Page 68 of Vicious Seduction

“Maybe it was proof of your power over law enforcement. I really don’t have any idea, but as a member of Olympus, you have the clout to find out.” Finally, she peered up at me through her lashes. “You could ask around and see if someone is willing to tell you what it takes. See if anyone is willing to talk.” An eager hopefulness made her voice breathy.

It didn’t make sense. She’d sounded wounded before at the thought that I might have been associated with this society, but now she was suggesting I look into joining?

“If you don’t know anything about this society, how do you even know it exists?”

A muscle in her jaw flexed. “I just do.”

She definitely knew more than she was telling me. Why? Why the fuck keep secrets when I’d just put myself out there to prove I was on her team?

Despite everything that just passed between us, she still didn’t trust me.

“I’m gonna start tidying up while you soak.” I dropped a towel next to the tub and shut the door behind me, resisting the urge to slam the damn thing.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. After ourconfrontation with a fucking gun, and her tears, and then offering herself to me—how could she possibly still be holding herself back?Why?

This shit needed to end. All of it. My retribution. The secrets and lies.

I was done.

I needed it all to end so I could know one way or the other whether this thing was going to work between us. I’d already let myself feel more than I should have. I was done giving if she wasn’t going to meet me halfway.

I went back to my office after getting dressed and into my hidden room, where I glanced over the collage of documents I’d been using to coordinate the systematic downfall of Lawrence Wellington. I was curious what she’d make of them. It would seem an odd mix of information to an outsider. Would she see his name and run to warn him? There was only one way to find out.

I’d told her she could look her fill. If I held good on that promise and gave her access to my secrets, I’d find out quick enough whether she was interested in betraying me. It pissed me off that I still had to question her at this point, but why else would she be keeping secrets?

Maybe she has something going on that you know nothing about. Not everything is about you.

No. I didn’t buy it. Why not share with me if it wasn’t somehow tied to me? Something continued to come between us, and I was sure as hell going to find out what.

CHAPTER 35

LINA

I didn’t spend toomuch time in the tub because I wanted to help with the house. I hadn’t exactly destroyed the place, but Oran kept a tidy home, and my search had definitely caused upheaval. I didn’t want him having to clean up my mess alone.

We worked companionably together, then ate a quick dinner. He’d seemed quiet while we cleaned, but I assumed he was concentrating on his task. I knew he was upset when the awkward silence continued through dinner. I felt like I was in the middle of a gloriously hot shower, only to have the water suddenly run ice cold.

We’d connected in a way I hadn’t experienced with another living soul. It was terrifying yetso incredibly fulfilling at the same time. To feel that newly formed bond slip through my fingers made me want to scrape and claw to get it back. Had the thief who’d stolen from me been anyone but myself, I would have defended my newly acquired emotional stronghold with feral tenacity. But there was no one to fight. No one else to blame.

Oran was upset that I wouldn’t tell him more about the Society. The problem was that the one piece of information I possessed centered on the most shameful, heart-wrenching choice I’d ever made. I didn’t want to keep secrets from him. I was sick of the lies and secrecy and desperately wanted to tell him everything, but I couldn’t seem to do it. When he asked, I’d fought with myself over what to say. The battle had been vicious, but my shame had won in the end, insisting I stay silent.

Better he think me a liar than know the truth.

He gave me a chaste kiss good night before bed, then we kept to our separate sides of the bed, an ocean of biting cold between us. I’d done that. I’d driven a wedge between us, and I hated it.

Tears soaked my pillow. As I lay alone in the dark once again, I decided that what I should have done was at least explain my situation—tell Oran that I knew about the Society because of something I was a part of that was deeply embarrassing and ask that he not push me to go into detail. It seemed like such a simple solution, and I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t thought of it before except that I’d felt like a cornered animal desperate to protect itself. That was how I’d learned to survive through the years, but I was beginning to understand there were other ways.

I decided to take a chance and try that new route. First thing in the morning, I’d talk to Oran and explain what Icould. With a plan in place and his soft snores filling the room, I finally gave in to sleep.

When I woke in the morning, however, Oran was gone.

No note. No indication of when he’d be back. I’d hurt him, and I hated myself for it.

Wanting to smooth things over, I called him on his cell but got no answer. The only other option I had was to wait for him to come home, and since I wasn’t sure when that would be, I texted Cosmo and bailed from our rescheduled design meeting again. I felt bad for ignoring my work but had learned the hard way that work wasn’t my top priority. Relationships came first.

I got myself some coffee and planned to sew for a bit when I made an unexpected detour to Oran’s office. Curiosity drove me forward. Oran had cleaned up his office before I got out of the bath the night before, so I hadn’t been back inside. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d closed up his secret room. He’d said I could look around, and he’d sounded sincere, but I was still shocked to see he’d left the hidden door open. Oran was intentional in everything he did. This wasn’t an oversight. He was giving me free rein to look around unsupervised.

Rather than dive in, I chewed on the inside of my cheek and stared at the tiny room. If I’d been given permission, why did having a look feel so invasive?