Page 99 of Devious Truth

She snaps her mouth shut, shoots a glare at Vivek, then steps into her apartment.

“Good luck with that.” Vivek mutters as he goes back into the apartment we’ve taken over.

“You should have told me you were moving some of your goons across the hall from me,” she says as soon as I have the door shut behind me.

“What would you have done differently if you knew they were there?” I cross the small space and kiss her cheek. “Hello, by the way.”

She flushes. “I didn’t think you’d be coming over with the auction going on.” She sinks onto the couch, pulling her bare feet up beneath her.

“Why would I want to be at the auction? You’re here, exactly where you’re supposed to be.” I drop my jacket over the arm of the couch and take the seat next to her.

“I wasn’t going to sleep with anyone.” She uncurls her legs and drapes them over my lap as I guide them there. “I was just going to?—”

“I don’t want to know what you thought you were going to do.” I cut her off.

I’m in a relatively good mood, but if I have to think about what she might have done with whatever asshole bought her at the auction, that mood will sour.

“The car was brought over today,” she says, leaning forward. “You know I can’t take it.”

I run my hand over her leg. “What was the first rule I gave you?”

“Ivan.”

“What was it?” I snap my eyes to hers.

“Never try to return a gift you gave me.” She pauses just a beat. “But this is a car. It’s not a dress, or a piece of jewelry, it’s a whole ass car.”

I grin. “A whole ass one?”

“You know what I mean. And it’s brand new. Ivan, you can’t buy me things like that. Especially around here. Someone’s going to have the tires off it by morning.”

“That’s what the guys in the car downstairs are for.”

“There’s still guards on the street?” Her eyes go wide. “All this just for me? It’s a waste.”

I squeeze her calf. “Keeping you safe isn’t a waste of anything, but if you really want to conserve my men’s energy, you could stop being so damn stubborn and move in with me.”

She rolls her head to the side, resting it on the back of the couch. “You’re relentless.”

“When it’s something I want, yes.” I agree. “You’re keeping the car.”

“I can just take the bus to work.”

“There isn’t a bus stop within a mile of Obsidian. The distance from the gate to the club is half a mile long.”

“I can walk.”

The playful smile on her lips soothes the irritation building in my chest.

“I’ll keep the car.” She relents. “But only because you’ve stolen my actual car. And when this all goes to hell, I can sell it.”

“The only person who is going to be surprised at our wedding, is going to be you.”

“Don’t start the wedding talk again.” She draws her legs back, swinging them off the couch as she rises to her feet. “Are you hungry? I made pasta earlier; I can warm some up for you.”

“Is it any good?” I push up from my seat, following her to the kitchen area.

She pulls out a glass dish from the fridge and pulls off the lid. “It’s just spaghetti.”

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