Luck of the Devil (The Forge Trilogy #2)(12)

All I’ve ever wanted is a life that couldn’t be ripped away from me at any given moment. Safety. Stability. The knowledge that I would fall asleep every night with my head on the pillow I chose to sleep on, not somewhere I was forced to be out of necessity and survival.

Do I truly have a father? Is that why Forge married me? Did he really kidnap my sister just so he could manipulate me?

That’s a plan I could see Bastien hatching, but not so much Forge, unless I’m wildly wrong about him.

Or because I’ve been dick-struck and I want at least one more ride on the Kraken before I tell him I never want to see him again.

Forge steps out of the bathroom, holding a fluffy white robe. “The shower’s ready when you are.”

I shove all the thoughts out of my head and latch onto the only thing that matters right now. This gorgeous billionaire of a man is here to do my bidding.

I don’t know why that knowledge gives me such a thrill, but it does, and I’m going to embrace it for as long as I can. Maybe it’s the same reason I love to win at poker against rich and powerful men who don’t think I have the skill or the nerve to bluff them out of their fortunes.

Yep, I’ve probably got daddy issues.

The next wave of the drug hits me as I swing my feet over the side of the bed. When I rise on wobbly legs, Forge strides forward.

“I’ll carry you.”

I hold out a hand, and when he freezes in place, I have to hide my grin. He really does what I command. It takes all my concentration not to let out a giggle.

“I can walk.” I pause. “But I’ll take your arm. For balance, I mean.”

With his thickly stubbled jaw tensing, he nods, and I can’t help but wonder how much doing my bidding costs him.

Seems fair to me.

I grip his arm with my right hand. The extra sway in my hips means that I bump him with every step, and I won’t even apologize for it. When we reach the bathroom, the lights have been dimmed to almost pure darkness, which my eyes certainly appreciate. There’s even a candle on the rough-edged rock countertop that makes me smile.

He’s actually trying to make this better for me.

When I stop in front of the carwash-sized glass shower enclosure, I know exactly what I’m going to do next.

Forge reaches for the handle and opens the door, releasing the barest hint of steam. I’m impressed he knew not to turn the water too hot because he doesn’t want me to have hyperthermia and organ failure, which is the biggest risk of club drugs like whatever Bastien’s asshole friend gave me.

Before I can chastise myself for being so naive as to take any kind of pill they gave me, I remind myself that at least my head doesn’t hurt at all, and I get to put off reality for at least another six hours. Which means going back to my initial idea—

Enjoy the shit out of this. Because once I wake up, I’m gone, and whatever plans Forge had are over.

I reach for the tie on my bathing suit top, and Forge touches my arm to still my movement.

“Keep it on.” His voice sounds strangled, and not at all like the man who has been playing with my libido for the last few days.

I shoot him a sideways glance as I tug the tie free. “If I don’t care about you catching the full show, why would you?”

“Goddammit—”

“Shut up, Forge.”

I drop the tie and my breasts spill free of the top. But because he’s a contrary man, Forge doesn’t look down. He keeps staring directly into my eyes.

Try to ignore me, I say silently. I dare you.

I reach around the back and tug the knot to release it completely before I shove the bottoms over my hips. The healing cut on my side twinges, but not enough to dull the decadent feeling of the cool air wafting over my skin. My nipples peak, and I can’t wait to get under the warm water. Stepping around Forge, who still hasn’t looked anywhere but my face, I walk into the shower and moan as the spray touches my skin.

“God, that feels so good.” I groan as I tip my head back and let the water beat down over my hair. Reveling in the sensation, I sway from side to side.

“Jesus Christ. Sit down. I’m not taking another chance that you’re going to fall and crack your head.”

A smile stretches my lips wide. “If you’re going to give me orders while I’m naked, you better make them dirtier than that.” I open my eyes to see Forge’s jaw tick and his Adam’s apple bob in his throat.

“Indy . . .”

“Only my friends call me Indy, and you’re not one of them.”





12





Forge





Her statement slices me again, even though I shouldn’t care what she thinks of me.

She’s a means to an end, I remind myself, but I know I’m lying. She was a means to an end. Sometime in the last forty-eight hours, that changed. Now she has become something much more dangerous and unpredictable.

Indy presses her fingertips to her forehead before dragging them down her body, and it’s impossible not to follow them as she skims over her face, her chin, her chest, and then her tits, where she pauses to circle a tightly budded nipple. My teeth grate together at the thought of pulling it into my mouth and teasing it with my tongue before sucking hard and giving it a sharp tug.

She’s taunting me in the most daring way possible.