Free The Billionaires Sub by MS Parker

stay here with me while she gives her statement.”
    Any other time, I might’ve been annoyed at his presumption, but at the moment, I appreciated it. The more my head cleared, the more I realized that Cross’ suspicion about what had happened last was probably the truth. I knew I’d only had water and two shots, not as much because I remembered, but because I knew myself. I knew my tolerance, and I never drank enough to get completely wasted, even at home, much less alone at a strange bar in a strange city.
    As much as I hated the thought of it, I knew that the only logical explanation was what Cross had suggested. Someone had drugged me.
    And as soon as he got off the phone, I’d tell him that I wanted that blood test after all.
    If someone had drugged me, I was sure as hell going to get proof.
     

Chapter Ten
    When I told Cross that I wanted to have my blood tested for drugs, I expected him to suggest that the police take me to the hospital or even that they meet us there. Instead, he’d picked up his cell phone again, made a call, and then told me that someone would be by shortly.
    “I’ll have the tests run at a private lab,” he explained as he sat down on the end of the couch. There was an entire cushion between us, but I was more aware of him than I would’ve been of anyone else at even half the distance.
    I raised an eyebrow. “I can’t pay for that.”
    He made a dismissive gesture. “Don’t worry about it.”
    “People who have money never seem to understand that people without it always worry about it,” I said.
    I didn’t really care about the money. What I wanted was a distraction until the cops came. He frowned and I wondered if I’d offended him. That hadn’t been my intention.
    “This isn’t about money, Hanna. It’s about making sure you and your sister are safe.” His hand lifted and, for a moment, I thought he would reach for me. Then it dropped and something passed across his face. “We’ll find her and find who did this.”
    There was nothing but absolute certainty on his face, and his confidence gave me strength.
    “Why do you care?” I asked as my eyes met his. “You don’t know me.”
    Heat filled his eyes and I shivered.
    “But I want to,” he said. “Know you.”
    I swallowed hard, but still shook my head. “You wanted to know my sister.” I looked away, unable to bear whatever expression I would see on his face.
    I wasn’t aware that he’d moved until he brushed hair away from my face, his fingertips ghosting across my cheek. I knew it was a bad idea, but I couldn’t stop myself from turning my head until I was face-to-face with him, his mouth less than an inch away from mine. My stomach twisted and I desperately tried not to look at his lips, tried not to think about how much I wanted him to kiss me.
    “I wanted a challenge,” he admitted. “But the moment I saw you, even when I thought you were her, I wanted you .”
    My heart gave a near-painful thump. His fingers traced my jaw, then slid under my bottom lip. A trail of fire followed his touch, and my fingers curled into fists to keep me from touching him.
    When he leaned forward, it was without hesitation, without reservation. The kiss wasn’t exactly gentle, but it wasn’t demanding either. It was more like he knew I wanted him to kiss me and he was going to make sure I remembered it.
    And I knew I would.
    I’d been kissed before, but never like that. His lips parted, his tongue tracing my lips, but not delving inside. He didn’t touch me aside from his fingertips resting lightly on my jaw, barely a touch, but enough for me to feel it. I leaned into him, increasing the pressure of our mouths together.
    But before it could go any further, a bell rang from somewhere in the front of the house. I almost thought I could feel his reluctance as he pulled back, but I pushed the thought away. I wouldn’t read into it anything other than a kiss. He’d said he wanted me, but I didn’t know what that