Page 57 of Exposed

I wish I could burn the place down and start over.

I roll to my side but my extra pillow that is usually tucked to my chest is missing. Knowing it’s being slept on by the man on the other side of my door is strangely comforting and equally nerve racking. I’m not sure which one wins.

I just know tonight could’ve ended a lot differently had he not been stalking my apartment.

And I shouldn’t get excited when he touches me.

It’s fake.

So very fake. He needs me for my last name.

And that’s it.

12

FAMILY

Goldie

His strong fingers touch my jaw as he forces my gaze to him. All I see are blue eyes that are somehow bluer today. It’s either from the color of his tie or the early afternoon rays bathing us where we sit in the car.

I’m frozen in my seat despite the warm sun.

“Goldie.”

“Hmm?”

“You okay?”

I give my head a tiny shake. “No. I’m definitely not okay. Can we please get this done so we can leave?”

The day has been a blur. I woke up to the smell of coffee. When I followed the aroma, King was standing in my kitchen wearing only a pair of jeans. No shirt. No shoes.

Naked other than jeans.

I’m not sure which one felt more intimate as his faded jeans hung perfectly on his narrow hips. I was overtaken by his rippledmuscles and black underwear band winking at me. It was all so much, I barely realized he was frying eggs.

After eating breakfast and complaining about the lack of food in my refrigerator, he left me to go to work and told me he’d be back after he did something with a judge and reports and other whatnots that I can’t remember right now. He told me to stay in my apartment with the door locked and not to open it for anyone. I responded that I was not an idiot.

He smirked, told me what time to be ready, and that he would return with groceries because my food was crap.

He used another word, but that’s what he meant.

I guess the DEA is putting up cameras on a light pole outside The Colony to keep an eye on the place after what happened last night. I felt a lot better about him leaving for the day.

“Yeah, let’s get this over with,” he says, dragging me back to reality in the parking lot of The Pink. My palms are a sweaty mess from nerves. “You’re sure you can do this? I’ll cancel the meeting and make an excuse if you’re not okay.”

I look into his piercing eyes and study him. His hair is perfectly styled and looks nothing like the rumpled mess it was when he made me breakfast this morning. He’s in a crisp black suit, and I’m in a little black dress. It’s like we coordinated our outfits like a real couple. I decided to go for it and wear something totally different from the conservative dresses I wore when I was in and out of The Pink on a daily basis for work.

This is a baby doll dress with poofy organza cap sleeves and layered taffeta and more organza on the bottom. It hits the middle of my bare thighs, has a neckline so wide and low, there’s no space for a bra. My boobs are front and center. They don’t look bad if I do say so myself.

I grabbed this dress on clearance before I moved. I thought living in Miami would include nightlife and bars and eccentric new friends.

I was a different person then … one who was optimistic and excited about my new life.

I wonder what glass-is-half-full Goldie would say back then if I told her she’d be wearing her clearance-rack sexy LBD when she worked undercover as a confidential informant for the DEA.

Well, since I am her, I know exactly what she’d say. She’d say,that’s cuteand laugh at me.

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