Page 22 of Prettiest Little Thief
“Wrong answer, Monroe.” Lucas slammed his mouth onto mine again. This time, rougher. More demanding.
My body melted into him as I looped my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through the hair at the nape. My core pulsed with excitement. I wanted more. So much more. But I wasn’t going to go there. I still held a bit of malice toward Lucas. No matter how sexy he was in his jeans, red plaid jacket, and black T-shirt. He looked like a lumberjack stripper.
Lucas pulled away again, and those piercing azure eyes searched my face.
“No. No, I don’t think Fox could kiss me like that,” I said, hardly able to catch my breath.
“Good.” Lucas released me, buckling his belt again and putting the car into drive. “I like to make sure all my employees favor me.” Did he just imply that I was not only an employee but that he would do anything with who knows how many women to gain likability?
Ew. Just ew.
The lust that had consumed me seconds before evaporated. “Excuse me?”
A cocky grin spread across his face as he pulled back out onto the road. “I knew if I kissed you, you’d cave.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” My mouth dropped open from how stunned I was. “You are the biggest jerk I’ve ever met.” I moved to sit normally in my seat and stared out the front windshield, not able to look at Lucas. The softer side of him he’d shown me at the masquerade had obviously been a façade, and my anger bubbled even more when he laughed outright.
He had kissed me as part of a sick game. He wanted to have me under his thumb. To lust after him. I thought we had gotten past the mean guy persona. I was wrong. “I changed my mind. Fox is way hotter than you. And nicer. And a better kisser.” Icrossed my arms over my chest, refusing to look at the smug look on Lucas’s face as he taunted me.
Lucas continued to laugh. He didn’t believe a word I said after I basically became a puddle in my seat. And… there might have been an actual puddle in my seat from how worked up he had gotten me.
The arrogant expression on his face didn’t leave for the entirety of the ride. Which peeved me to the depths of my soul. I sat in silence and watched the buildings become bigger and bigger as we continued deeper into the city, until we eventually pulled into a parking structure and of course used the valet service.
At the entrance of the museum, a large sign that readArcane Repositoryhung above the doors. The building was neoclassical in style, with a large dome on top. Banners hung from the large columns that lined the walls of the outside, promoting the exhibits the museum currently had. None of them being the relic of Ana.
We strode through the glass front doors and glanced around. Lucas paid for our admission, and I grabbed a pamphlet with the different exhibit information. Flipping through it, I didn’t find anything regarding the key we were hunting for.
“The guide doesn’t say anything aboutAnastasia’s Keepsake,” I said.
“That doesn’t mean it isn’t here. Maybe they haven’t updated it yet.”
So, around and around we went. I didn’t mind seeing all the cool artifacts. And when we came upon an ancient Egypt exhibit, excitement hummed through me. Walking ahead, Lucas called after me, but I didn’t slow my pace until I halted my steps directly in front of the mummy behind the glass. A section ofstone hieroglyphs was positioned in a case right next to him, and I scrutinized the artifact.
“What are you doing?” Lucas said from behind me. I didn’t turn around and continued my inspection.
“I’m looking to see if the hieroglyphs have any evidence of aliens being around in ancient Egypt.”
“You really like aliens, don’t you?” Lucas hadn’t laughed at me like I expected him to. Instead, he seemed perplexed. I glanced at him over my shoulder.
“I do. Don’t you have any interests or hobbies?”
He was quiet for a moment and stepped closer to me, until his arm brushed against mine and our fingers grazed each other. An electric pulse thrummed through me at the slight connection. So unexpected but thrilling. Even if I didn’t want to feel drawn to him. “I used to play the piano,” he murmured.
“You like classical music?” I craned my neck to stare up at him as his gaze took in the case in front of us. “I didn’t think that would be something you were into since I heard you playing Atreyu.”
“I guess you could say I have eclectic taste in music.”
“I guess so. Why did you stop playing?”
“Hmm?” Lucas’s icy stare moved to look down at me. He was distracted. Lost in thought. I wondered what was going on in his head.
“Why did you stop playing piano?” I repeated.
“That’s not something I want to discuss with you.” His nostrils flared in annoyance, and I rolled my eyes. My attention slid back to the display and my shoulders slouched.
“There’s nothing showing aliens. But did you know that there are tons of people out there who believe aliens are responsible for building the pyramids?”
“I may have heard that before.” He paused for a beat before he spoke again. “We really need to find the keepsake.” Right. The keepsake. I had gotten so excited it slipped my mind for a few minutes.
