“Yeah, I know. No one can touch me. Message. Received. By. Everyone.”
Her lips curved, and she dipped a finger into her drink before she slowly sucked the liquid away. Finn’s dick twitched to life with the sudden memory of those lips wrapped around him.
“You sure Grant can’t be persuaded though?”
She wanted him to react, so he only shrugged. “I told him I’d kill him if he did.” He forced his voice to remain calm, steady.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure he’s not worried about your empty threats.”
Finn snickered. “He’s seen what I can do, baby.” He bent, letting his lips brush her ear. “There’s a reason no one’s touched you, and it’s not because they don’t want to. They know who I am. Perhaps you should do better research.”
“Is that a threat?”
He pulled away and met her fake blue eyes. “I’d never hurt you, never lay a hand on you. That’s one thing I can promise you.”
“It’s about the only thing isn’t it, Jay?” She didn’t look away as she gave him time to think over her question. “I think your girlfriend warned me away from you tonight. She offered me a job—”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“She wanted to make sure I understood I wouldn’t do well in her line of work if I fell in love easily.” Her gaze bore into his, as she no doubt waited for his reaction. He didn’t give one. “I assured her that wouldn’t be a problem.”
He nodded. He’d never expect Gretchen to fall in love lightly, but he’d still thought maybe she’d fallen in love with him. “She doesn’t know we’re sleeping together.”
Sex was a much safer discussion than love.
Gretchen scoffed. “Slepttogether,” she corrected. “And yes, she does.”
He ground his teeth at her use of the past tense.
“A woman always knows when someone else is enjoying what’s hers,” she continued, unperturbed.
Then how the hell did Gretchen not realize he and Ronnie were over? “If you say so.”
He signaled to the bartender for something stronger.
Gretchen chuckled beside him as she placed her empty glass on the bar. “I’m up.”
She walked away without a touch. He forced himself not to move as he watched her go.
He was finished with this game and needed to get her out of this mission.
~ ~ ~
“I don’t need you to follow me home,” Gretchen told Grant as he walked her out of the club and to her car. “I’m fine, really. Go home to your wife.”
Grant smiled indulgently before he shook his head. “I’ll follow you home and check your place, andthenI’ll go home to my wife. Boss’s orders.” He raised his hand in mock salute.
She sighed and made her way to the small heap of junk she drove as Lilah. She kept her eyes trained on the rearview mirror. If someone had been at her place the night before, they wouldn’t need to follow her tonight. Still, she had to admit a small part of her was relieved Grant would be with her when she entered the tiny apartment.
She pulled into a spot at the curb. Through the window, she watched as Grant climbed out, and went to inspect the ground beneath the window, unaware she’d already had Jackson comb the area. When he was finished, she exited her own car.
“Find anything?”
Shaking his head, he came back to her and walked her to her apartment. She stood inside the doorway and let him search.
“I can stay the night, if you want,” he offered.
“Did Jay tell you to stay?” The familiar anger at Finn’s management of her life rose within her.