Page 23 of Hard Game

“You already told me that, Maddox.”

“I don’t know your name,” Maddox says, stepping closer.

“You’re a little bold for someone with a gun against their cock.” I nudge the gun into him a little, and he grins.

“I’m into gunplay.”

My core screams at his words, and as I go to move the gun lower, Maddox knocks it from my hand, and my towel falls off as I lunge for it.

Maddox’s eyes darken as he stares down at my naked body, the gun held high above his head.

“Avert your fucking eyes,” I say through gritted teeth as I lean down to scoop the towel into my hand. “Now.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Maddox says, moving his eyes to meet mine. “How about you get dressed, and I put the safety on this thing?”

I tie the towel around me, holding it tight with one hand while he puts the safety on the gun.

My gun.

“Maddox, what?” I say, ignoring him as he hands me my gun.

If he wanted to hurt me, he’d have done it by now. Right?

“Moreno,” he says easily.

I frown. I didn’t see that name when I was searching for days. “You’re a ghost, Maddox Moreno.”

He nods and waves at me. “Get dressed, Detective.”

I want to argue with him, to tell him he can leave because I’m about to have a bath, thank you very much. But I don’t. I leave this strange man in my living room and chuck on some clothes, heading back out feeling more confident now I’m dressed.

He’s staring at a photo of me and my sister on the wall, and I clear my throat. He moves back to look at me before pointing at the photograph. “She’s your sister?”

I nod stiffly; the physical resemblance between us is undeniable. People always thought we looked like twins despite the age difference.

“Is she single?” He jokes, the light dying in his eyes when he sees my expression.

“She’s missing.”

I close my eyes and quickly do an inventory of myself—I can’t lose it in front of this man. He might be part of the ring.

“I’m sorry,” he says, his lips pressing together. “How long?”

“Maddox, I’m not talking to you about my sister. Tell me why you’re here.”

He steps closer to me and waves a hand between us. “This is why I’m here.”

Is he insane? I make a face and laugh. “Because of what?” I know what he’s referring to: the animal attraction between us. But I don’t know anything about this guy; I’ve only just learned his surname, and that’s if he’s telling the truth.

He studies me with a playful smile on his lips, and my heart flips in my chest. “Because of how wet you are when I look at you.”

My mouth responds before I can even think. “You wish.”

His eyes glitter dangerously. “Am I wrong, Detective?”

This fucker! I jut my chin and glare at him, hoping to throw some authority his way. He can’t come in here and think he can reduce me to a wreck just because he looks good. Hell no. “I’m not like other women, Mr Moreno,” I tell him through a wolfish smile. “You won’t find rivers running down my thighs because you smirked at me. Now tell me what you want or leave.”

Maddox chuckles, and I want to punch him square in the mouth. How dare he find me amusing? “I came here because you were looking for me. I assumed it was because you wanted to get to know me better,” he says, lifting a brow at me. I don’t miss the way his eyes flicker toward the bathroom. “Maybe I can tell you about myself while you bathe.”

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