Crown of Lies

He waited until I had my balance before striding into the gloom. “Now that we’re in, keep an eye out for security guards.”

Fear multiplied. “Guards? As in guards with guns?”

“Probably. Doesn’t everyone in America own a gun?”

I hated that he was right. Even my father had one locked in a case at home. Not that he’d ever used it—that was why we had bodyguards.

The thought of how different our worlds were made me self-conscious. What would he say if I admitted that the building glowing the brightest on the horizon was mine? That I crunched numbers and paid bills on a daily basis valued at more than he’d probably seen in his entire life?

He didn’t notice my sudden heavy steps as he slinked through the few bushes and disappeared into the dark.

Following him, I did my best not to imagine monsters in the swaying foliage and remain level-headed. I missed Sage. I missed her whiskers and long, silver tail. I missed normalcy and a place where I was in charge and not the universe taking me on a jeopardy-filled odyssey.

But even as homesickness filled part of my heart, freedom filled the other. The longer I was in his company, the more I found the confidence to be the girl who stood up to crooks in nothing but her bra. To speak my mind and chase after a man who did strange things to my stomach.

And above all, not to embarrass myself.

Whoever my guide was, he had an air of aloof confidence that made it vital he saw me as strong not weak if I wanted him to notice me and not just pity me.

We didn’t speak as we navigated the bushes. A few lights here and there offered illumination, while the flashlight of a security guard patrolling in the distance made us hug the treeline.

“Where are we going?” I whispered.

“You’ll see.”

Our sneakers scuffed through brush and twigs, so loud to my ears but no doubt unnoticeable by whoever enforced the laws about breaking into this place.

Popping from the undergrowth, we dashed across a path and entered a grassy field with caged baseball courts under the half moon.

“Come on. Hurry.” He held out his hand, guiding me toward the super high chain link fence. “Climb.”

“What?” I peered into the star-lit sky. “Are you insane?”

He looked over his shoulder as a branch snapped. “Hurry.” Pushing me upward, he didn’t give me a choice. His hand landed on my ass, searing his fingerprints into my flesh. A comet somehow fell from the dark velvet above and lodged itself in my chest.

It took every ounce of concentration to climb when all I could think about was his fingers touching me where no other man had before.

He followed me, scaling so much faster with experience. Reaching the top, he slung his body over and just let go. His black-clad body fell with all the grace of a jungle cat.

I didn’t have the balls.

I crawled over the top—thankful there was no barbwire—and climbed down a few rungs before finally dropping to the stable ground below. My fingers smarted from gripping the harsh metal.

He showed no sign of being affected at touching me in an intimate place so I didn’t either—even though my ass cheek throbbed as if he’d spanked me.

“Won’t they see us in here?” I glanced around for security cameras. I spied one aimed at the home diamond. “Wait.” I hissed.

He turned around, his eyebrow arched in question.

“The camera.” I cocked my chin at the lens glinting in the starlight.

“It doesn’t work.”

The way he said it made it sound as if he knew exactly why it didn’t work. So he’s a vandal and a vigilante?

Fighting my nerves, I paced after him until we stood in the center of the field. All around us (outside the chain link) were manicured lawns and sweeping trees to give watchers a spot of shade on hot days.

Once in the middle of the playing field, he fell into a cross-legged position and tugged my hand to join him.

I struggled against his weight for a second but finally gave in and joined him. The moment I was sitting, he pushed my shoulder.

My abs clenched against his pressure, trying to stay upright.

But it was no use.

His eyes locked on mine, adding more authority until I gave up fighting and followed his command. Down and down, until my spine kissed the soft grass.

My heart chugged blood like it was starving.

Untangling his legs, he reclined, slowly slotting his body along mine, stealing my breath, making every cell spring into tiny knife-like blades of sensation.

His gaze landed on my lips, drawing awareness and concentration into overpowering levels. My head swam with the possibility of him kissing me. His gaze hooded, his own thoughts of kissing me coating his face.

I didn’t know how I felt about him kissing me. Would I let him? Would I scream?

I hated to admit that I would let him. That I’d probably kiss him back. That despite my wariness, I trusted him, and if I was going to do something as reckless as kiss a total stranger under the moon in the middle of Central Park, it would be this nameless man.

Is this what he meant when he said he wanted something from me?

Did he think I was easy?

A sure thing?

Even with such awful thoughts in my head, my body didn’t buy into the shame.

My chin arched. I licked my lips. The world stood still.

He swayed closer, propping himself up on an elbow to hover his face over mine.

Oh God, he’s truly going to kiss me.

My first real kiss.

Something I would remember for the rest of my life, regardless if I remained a spinster to Belle Elle or married a man who would always be second best to my career.