Page 73 of Sinful Lies

My brows shot up.

Lazziohatedthe Gregs.

Scratch that—loathedthem.

They were nothing more than a power play, a fake friendship forged for appearances, but I knew the truth.

Lazzio couldn’t stand the sight of Greg, and I was certain he’d rather drag his nails across a chalkboard than entertain him.

So for him to let Greg walk in hereunannounced?

That sent warning bells ringing in my head.

“The next exhibition is in two weeks,Power and War, just like you titled it,” he said, finishing his bagel, and casually tossing the foil into the bin under his desk. “Go check the different floors—art’s all here, exceptGuernicaby Picasso. Their museum is still jerking around with the contract. I just sent it to your email.”

He rose to his feet, his dark eyes finally locking onto mine.

There was no warmth there, but something else—something dangerous.

That was the aura of a murderer.

I stood, crossing my arms with a smirk. “Good. Watching you sulk for two weeks was getting old. Impressive, really—how you manage to be such a monumental asshole and still get things done.”

“Funny, coming from someone who thinks running her mouth counts as productivity.”

Anger flared in my chest.

Stepping closer, he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his voice dropping to a cruel whisper. “Keep flapping that pretty mouth, though—it’s entertaining. Probably the only thing it’s good for anyway.”

His face was so close I could see the faint flecks of gold flickering in his dark eyes—something I’d somehow missed in the six years I’d known him.

His long lashes brushed his cheeks as he blinked, and the olive undertone of his skin looked almost too perfect under the harsh office lighting.

That jawline could have cut glass, and his lips—sofull—held a tiny beauty mark on the upper edge, a detail that suddenly seemed all too distracting.

He was too close. Too goddamn close.

My finger drifted to his jaw, my freshly painted black nails grazing his skin, leaving a thin red line in their wake—just enough to tease, just enough to sting.

When my finger reached the corner of his mouth, I found a trace of blueberry frosting he’d missed.

With the tip of my nail, I swiped it, a wicked smile tugging at my lips.

My finger grazed his lips, lingering just long enough to leave them tinged with a hint of heat. Then, slowly, I brought it to my mouth.

My lips closed around it, circling deliberately, eyes locked on his the entire time.

I let the sweetness linger on my tongue, savoring it, before pulling my finger free with a softpop.

“Too bad for you, you’llneverknow the kind of surprise my mouth’s really capable of, Lazzio.”

His eyes flicked to my lips, and for just a split second, I saw a faint flicker of desire pass through them—barely enough to be sure, but I saw it.

That brief flash of weakness.

It lasted no more than a microsecond though.

He opened his mouth, probably to say something crude, and I couldn’t help the flutter of excitement in my stomach, eager to hear what else he’d throw my way.

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