a couple of weeks ago. I shouldn’t have breathed a word about it, but I was an emotional mess after it happened. I felt like I had betrayed her and myself, and in a moment of weakness I confessed everything. In retrospect, it wasn’t the best idea. She never let a single opportunity slip to note her disapproval of my continued relationship with him, even though it had been strictly professional for the past few weeks. She’d lose it if she knew I promised him I’d think about giving him another chance.