you kidding? Have you met me? I’m like the ‘all knowing Oz’ from—”
She spun toward him. “Maybe my memory is sketchy, but I thought that Oz guy was a fraud. Just pretending he knew everything and that he had all the power. When really, he was just a man hiding behind a curtain.”
Dex’s head inclined toward her. “I’m the real deal.”
She snorted. “You’re—”
“Your parents were murdered.”
She sucked in a breath.
“You hired a PI to find the truth a while back, but he wasn’t good enough to get the job done. You went to work at Wilde because you wanted to use their network to find out the truth. You wanted to catch the killer. To find out why they died.”
Lacey didn’t confirm or deny his charge.
His expression was inscrutable as Dex added, “Instead of thinking that I’m blackmailing you, how about you view it as me offering you a deal? You agree to be my partner on this one assignment—just one little case—and I can help you get what you want most.”
“You’re lying to me.”
“I lie to many people.” A nod. “I do it without barely thinking.”
Tension knotted at the base of her skull.
“But I’m not lying to you. I have resources that Wilde can’t tap. You want to find out what really happened to your parents? I can give you that answer. And you don’t have to pay a dime for the truth. Eric Wilde can go on thinking that you came to join his team because you wanted to be part of the family.”
She wondered if his use of the word family had been deliberate. Did he know—
“One assignment. You pretend to be my fiancée. You follow my orders unconditionally. We take down some very bad people. Then you get what you want most.”
Her sweaty palms were pressing to her thighs. “I need to think about this.”
A sigh slipped past him. “What’s to think about?” And, once more, he eliminated the distance between the two of them. “I’m offering you what you want.”
He was. And she knew he had resources she could use. If he kept his word and didn’t tell Eric…
What do I have to lose?
“Tell you what,” he offered with a roll of his broad shoulders. “To show you how cooperative I can be…How about you sleep on it? I’ll give you until five a.m. to tell me your decision. That way, you can rest for a little while. You can clear your head. And you won’t be able to later say I rushed you.”
“You’re giving me a few hours. That still falls into the rush category.”
“Yes, well, time is of the essence. The plane leaves at seven so…”
The plane? “So you’re pretty certain I’ll agree.”
His gaze swept slowly over her face. “I’m learning a great deal about you right now.”
His words held an unsettling ring of truth.
Dex rattled off an address. “I’ll be in the presidential suite there,” he explained. “So when you decide, come to me. I’ll be waiting.” Then he turned and walked for her door. “Sleep well.”
As if she’d be able to sleep at all. “Why me?”
“I already told you.” He didn’t look back. His hand reached for the door. “You’re smart. Obviously capable. You know how to fight. And Eric doesn’t just bring anyone on his staff. I will be able to count on you when things go dark.” He hesitated. “Besides, I also need someone who would suit me as a believable fiancée.”
Um, what did that mean?
“There are some things that can’t be faked.” His voice was little rougher. “I need the people watching us to believe that I want you so badly I would do anything to have you. That I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“I…I think a guy like you could fake most things.”
Now he did look back. “Why bother faking when it’s real? Makes everything so much easier.”
Wait, wait, wait. Had he just said…was he telling her that he really wanted—
“Good night, Lacey. Sleep well.” A quick wink. “Maybe you’ll even dream of me.”
“If I do, it will be a nightmare.” She would not even think about the one time—one time—that maybe, kinda, sorta, she’d had a sex dream about him.
My dry spell must end soon.
He laughed. The sound was warm and rough and sexy. “Whatever you need to tell yourself.” He slipped out of her home.
She hurried forward and shoved the door closed behind him. Flipped the lock. Squeezed her eyes closed. “Dammit.”
Leave it to Dex to get her all tangled up like this. Arrogant,