East End
Page 25
East
My gut churned. I had known right away that morning that something was off. I could see it in her eyes. Something was bothering her, and she had zero intention of telling me.
Instead, she'd lied. I'd seen the lie in her eyes before she'd even spoken it. When she told me she wanted to go into the office, I knew it was bullshit. Wherever she was going, I knew it wasn't the damn office. So I'd kissed her to make it seem like I was heading back to my car and then followed her.
The tracker I’d placed on her phone when I’d been concerned she was investigating us was still active. The prickle of shame stung. She still didn’t know how closely I’d been monitoring her.
I’d promised myself I was going to trust her, but she was lying. Which meant trouble. And as much as I wanted to keep her safe, I had an obligation to my mates first. She couldn't go kicking at the hornet's nest. The CCTV feed on my phone indicated she was going the opposite direction of her office. "Fuck."
Even as I followed her on the cameras, I made a call to Ben.
"Hello?"
The three words I spoke had him on high alert. "We've got problems."
"Nyla?"
I sighed. "Yup. Something is up. She just told me an unnecessary bald-faced lie. This is just informational. I'll find out what it is, and let you know."
"Yeah, okay. Thanks, mate."
I checked the GPS location. It had her getting out of the tube and headed to the Doyle Flats. That wasn't too far from where I was, so I drove over and parked. Good thing I had an all-access parking pass. God, I loved that thing. I could park anywhere in London that I wanted and not get a ticket or towed, which was fucking fabulous. I kept an eye on the CCTV to see where she had gone. Some flat nearby. Nice neighborhood. Quiet. I watched as she used a key to enter, and I grabbed my lock picking kit. I just prayed it wasn't rusty. I waited until she came out of the flat. Amelia Jansen was with her.
I climbed out of the car, my gut churning. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want her to have lied to me. Last night had felt different, like something real. It had been a long time since I'd had something genuine with another person. I wanted it to be real.
But you knew the risk.
A neighbor smiled at me as she walked past. Once I was in the main entrance of the building, I frowned, trying to assess which flat it was. But lucky for me, all I had to do was follow her GPS marker. She might not be inside now, but I had everywhere she’d been for the last twenty minutes. I went down the hall to the left and found it easily enough.
I unlocked the door with ease and let myself in. I didn't need to turn on the lights because I could see everything in the main living area of the flat. Kitchen to the side, open concept. Lots of light coming in from the living room. And on the massive wall on the right, were photos of me, Bridge, Ben and Drew. Livy too. Thankfully, none of Lucas or Roone, or Alexi and Xander who had helped us. The London Lords were the focus. But unfortunately, so was Livy. I marched over and followed her little strings of thread. There were notes that followed those, but one caught my eye. And everything sank inside my body, making my legs feel like lead and my lungs feel like incinerated paper.
Elite Pops Ltd.
I staggered backwards. "Christ." Sure, some knew about the Elite. But it was just a handful of people, and that wasn't so much to be concerned about. But she was digging deep. That meant a look at the finances. Hell, she had two members of the Elite in custody they were probably helping her.
Marcus Van Linsted. His own crimes had predicated him being where he was. But Bram…
We had put Bram in jail. He hated us. Just as we hated him. And when all was said and done, he would be joined by two more.
As I stared at the wall, I knew the unmitigated truth. Nyla Kincade was coming for us, and I was the one who had to stop her.
By any means necessary.
* * *
To be continued in East Bound …
Thank you for reading EAST END, Book 1 in the HEAR NO EVIL TRILOGY.
* * *
I let my guard down and trusted the queen. And now I’ve become her pawn. I have one mission, protect my mates so we can mete out revenge. The one woman who can shatter my house is the one I can’t stay away from.
* * *
Tonight, vengeance is mine.
* * *
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* * *
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Can’t get enough billionaires? Meet a cocky, billionaire prince that goes undercover in Cheeky Royal! He’s a prince with a secret to protect. The last distraction he can afford is his gorgeous as sin new neighbor.
His secrets could get them killed, but still, he can’t stay away…
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Turn the page for an excerpt from Cheeky Royal…
UPCOMING BOOKS
* * *
East Bound
The Fall of East
To Catch a Thief
Also from Nana Malone
Cheeky Royal
“You make a really good model. I’m sure dozens of artists have volunteered to paint you before.”
He shook his head. “Not that I can recall. Why? Are you offering?”
* * *
I grinned. “I usually do nudes.” Why did I say that? It wasn’t true. Because you’re hoping he’ll volunteer as tribute.
* * *
He shrugged then reached behind his back and pulled his shirt up, tugged it free, and tossed it aside. “How is this for nude?”
* * *
Fuck. Me. I stared for a moment, mouth open and looking like an idiot. Then, well, I snapped a picture. Okay fine, I snapped several. “Uh, that’s a start.”
* * *
He ran a hand through his hair and tussled it, so I snapped several of that. These were romance-cover gold. Getting into it, he started posing for me, making silly faces. I got closer to him, snapping more close-ups of his face. That incredible face.
* * *
Then suddenly he went deadly serious again, the intensity in his eyes going harder somehow, sharper. Like a razor. “You look nervous. I thought you said you were used to nudes.”
* * *
I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “Yeah, at school whenever we had a model, they were always nude. I got used to it.”
* * *
He narrowed his gaze. “Are you sure about that?”
Shit. He could tell. “Yeah, I am. It’s just a human form. Male. Female. No big deal.”
* * *
His lopsided grin flashed, and my stomach flipped. Stupid traitorous body…and damn him for being so damn good looking. I tried to keep the lens centered on his face, but I had to get several of his abs, for you know…research.
But when his hand rubbed over his stomach and then slid to the button on his jeans, I gasped, “What are you doing?”
“Well, you said you were used doing nudes. Will that make you more comfortable as a photographer?”
* * *
I swallowed again, unable to answer, wanting to know what he was doing, how far he would go. And how far would I go?
* * *
The button popped, and I swallowed the sawdust in my mouth. I snapped a picture of his hands.
* * *
Well yeah, and his abs. So sue me. He popped another button, giving me a hint of the forbidden thing I couldn’t have. I kept snapping away. We were locked in this odd, intimate game of chicken. I swung the lens up to capture his face. His gaze was slightly hooded. His lips parted…turned on. I stepped back a step to capture all of him. His jeans loose, his feet bare. Sitting on the stool, leaning back slightly and giving me the sex face, because that’s wh
at it was—God’s honest truth—the sex face. And I was a total goner.
* * *
“You’re not taking pictures, Len.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
* * *
“Oh, sorry.” I snapped several in succession. Full body shots, face shots, torso shots. There were several torso shots. I wanted to fully capture what was happening.
He unbuttoned another button, taunting me, tantalizing me. Then he reached into his jeans, and my gaze snapped to meet his. I wanted to say something. Intervene in some way…help maybe…ask him what he was doing. But I couldn’t. We were locked in a game that I couldn’t break free from. Now I wanted more. I wanted to know just how far he would go.
* * *
Would he go nude? Or would he stay in this half-undressed state, teasing me, tempting me to do the thing that I shouldn’t do?
* * *
I snapped more photos, but this time I was close. I was looking down on him with the camera, angling so I could see his perfectly sculpted abs as they flexed. His hand was inside his jeans. From the bulge, I knew he was touching himself. And then I snapped my gaze up to his face.
Sebastian licked his lip, and I captured the moment that tongue met flesh.
* * *
Heat flooded my body, and I pressed my thighs together to abate the ache. At that point, I was just snapping photos, completely in the zone, wanting to see what he might do next.
* * *
“Len…”
“Sebastian.” My voice was so breathy I could barely get it past my lips.
“Do you want to come closer?”
“I--I think maybe I’m close enough?”
His teeth grazed his bottom lip. “Are you sure about that? I have another question for you.”
* * *
I snapped several more images, ranging from face shots to shoulders, to torso. Yeah, I also went back to the hand-around-his-dick thing because…wow. “Yeah? Go ahead.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about your boyfriend ‘til now?”
Oh shit. “I—I’m not sure. I didn’t think it mattered. It sort of feels like we’re supposed to be friends.” Lies all lies.
He stood, his big body crowding me. “Yeah, friends…”
I swallowed hard. I couldn’t bloody think with him so close. His scent assaulted me, sandalwood and something that was pure Sebastian wrapped around me, making me weak. Making me tingle as I inhaled his scent. Heat throbbed between my thighs, even as my knees went weak. “Sebastian, wh—what are you doing?”
“
Proving to you that we’re not friends. Will you let me?”
He was asking my permission. I knew what I wanted to say. I understood what was at stake. But then he raised his hand and traced his knuckles over my cheek, and a whimper escaped.
* * *
His voice went softer, so low when he spoke, his words were more like a rumble than anything intelligible. “Is that you telling me to stop?”
* * *
Seriously, there were supposed to be words. There were. But somehow I couldn’t manage them, so like an idiot I shook my head.
* * *
His hand slid into my curls as he gently angled my head. When he leaned down, his lips a whisper from mine, he whispered, “This is all I’ve been thinking about.”
Read Cheeky Royal now!
Nana Malone Reading List
Looking for a few Good Books? Look no Further
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Shameless
Before Sin
Cheeky Royal
Protecting the Heiress
* * *
Royals
Royals Undercover
* * *
Cheeky Royal
Cheeky King
* * *
Royals Undone
Royal Bastard
Bastard Prince
* * *
Royals United
Royal Tease
Teasing the Princess
* * *
Royal Elite
* * *
The Heiress Duet
Protecting the Heiress
Tempting the Heiress
* * *
The Prince Duet
Return of the Prince
To Love a Prince
* * *
The Bodyguard Duet
Billionaire to the Bodyguard
The Billionaire’s Secret
* * *
London Royals
* * *
London Royal Duet
London Royal
London Soul
* * *
Playboy Royal Duet
Royal Playboy
Playboy’s Heart
* * *
London Lords
See No Evil
Big Ben
The Benefactor
For Her Benefit
* * *
Hear No Evil
East End
East Bound
Fall of East
* * *
Speak No Evil
London Bridge
Bridge of Lies
Broken Bridge
* * *
The Donovans Series
Come Home Again (Nate & Delilah)
Love Reality (Ryan & Mia)
Race For Love (Derek & Kisima)
Love in Plain Sight (Dylan and Serafina)
Eye of the Beholder – (Logan & Jezzie)
Love Struck (Zephyr & Malia)
* * *
London Billionaires Standalones
Mr. Trouble (Jarred & Kinsley)
Mr. Big (Zach & Emma)
Mr. Dirty(Nathan & Sophie)
* * *
The Shameless World
* * *
Shameless
Shameless
Shameful
Unashamed
* * *
Force
Enforce
* * *
Deep
Deeper
* * *
Before Sin
Sin
Sinful
* * *
Brazen
Still Brazen
* * *
The Player
Bryce
Dax
Echo
Fox
Ransom
Gage
* * *
The In Stilettos Series
Sexy in Stilettos (Alec & Jaya)
Sultry in Stilettos (Beckett & Ricca)
Sassy in Stilettos (Caleb & Micha)
Strollers & Stilettos (Alec & Jaya & Alexa)
Seductive in Stilettos (Shane & Tristia)
Stunning in Stilettos (Bryan & Kyra)
~~~
In Stilettos Spin off
Tempting in Stilettos (Serena & Tyson)
Teasing in Stilettos (Cara & Tate)
Tantalizing in Stilettos (Jaggar & Griffin)
* * *
Love Match Series
*Game Set Match (Jason & Izzy)
Mismatch (Eli & Jessica)
* * *
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About Nana Malone
Wall Street Journal & USA Today Best Seller, Nana Malone's love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she "borrowed" from her cousin.
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It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She's been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.
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Now she writes about sexy royals and smokin’ hot bodyguards when she’s not hiding her tiara from Kidlet, chasing a puppy who refuses to shake without a treat, or begging her husband to listen to her latest hair-brained idea.