Page 28 of Cruel Proposal
"You know, I'd expect better back-and-forth from a criminal defense lawyer."
She glowers at me from the other side of the room, her arms crossed. "I'm not a lawyer yet. And if you keep me locked uphere, I'm not going to be one for a long time. I've already waited a long time to get this far, so between you and Aiden, my life is really fucked up."
I lean back against the door, hands in my pockets. "Why'd he get it put on hold?"
Summer starts pacing again, only to stop in her tracks and look at me. "What?"
"You heard me."
She runs a hand through her hair, the long tresses flowing down her back in soft waves. "Aiden always needs something. Family comes first, that bullshit. And I bought into it for a long time before I realized I was putting the emergency mask on everyone else's face before putting it on myself."
"And when did you figure that out?"
She strides over to me, stopping in front of me with a defiant tilt to her chin. "What is this? Why the hell do you want to know anything about me? All you're doing is keeping me locked in this damn room."
I push off the door, my body brushing against hers, everything in me thrumming to life. "What would you rather I do?"
Summer's gaze drops to my mouth before she rolls her eyes and takes a step back. "Why ask me a million questions?"
"You should know your enemy. I know a lot about the other Lyndes, but you seem to be a mystery."
"If you think I'm going to turn against my family, then you can get bent. They may not be perfect, but they're a hell of a lot betterthan this place." Summer crosses her arms, taking a couple more steps backward.
"Why criminal defense?" I study her, watching the way she tenses, the way her thighs press a little closer together.
She wants me. I can see it in her eyes. She's itching for a fight, and then she wants me to put her in her place.
I'd be happy to oblige. I turned off the cameras before I came in here. Nobody is ever going to have to know about it.
Summer shrugs. "Bad people should have to pay for the things they've done."
Now that's an interesting take, considering who her family is and the things I know she's done.
She might not be as bad as the rest of them, but she's still involved in some dark shit. Some crimes that would end her career long before it got started.
"This is the longest you've gone without trying to kill me." A new topic is better, safer. If I keep questioning her about the things I don't understand, I'm going to be more drawn to her than I already am.
There has to be some damn curse associated with their family. Everyone who comes across them wants to fuck them.
Summer struggles to hide a smile, but a brief flash appears. "Well, some asshole glued everything down. Don't you worry, though; I'm going to go in there and unscrew the showerhead, and then I'm going to gouge out your eyes."
I stalk toward her, the air in the room growing hotter.
She takes several steps back until her knees hit the back of the bed.
My body is pressed against hers, one hand splayed against the small of her back and holding her upright. "I'd like to see you try."
A challenge flashes in her eyes, her hand slipping between us. Her fingers trace the base of my throat.
I arch an eyebrow, wondering what she thinks she's doing. I know she's not trying to control me. Nothing about that would end well for her.
Her fingers tighten around my throat, applying pressure to the sides. "I could kill you right now."
"I could have my cock buried in you right now." I grab her hand, tearing it from my throat and using my grip to spin her around.
I push her face-first onto the bed.
She props herself up with her forearms, ass in the air as she looks over her shoulder at me.
