Free Little Dark Secret (Storm's Soldier Book 2) by Paige Notaro Page B

decisions about people I could never see.
    No, it wasn’t wrong to not want Lem. He was cultured, and rich, and helpful, but he just wasn’t the right one for me.
    My thoughts went suddenly to Calix. I sighed. Even that felt more real than this. His racist world was more grounded that Lem’s helicopter heights.
    The conversations went back to the hospital, but we had dried that well, so there were only a few creeks. When the waiter came for desert, I waved him away.
    Lem looked punctured, but only momentarily.
    “Full?” he asked.
    “Yeah, it was great. I got what I needed.” Luckily, my stomach rumbled only softly.
    He paid the check, and I let him lead me out with an arm around my waist. We pushed out into the warm Atlanta night. He handed his ticket to the valet and led us to the curb.
    Suddenly, his hand fell to the small of my back and he spun me into him for a kiss. His lips tasted sour, like spoiled sauce. I yanked away.
    “Lem, what the heck?” I said.
    He gave me an almost bored look. “Oh well, I thought that might work.”
    “It most certainly did not.”
    “So,” he said. “What’s next?”
    “Lem…” I said. “It was a nice night, but I think we should call it. There’s just nothing between us.”
    “Well, the night’s not over, yet.” He brushed into me.
    I lurched back. “What’s gotten into you?”
    He stared at me blankly. “Do you really think you can just come here looking like that and walk away?”
    His eyes swept my body. I folded my arms over my chest.
    “I’m leaving,” I said, plucking out my phone and calling a ride while still covering myself.
    He grabbed my wrist. “Wait.”
    “Let go of me.” I yanked out of his grip.
    He shrugged. “Ok, if that’s what you want I can really let you go.”
    I rolled my eyes. I had no idea what he was on about. “Yeah, ok, whatever, do that.”
    “So I can go ahead and tell the hospital that you opened that door for your criminal fuckbuddy?”
    I scowled up at him. “What?”
    “I saw the security cam video, Rosa.” He smiled dangerously. “I saw it before the rest of the committee did. Your access card is pretty easy to see. Kind of kills your whole innocent vibe.”
    A shiver raced down my legs. “I didn’t open anything for anyone.”
    “Oh I think you opened a lot of things for that racist criminal. Though, fine, maybe not the door itself. Maybe, you gave him the card.”
    “I did not.”
    “Either way, it certainly doesn’t match your story.” He stared off at the night sky. “Who knows what the committee will find once they start digging.”
    I could not believe this was happening. I waited for him to give me that dopey look he used to apologize after bad jokes. His mouth remained scarily flat.
    “Are you blackmailing me?” I said.
    “Blackmail? No. I just want the same thing you gave your criminal friend.”
    I took a deep breath. “What do you want?”
    “You know.”
    His gaze ran nakedly down my body. My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe he could demand this so calmly.
    “This is insane,” I said.
    “It’s what friends do for each other.”
    “No, it’s not. And I am so not your friend.”
    He reached out for my shoulder. I flinched, but he grabbed it anyway and peered into me with that long hawk face of his.
    “I want you to come willingly, Rosa. I’m no brute. You just decide what you care about in this world. Your job or one night?”
    I took a harsh staggering breath. I just wanted to run away, but there was no running from this. There was no way to hide.
    “One night?” I asked.
    He grinned. “Probably just one night.”
    The valet pulled up with a gleaming orange Italian car. His hand came off. “Anyway, you have until tomorrow to decide.”
    He tipped the valet, got in and roared off.
    I shivered in the dark. I wanted to collapse. I had no idea where to go, what to do. Of course, I couldn’t sleep with him. Who knew what fucked up things went on behind that calm mask he called a