Tempted by Deception (Deception Trilogy #2) by Rina Kent

A rapid thump takes over my chest as if a wild animal has been awakened. My limbs tremble and the black box seems to close in on me like when I was a kid. “You know?”

“I told you I’d find out and I kept my word.”

“Who is it?” My voice quivers as the noises from that day filter back in, the silence, the screams, the hushed footsteps. My ears ring with the harshness of them and it takes everything in me to remain standing.

“That’s not how it goes, Lia. Give me what I want and I’ll give you what you need.”

With that, he turns and leaves. The meaning behind his words remains with me.

I’ll give you what you need.

Luca worded it perfectly. He, of all people, knows that uncovering the truth behind my parents’ deaths is what’s been haunting me since I was a small girl.

It’s why I have those visceral nightmares and take those pills. It’s why I’m too scared to live and too scared to die.

And to free myself, to choose a final destination, I need to spy on the devil himself.





16





Adrian





I’m running out of time.

In fact, I’ve been running out of time since the first encounter with Lia in the parking lot. If it were any other person, I would’ve ended it as soon as it started.

But it’s not.

During the past four weeks, I’ve been bargaining with myself to get on with it, to extort what I want from her and go. To throw her to the wolves, as per the original plan.

But every time I see her, sink inside her, and own her, I’m left hungry for more. I thought I would have fucked her out of my system by now, but it’s proving to have the opposite effect. Every time I touch her, I’m starved for more, and a part of me keeps wanting to take this to the next step and offer her another one of my truths. One that will either make her more suspicious or give herself to me fully.

Now, I’m seriously contemplating other options about how to go about her. The evening meeting with Sergei and Igor goes longer than I’d like. They both need progress reports about the Italians, something I haven’t brought to the table yet because of a certain ballerina who shouldn’t be involved in this life.

But I already dragged her in. It might have started the day she saw me kill or the day I went to watch her shine on the stage, or her fate might have been sealed the first time I kissed her—or fucked her.

At any rate, Lia Morelli is in.

She might not have a single clue about what’s happening, but her life and mine are intertwined closer than she’ll ever know.

I still hang on to the fact that she’s far enough away from the brotherhood and everything in it. She’s doing her thing with the ballet and I’m doing mine behind the scenes.

Dealing with Sergei and Igor isn’t hard. They know I don’t fail. So far. If they want something about the Lucianos, they’ll get it. Only the method might have changed.

Yan releases a bored sigh as soon as we get in the car. Kolya, however, meets my gaze through the rear-view mirror with a furrowed brow. “They’re getting more insistent.”

“I will keep them busy.” I stare at my watch. It’s past ten, so Lia is probably fast asleep.

Fuck long meetings.

I dial Boris, the one who’s been watching Lia, and he picks up after one ring, speaking in gruff Russian, “Boss.”

“Anything out of the ordinary today?” I ask in the same language.

“It was the usual.” He pauses. “She stopped by a lingerie shop before going home.”

I can’t help the brow that raises or the erection that presses against my pants at the thought of her in lingerie. My Lenochka was buying lingerie.

That’s…interesting.

She’s always worn plain underwear and has never gone out of her way to be presentable for me. Not that I care, but the fact that she’s putting an effort into it now is intriguing me more than it should.

“Anything else, Boris?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary, Boss.”

I hang up, tapping my finger against my thigh. Lia bought lingerie and I wasn’t there to unwrap it—and her. Sergei and Igor have the worst timing ever.

“Sir.”

I lift my head at Kolya’s voice. Yan is smoking and I didn’t even notice when he lit the cigarette. I sigh. “Put it out, Yan.”

“It’s almost finished.” He pauses, then adds as an afterthought, “Sir.”

“Yan.” Kolya elbows him.

“Fine. Whatever.” Yan takes one last drag and throws it out the window, grumbling. “What do you want to talk about, Kolya? By all means, we’re all ears.”

My senior guard ignores him, focusing on me. “Sergei and Igor’s patience can only go on for so long.”

“I know.” I stare at the city lights through the window.

“If you know, why don’t you act on it?”

“Kolya, you bastard! Are you suggesting he hurt Lia?” Yan sounds disapproving. “She did nothing.”

“Whether I hurt her or not is neither of your concern. And since when are you her advocate, Yan?” My tone is more biting than usual.

“She’s…innocent, Boss. She did nothing to deserve…” he trails off.

“Me?” I finish for him.