Free Locked In (Locked in Love) (Volume One): An Alpha Billionaire Romance by Myra Song

shrugs. “Yeah. I worked hard and studied summers. Did it in college, too. Criminal Justice degree in two and a half years instead of four. Had to wait a year and a half before I was old enough to join the force, so I helped out with paperwork. Got a feel for the job that way. Twenty one, bam! First job as a cop. Promoted to Detective at twenty-two -- youngest in the Department’s history. Private Investigator at twenty three.”
     
    She’s saying this, line by line, in a punctual voice. I may as well have asked her to recite the periodic table of elements. Yet there’s a hint of pride in her voice, and there damned well should be-- Detective at twenty two was an enormous accomplishment, not to mention her academic career.
     
    I drift closer to her, hooked on the mystery of her. What had made her quit when she’d obviously been so driven to go into law enforcement?
     
    We arrive at my main control room before I can ask. Elise hums in appreciation, and she should. She has her track record. This is one of mine.
     
    The room is outfitted with cameras, control panels, security tape reels, the works.
     
    “You mic your house?” She nods to the audio equipment.
     
    “Doesn’t everyone?” I joke, but she’s already moving on, looking at each screen and its respective view. She freezes when she comes to the study.
     
    “I’m going to need a copy of that,” she growls, realizing I have our tryst on tape.
     
    Heat blooms in me, thinking of her watching us fuck. I bet she’d touch herself, too. I know, because that’s what I plan on doing with it later. “Not likely. Not without a warrant.”
     
    She whips around, poking a finger hard in my chest. “You listen here, asshole, you filmed me without my consent--”
     
    “You consented plenty, and this is my private residence. I’m sure you can push your point, but you’ll have to tell people what we did -- what you let me do to you -- to make it happen. Defeats the purpose of trying to keep the video under wraps, yes?”
     
    The way she fumes is a major turn on. I like getting under her skin. Maybe not as much as I like touching her skin, though.
     
    Her eyes drift back to the screens. She points to two that’re turned off. “Why have these screens if you aren’t going to use them?” Her finger stretches toward the power button on one and my heart falters. Quick as lightning, I grip her wrist and stop her.
     
    Christ. I’ve never met anyone more observant than she is. No one else would question two blank screens. No one else would even see them. They’d be focused on the activity they could see, not what they couldn’t. I was going to have to disconnect those monitors before tonight.
     
    A man needs to protect his secrets, after all.
     
    “Look, I’ll have someone in this room, and I have a feeling you’re going to want to be out in the crowd,” I offer. “Now, let me show you to your room.”
     
    “What are you talking about? Room?” She’s still glaring from the video, and I know this has her simmering.
     
    Which means I can’t wait to see her reaction when she finds what else I have in store for her.
     
     

 
    Elise
     
    Jameson looks smug as hell when he opens a door for me, and I don’t trust him for a minute.
     
    The room is lovely. Obviously a guest bedroom. He’s crazy if he thinks I’m staying here. I will never stay under the same roof as him. Not once in my twenty three years have I met anyone as infuriating, smug, and secretive as him. It makes me angry that being near him makes my skin as hot as my temper.
     
    “Thanks, but no thanks--” I stop, because I see the box sitting on the table. I know that kind of box. My father gave me a similar one for my debutante ball.
     
    It’s a dress box. Large and cream, tied in a silky lavender bow.
     
    “Open it,” Locke urges, and I’m moving toward it despite knowing better. Butterflies are in my stomach as my fingers trace the shining fabric ribbon before slowly