Page 6 of Traitorous Lies
The reminder strengthened his weakening resolve. It might suck to hurt Monique, but in the end, she didn't even know him so it wasn't like she would mourn his loss or anything. By morning, he’d have the intel he needed and be heading for a plane to fly back home.
“What do you say we get out of here for a while?” Jax suggested. At least with Monique being an introvert who hadn't even wanted to come to the charity ball, she was more likely to open up to him if they were somewhere she felt more comfortable and at ease.
So leaving was more a professional decision and not a personal one.
“Oh, umm, I haven’t really done any schmoozing yet, and I had a fundraising goal I wanted to hit before I left.” Monique said the words, but she didn't sound all that upset about the possibility of getting out of there.
“Whatever your goal was, I’ll match it and add ten percent,” he vowed. Since he was there to get intel out of Monique, it seemed only fair that she be compensated. Billionaire former SEAL, founder and CEO of Prey Security Eagle Oswald had more than enough money to pay whatever it was Monique had hoped to raise there tonight, and Jax was confident his boss would be happy to do it, especially since the money was going to a good cause.
“So you really are one of those rich, stuffy, boring guys then,” Monique said, soundingdisappointed.
“Oh, princess, boring is totally the wrong word to describe me.”
When he winked at her, she shivered and her blush deepened. That wasn't a lie, his life was far from boring, but it wasn't like he was rich or stuffy either. Still, for now, she had to believe he had the money to donate to her rescue that she’d been there to raise, so it wasn't like he could blurt out that he made a good living working for Prey, but he was nowhere close to rich, nothing more than comfortable.
“I don’t usually leave these kinds of events with guys,” she hedged, not an outright no, but she was definitely conflicted.
“No pressure, princess,” he assured her. Just because he selfishly wanted to enjoy a little time with her away from the party didn't mean he was going to pressure her. “We can stay, dance a little, talk a little. Pretend you're Cinderella and I'm Prince Charming,” he teased with another wink.
One of those cute little tinkling laughs fell from her lips. “Cinderella, huh?”
“Absolutely.” Only this time, she wouldn't be the one to disappear at midnight, he would be, and he wouldn't be leaving behind any identifying items.
“I guess a girl can't say no to a prince. Okay, we can get out of here. Let’s do this.”
October 31st
8:39 P.M.
Had she lost her mind?
Monique thought that was the only logical explanation for allowing this man—thisstranger—to guide her toward the exit.
This wasn't her.
She didn't go anywhere with people she didn't know.
Heck, she barely went anywhere with people shedidknow. Curse of being an introvert. The company of herself and animals had always beenenough to satisfy her even when she was a kid. It drove her grandparents crazy because they expected her to be the social, bubbly, life of the party.
Truth was, though, she took after her mother. Which had been a source of much anxiety to her over the years. If she took after her mom, did that mean that if one day she found someone who was happy helping her care for sick and traumatized animals, and understood her need for quiet and solitude, she would wind up ruining it?
Would she walk away from a child as easily as her mom had walked away from her?
Not a worry for today.
As Jaxon led her across the grand entrance hall, his fingertips brushed across the inside of her wrist, making her squirm. How was he managing to turn her on at an event where they were surrounded by people, with just a simple touch?
Cheeks flaming with embarrassment, Monique was convinced every single person there must know the thought running through her mind.
Thoughts very unlike her.
Thoughts of this man crushing his lips to hers in a fiery kiss. His hands roaming her body, tweaking her nipples, his tongue plunging into her, making her scream, then he’d slam home and take her with hard thrusts until she lost the ability to do anything, even breathe. Jaxon wouldn't treat her like spun glass like all her other lovers had. Those boyfriends thought she was fragile, delicate, but she was neither of those things. She wrangled animals every day, some of them weighing close to as much as she did. She could handle a little hot, rough sex.
In fact, she wanted to handle a little hot, rough sex.
With Jaxon.
“Did you drive here yourself?” Jaxon asked as they stepped through the front door and a waft of cool air caressed her skin.
