Page 36 of Liars and Liaisons

Yet that’s exactly what I do as I cross the room to her, pausing mere inches from her body. The scent of feminine musk and something a touch sweeter clings to the air around her, and as I drop my gaze to her collarbone, I see tiny beads of perspiration dotting her pale skin.

With one hand, I reach out and run my fingertip up the curve of her side, from hip to outer breast. Moisture collects on the print, and I keep my eyes on hers as I bring it to my mouth, licking her essence off.

“You are…” I trail off, searching for words as music crescendos in my bloodstream, excited by her proximity. “Exquisite. They write songs about women like you.”

I would write one.Something dark and sensual and too distracting for its own good.

The melody practically forms beneath my touch, ignited by her smooth skin.

Her bottom lip trembles, the confidence from before withering. But she doesn’t retreat or let me see her falter.

She just tilts her chin higher, eyes burning like the sun as I let my hand fall to her waist, pulling her in close. Our bodies aren’t quite touching, but electricity still pumps between us.

I swear she sways on her feet. Inches forward.

An audible swallow echoes around us.

“Are you frightened, Violet?”

She doesn’t reply.

I think she might be, which makes the fact that she isn’t running even more interesting.

Maybe shelikesbeing scared. The adrenaline that comes with fear. I recall the way her eyes lit up when I wore that mask and how she didn’t shy away from it.

Perhaps that’s why Nathaniel liked her.

My free hand grips her jaw, my thumb splaying across her bottom lip. It rubs, smearing that bright red lipstick, making an absolute mess of her in the only way I’m able to.

“B-minus,” I say softly, moving her head so it’s at the perfect angle. “For hesitation. Next time, don’t take so long to satisfy me.”

She frowns, smacking my hand away. “Next time, ask nicer. You’d be surprised what people are willing to do when you sayplease.”

The notion makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight, but I swallow, reaching up to smooth them back down.

“I doubt you’ll hear that word from me.”

Why would I beg, when she’s played right into my hand, and she doesn’t even realize it? The fact is, Idon’thave to say please to get her to humiliate herself. I don’t even have to coerce or force her.

Violet Artinos will doanythingfor money.

11

“Why goats?”

Micah and Willow share an amused look over the curtain they’re repairing. Even Arsen in the corner of the porch smothers a smirk—the first bout of emotion I’ve seen from him yet. A little kid with golden-brown fur and black legs bleats in front of me, then sniffs my feet. They’re covered in dirt from traipsing in the flower beds all morning and in desperate need of a soak.

The kid’s tongue lashes out, lapping at one of my toes. I giggle and pull my feet up in the patio chair with me, then scratch behind his long, folded ear. The other ear is missing.

“Grayson’s grandfather owned the place. The herd was his, and since Alpines are great milkers, he raised them for dairy and took it to Duris to sell.” Willow brushes a braid off her shoulder. “He left the estate to Grayson in his will. When he came here, he decided to keep them around.”

My brows shoot up, and the little fella places his head on the chair beside me. “He milks them?”

Micah snorts. “No. It was just easier to keep them than finding a farm or a facility to move them to.”

“If you ask me,” Willow continues, reaching into the sewing basket on the ground by her feet, “I think the easy thing was an excuse.”

“Here we go.” Micah rolls her eyes.

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