Page 23 of Ruse
“Levi!” one girl at the front register shouts out, interrupting whatever Levi was going to say. “We need you up here.”
“Sorry girls got to run. Mom’s out of town and if this ship sinks, I’m going down with it. It was nice meeting you guys, officially.” And just like that, she skips away, literally the girl is skipping through the store on her way to the front register.
“Well, she was…” Olly starts, but Donovan interrupts him.
“Interesting.”
Yeah, she was.
Turning my attention back to the phone in my hands, I remember why we were in this weird situation to begin with. “I’m going to go grab another coffee. I'll meet you guys back at my house for drinks before we head out to Echo.”
“Woah not so fast, Little Miss Bancroft,” Olly calls out, grabbing my arm as I turn to walk away. “We’re not done with you.” Grabbing onto me tightly, he walks us back over to the lounge chairs, Donovan following closely behind us. We sit, more like they sit and hold me down, serious expressions crossing both their faces.
I know where this is going, and I don’t like it.
“Look, I didn’t mean to click on the Live, okay. But once I did, I’ll admit it was hard to look away.” Their eyes go wide at my admission. I’m not dumb enough to deny that Maverick is a vision. Hell, he’s more than that. The guy is literally walking sex. A trim and toned body that looks like it was molded by the most renowned sculptor in the world, and a face that could only be described as an artistic masterpiece. But it’s what’s inside which taints his almost perfect exterior. I may not know a lot about the brooding bastard, but I know no one is that perfect, and he is no exception. He’s hiding something, a big something. And if I’m not careful, I might just fall right into his trap.
“However, there’s nothing else to it,” I continue. “No secret, no ulterior motive. This isn’t a fairytale that’s going to end happily ever after for us. That’s not the way life works. Bottom line is, I trust him as far as I can throw him.”
Olly and Donovan stare at me stunned, unsure of how to even reply to what I’ve thrown at them, when suddenly, my phone vibrates in my hand, alerting me to an incoming new message. All eyes turn toward the device in my hand, and my heart nearly stops when I see his name appear on my screen.
Maverick: I hope you liked what you saw, Nyx. I can always give you a private show.
I’m speechless, dumbstruck, and unsure of how it’s even possible he knows I was watching. There’s no way he saw me among all the viewers tuned in, but I knew the teasing smirk he gave the camera felt too personal. Had I accidentally pressed something and sent a message? Not likely, but either way I’m perplexed by the situation and slightly exhilarated.
He knows I was watching. He’s offering a private show. Of course, he is, thinking I’m sitting here drooling from what I saw. Yet instead, my mouth feels incredibly dry.
“What is it, Phoenix?” Dee asks when she sees the stricken look on my face. I shake my head, unable to form a coherent thought that could explain this conundrum. What the hell am I supposed to say to that? Do I even reply, or act like I never received it?
Before I can decide, my phone vibrates again. This time, an image appears along with the incoming text.
Maverick: For your eyes only. ;) **Photo Attachment**
Okay, if I was dumbfounded before, now I’m completely rendered catatonic.
Tanned, wet, glistening skin fresh from the shower, water droplets still dripping down the black ink scribbled along every inch of his chest. The way he’s flexing his well-defined muscles makes the veins on his arms and abdomen bulge, leading down to the deep V of his pelvic bone, before disappearing beneath the white towel hung low on his waist.
My mouth is now watering, my cheeks flushed, and a tickling heat spreads all over my body, making me clench my thighs in response.
Olly notices, leaning over me and pulling the phone out of my hands. I don’t even react, the device easily slipping away from me. “Oh, good god, the lord is good,” Olly shouts out in sarcastic prayer. “That man is a fucking God, capital G-O-D!”
Donovan plucks the phone out of Olly’s hand and gasps. “No kidding.” Handing the phone back to Olly instead of me, she stands hooking her arm in mine, and yanks me forward, leading me toward the array of dresses, miniskirts, and see-through tops she’s hung on her fitting room door. “We are so getting you a killer outfit to wear tonight. Maverick needs to see you leaving the house dressed to kill.”
Oliver stands to join us and hands me back my phone. “What are you going to reply?”
I debate for a second if that is even warranted a response. He wants me to beg for it, to admit to him how much I enjoyed it, but that means he wins. Without replying, I tuck my phone back into my purse and look through the dresses hung in front of us. I guess a new outfit wouldn’t hurt.
A gold satin dress with thin straps and a hem that would barely sit under my ass, catches my attention. It’s perfect. The fabric is so shiny it almost looks as if specs of glitter are woven into the material and feels so smooth between my fingers as I pluck it off the hanger.
“Oh, he’s going to die when he sees you in that,” Dee utters, her tone of voice almost maniacal. “It’s perfect P.”
She’s right, it’s perfect, and although he may not physically die, I know the moment he sees me in this, he’s going to wish he had.
“Checkmate.”
ChapterNine
PHOENIX
