“You know who he is, Ava. You’re just too scared to say the words.”
“A pimp? A bully? A crook? I don’t know what else to call him.” She looked around, and it was like she didn’t know the guy at all.
How could you know him? He’s been gone from your life for a long time, and he thought you were the reason. Stop being so fucking stupid.
“Logan is a great many things. Above it all, he’s a fighter,” Hunter said. “It’s why he’s so feared. He made a reputation for himself before he took over the rule of the city.”
“His money is through illegal activity?” she asked.
“My money is through many different avenues,” Logan said. “That will be all, Hunter. I’ll be staying here for a couple of hours.”
Hunter left without a backward glance.
“Any questions you have or you want answering, you’d best come to me.”
“And you’ll answer them?”
“I’ll do my best. You have me pegged as this bad guy, but I’m not. Well, I have to do bad things.” He smirked and signaled to the waiter.
“This is your city?”
“Yes.”
“And this place?”
“This is a place where I get a great deal of revenue and where I can also help further my protection.”
“You make deals through blackmail.”
His brow rose. “And how did you jump to that conclusion?”
“It’s how you worked with me, right? I wasn’t your first rodeo. You had something on me. Sex is a weakness in everyone. I imagine you’ve got cameras everywhere that’s important. You have rich and powerful men and women. Even their kids are probably used as leverage, am I right?”
“You’re warm.”
“All you need is the right footage. You have your material, and in doing so, whoever it is you want, eating out of the palm of your hand.”
“Oh, you’re good.”
“No, I’m not. I’m a victim of yours.”
He laughed. “Victim. Please.”
“I thought Grant cared,” she said. “The footage you got of me. It was explicit, but it wasn’t done to manipulate anyone. I wasn’t cheating. I was single. Trying to find love.”
“And that is your weakness. I simply wanted it. Your parents on the other hand, that was a little surprise.”
“How did you get it?” she asked. She had no idea what her parents got up to on their weekends away.
“A friend of a friend.”
“So you didn’t set that one up?”
“No, I don’t need to set everyone up. They need to fall into it.” He shrugged.
The bartender placed his drink down, and Ava watched as he swallowed it.
“You hate me right now, don’t you?”
“I don’t know who you are. How can I hate someone I don’t know?”
“You like me fucking you though, can’t deny that.”
“Don’t bring us into this,” she said.
“I’m the same guy I was last night. You were more than happy to have my cock in your ass last night.”
She went to stand up, but he grabbed her arm.
“Don’t even think of leaving. You’re not going anywhere.”
She sat down. “It doesn’t matter how many times we slept together. You’re not the same guy.”
“And you’re not the same chick.” He swallowed down his scotch.
Without another word, he took her hand and led her out of the bar, toward the back stairs. The woman he’d been in a meeting with was on the front desk.
She stared at them as they passed, and Ava couldn’t help but feel a little humiliated. It wouldn’t be hard to guess what they were doing, or where they were going and for what purpose.
Logan must have a regular room because no one was inside as he pushed her through the doors, and pressed her up against it.
He captured her hands, locking them up above her head, and took possession of her lips. His mouth was hard, almost bruising as he took her.
He let go of her hands, but she kept them above her head. He sank his fingers into her hair, pulling her back so that she was completely at his mercy.
There was nowhere else for her to go.
He bit down on her lips, breaking from them to trail kisses down to her neck.
He wasn’t gentle, his touch hard.
She should hate it, but as he sank his teeth against her pulse, she felt an answering heat awaken within her.
She didn’t want him to stop. She was hungry for more, for him. She whimpered his name, begging him.
“Please,” she said. And she wasn’t even sure why she was begging anymore, only that she couldn’t stop, nor did she want to. It felt amazing.
He lifted up her dress, and his hand touched between her thighs. Spreading her legs, he plunged two fingers inside her.
“So wet.” He added a third finger, stretching her out, and she didn’t argue or complain. She wanted his touch. She didn’t want him to stop, not even for a single moment.
He drew his fingers up to her clit, circling the nub.