by Leslie North
“Still picking fights,” she grumbled as she got up.
Tamara Lewis pushed herself up and brushed herself off. “You’re getting slow. I’ve been standing over you for five minutes.”
“What are you doing here? It’s hours before we make the switch.” Her twin sister was dressed in identical pajamas, but rather than have her hair neatly braided, Tamara had hers pulled up into a messy bun. In appearance, they were identical and only those who knew them best could tell them apart.
“You slept with the mark. You’re off the job,” Tamara said coldly. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Tamrin clenched her jaw. She didn’t want to think of Jaymin as a mark, but she wasn’t about to tell her sister that. “What makes you think I slept with him?”
Tamara reached out to grab Tamrin’s arm and lift her shirt. There were bruises all along her side. “You either got in a fight with him this weekend, or you had yourself a damn good time. You’re going to blow everything. Now, I have to deal with it without raising suspicion. Were you really so horny that you couldn’t keep your libido in check?”
Tamrin pulled out of her twin’s grasp and pulled her shirt down. “It’s not like that. Seduction was always part of the deal, you know that.”
“Flirting was part of the deal. Sleeping with the mark is foolish.”
“Stop calling him that!” Tamrin lashed out in anger. “What we have is not foolish!” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to take them back, but it was too late. Tamara’s eyes narrowed.
“My God. You care for him.” Tamara shook her head. “You’ve gone soft.”
Biting her bottom lip, Tamrin fought to keep the lump from forming in her throat. “I haven’t gone soft. It’s just him. I think…I think there’s something there. Something real.”
With a sigh, Tamara reached out to take Tamrin’s hand. “And how did you think this was going to end? If you tell him the truth, you have to tell him that you’re conning him out of millions. And if you don’t tell him the truth, you’ll have to hide your lifestyle from him.”
“I could quit,” Tamrin said softly. “Last con for me.”
“You would abandon me and Dad?’ Tamara asked as she dropped Tamrin’s hand. “After everything? And what would I do? I don’t exist, Tamrin. I’ve lived my entire life under your name. What the hell would I do?”
Tamrin hadn’t thought of that. They’d spent their whole lives moving from one con to another. From the moment they were born, their father saw an opportunity to make it work. She and her twin shared everything. They split days at schools. They shared boyfriends in high school. And they were each other’s alibi in case they were ever caught. Tamara had no paper trail. She had no history.
“This is our life, Tamrin. We have our cons. We have Dad. We have each other. We can’t afford anything else,” Tamara said softly. “Maybe if we had more in savings, we could split and run. Try to make separate lives work, but if we screw this up, Dad is going to be dead.”
Tamrin’s shoulders slumped, and she sagged against the bed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“I’ll break it off with him. Clean and professional, and we’ll continue with the con. You stay out of sight and compose yourself. If I do need you, I’ll need you focused.”
“No,” Tamrin muttered. “I’ll do it.”
“Tamrin…”
“I have to, Tamara. I have to do it so I can prove to you that I can go through with this. If you’re doubting me, we’ll fuck up even more. I’ll do it first thing in the morning, and we can switch afterward. I do need a break. And when you do see him, wear a damn dress. Your jeans are going to give us away.”
Tamara glared at her. “I’ll wear whatever the hell I want. Make the break clean. I don’t want to have to deal with a broken heart.”
Tamrin nodded, and her twin’s expression softened. Despite their upbringing, there was no one she was closer to. When their mother died, their father escaped to a dark place of drinking and gambling. The sisters only had each other. Trained from childhood to be cold and duplicitous, they didn’t swap the normal stories that sisters shared. They didn’t talk about crushes or gossip about friends. But Tamrin knew that if she lost everything, Tamara would be there for her.
As she scooted back in the bed, she heard her sister slip out the door. It was hard to run the con when there were security guards everywhere, but there were so many rooms in the palace that it was easy enough to hide.
There were still a few hours left before she had to be up, but Tamrin rested in bed with her eyes wide open. There was no way she was going to get any sleep. Her heart was already breaking.
When her alarm clock finally went off, Tamrin got up and dressed. Knowing that the first task on her agenda was to break up with Jaymin, she moved past the dresses and selected a pair of cargo pants and a t-shirt. The less seductive she looked, the better.
Plus, she didn’t really have any energy to put into her looks. Pulling out her braid, she let the messy waves fall over her shoulders, and she rubbed her eyes. They were red rimmed from lack of sleep and fighting the tears. Digging through her makeup bag, she pulled out her eye drops.
“Here goes nothing,” she muttered as she stared at herself in the mirror. She looked like crap, and she felt not much better. A fist was closing over her heart.
When she didn’t find Jaymin in the dining room, she prayed that she’d find him in his office. If he had left the palace, she’d never have the will to last until he came back. If she didn’t do it now, she wasn’t going to be able to do it at all. Balling her hands into a fist, she knocked on his office door. “Jaymin? It’s Tamrin.”
“Just a minute,” he called back. There was a sound of paper shuffling before the door unlocked. When Jaymin opened it, he swept his eyes up and down her, and for a moment, she thought she saw confusion in them. It cleared up when he leaned down and kissed her.
Tamrin tried to steel herself through the kiss, but as his arm snaked around her waist, she found herself melting against him. This was not the best way to start a break up. “Jaymin, wait,” she whispered as she pushed him back. “I came here to talk.”
He pulled back, and his gaze searched her face. Finally, he pulled her inside and locked the door. “Is everything okay? You don’t look yourself.”
“I haven’t slept well,” she said softly.
“Something on your mind?”
“About this weekend. I don’t know what I was thinking going with you, and I think that we took things too far. We can’t do this anymore, Jaymin. You’re the next crowned sheikh, and I’m nobody. You need to focus on your responsibility, and I need to get out of your life as soon as possible,” she said in one breath.
He leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. “You think I’m too good for you?” he asked skeptically.
Tamrin gave him a small smile. “I think your goals in life are very different from mine. This can’t go anywhere, and I think deep down you know that.”
“Come here,” he said as he patted the desk. Wearily, she moved closer to him, and he immediately spun her around and lifted her on the hard surface. She shrieked and wrapped a hand around his neck to hold on.
“Jaymin! What are you doing?”
He reached up and stroked her cheek with his finger. “When I invited you out this weekend, I knew exactly what I was doing. I’m a man with needs, Tamrin, and you definitely satisfy them. I see no reason that we can’t just enjoy ourselves for now. Do you?”
More than anything, she wanted to tell him that her heart was already invested in the relationship, but that clearly wasn’t the case for him. He was simply looking for a good time. Tamara was wrong. The sex didn’t complicate anything with the case.
It just complicated her.
Running a hand under her shirt to her bare skin, he pressed his lips to her neck, and all the memories of the weekend before surfaced. The way that he’d made her move and sweat. The way that he’d made her moan and scr
eam. God, even though she knew that it was wrong, she wanted to experience it all over again.
“Sit in the chair,” she whispered. He leaned back and studied her, but she just bit her lip and nodded. Swinging her legs up, she stood on the desk and pointed to the chair. “Sit. I don’t want to repeat myself.”
His eyes widened in surprise, but he sat in the chair. The way that he drank her in encouraged her, and she slowly lifted her t-shirt. She wore no bra underneath and as she moved her hands over her body, she slipped them over her breasts, cupping and playing with them. His gaze never left hers.
Finally, she moved down and teasingly undid the button of her pants. Turning away from him, she bent over and pulled her pants down. As she touched her toes, she felt his hands circle her waist and his tongue dive inside her. The feeling was so intense she nearly fell over.
“Jaymin,” she moaned as he licked and sucked her before moving his tongue deep inside her. Holding her breath, she tried to find her balance and finally straightened. Turning, she put her foot on his shoulder and pushed him away. “I didn’t tell you to get up,” she said teasingly.
He panted but sat back in the chair. Hopping down from the desk, she leaned over him and kissed him. Jaymin had already unbuttoned his shirt, and she moved her mouth down his body and suckled. When she reached his pants, he was already arching into her. Licking her lips, she unbuckled his pants and caressed him.
“Tamrin, you don’t have to,” he said softly, but she ignored him. Studying him, she took a deep breath and ran a tongue under the base of his erection. He jumped at her touch, and she was filled with power. For the first time in her life, she felt in charge. She could make him want and desire her.
Encouraged, she slid her lips over him and took him deep within her mouth. A hoarse cry escaped him, and he tangled his hands gently in her hair. The harder she sucked and the faster she moved, the less he seemed to breathe. Finally, he pulled her off him and forced her up.
As she climbed into the chair and straddled him, he pushed the hair away from her face. “You surprise me at every turn,” he whispered lovingly.
“Did you like it? It’s the first time I’ve ever done that,” she said quietly. She wanted to do everything with him. She wanted to try everything with him.
“God, Tamrin. There is something….” He shook his head and kissed her. “I loved it.”
Pushing herself up, she wiggled her hips and sank over him. Both of them cried out, and although she was frantic to get to her release, she wanted this to last. It was probably the last time she would ever taste him and feel him like this.
He didn’t rush her, but she could feel how tense his muscles were beneath his touch. Jaymin was letting her take her time and move slow. It was an experiment. She watched and studied him to see just how he liked it. Sometimes when she moved her hips one way, the tick in his jaw would jump. When she moved another, he would moan. Her whole body shook as she drove them both to the brink.
Jaymin pressed his forehead to hers and dug his fingers into her waist. “Baby,” he moaned. “Tamrin. I need you.”
“I’m right here.” But she didn’t know how much longer she’d be here, and she couldn’t bring herself to tell him that. Fueled by her anger that she’d have to leave him, fueled by the thought of his anger when he found out the truth, she began to move harder and faster. Her thrusts were almost violent, and soon there was only the slap of skin and her loud cries.
“Tamrin. Baby. Baby,” he cried out hoarsely. Hearing her name on his lips pushed her over the edge, and she clutched at him as her body shuddered violently against him. Tightening his hold on her, he thrust his hips up, causing her to bounce as she pushed back. Digging her heels into the chair, she tensed her leg muscles, as Jaymin’s grunts became mixed with moans.
This wasn’t fair. For once in her life, she had something good. Someone really good and she would have to walk away. She cried out in agitation, feeling her body tense up as her body began to spasm in response to her pending orgasm. Anchoring her against him, his own thrusts became more erratic, as her orgasm swept through her. He continued to thrust against her, but the way her muscles clenched around him made it difficult. With a groan, he yanked her against him as he shuddered through his own release.
They pressed into each other as if they were terrified that something would tear them apart.
“Are you okay?” he asked finally.
Sitting back, she pushed the hair out of her face and behind her ears. “I came here to break up with you, and instead I’m naked in your lap. I’m not sure what I am.”
As she gazed at him, she saw the doubt in his eyes, and she took a deep breath. “You’re not sure how you are, either,” she said softly. Slowly, she pushed herself off his lap and gathered her clothes.
“Tell me something that’s true,” he asked her as she dressed.
She closed her eyes and reached for the door. “I think the only thing I honestly know is that this could never end well.” Forcing back the tears, she wrenched open the door and fled.
“That better have been break-up sex.”
Tamrin whirled around to see her twin lounging in the corner of her bedroom. “What are you doing here?” she hissed. “We can’t be caught together.”
Tamara shook her head. “That’s the least of our worries. We need to move up the timetable and you’re going to use your lust to do it. Dad just called me. Negatin found him and is having him followed. We need that two million to pay him or Dad is dead.”
“Shit.” Tamrin wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth. “I could kill him for getting us into this.”
“We won’t have that luxury if Negatin gets to him first. Get Jaymin to pay up that two million, or I’ll do it for you. And you probably won’t like how I do it.”
Tamrin clenched her jaw when she pictured her sister rolling around in the sheets with Jaymin. “You wouldn’t.”
“I love you, sister. I’m trying to save you from yourself. Get it done, and I won’t have to keep pretending to be you.” Tamara stalked out of the room, and Tamrin sank to the bed. A month ago, this seemed like the easiest job in the world. It was the first con she’d planned on her own, and she hadn’t had a single doubt about it.
But that was before she fell in love. And it was before Negatin found them. Now everything was falling apart, and if she failed, her father would pay the price.
13
Tamrin had practiced all day. It was hammered in her head, and she was ready. Her hands were steady when she knocked on Jaymin’s bedroom door. This was what she trained to do. No matter the circumstances, she could do the job.
The door opened, and he stood shirtless in the entryway. “Miss me?” he asked huskily as a slow smile curved over his handsome face. Her heart began to beat faster.
“No trying to seduce me this time,” she said softly. “You might be used to seducing women, but I’m not. Not that I’m seducing women. I just meant casual sex. I’m not used to casual sex, and I don’t think I can do this. Jaymin, I don’t think I’m going to get out of this in one piece. I know you want to keep me safe, but my father has been out for a few days and hasn’t had any problems. I think I’m going to go.”
His eyes widened, and he leaned against the doorframe. “I see. Well, I won’t stop you.”
Tamrin took a deep breath. That was the easy part. Now was the con. “Jaymin, I want this to be over with. I don’t want the idea of seeing you again hanging over my head. I just…” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I just can’t.”
“You want me to pay,” he muttered.
“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t for issues with the insurance. When we get it ironed out, I’ll pay you back. But the necklace was stolen on your property, and my family is going to take a big hit without it.”
Taking a step back, Jaymin motioned her inside. When she stepped in the room, he slammed the bedroom door shut, and Tamrin gasped. Tied to a chair with duct tape over her mouth was her t
win. “Tamara!” Running over, she slowly removed the tape from her mouth.
“I won’t be paying your insurance,” Jaymin said cheerfully. “As you can see, I found the woman who stole it. Oddly enough, she looks quite a bit like you. I also found your damn amulet.” He pulled open a drawer and tossed the necklace on the desk. “Have something you want to tell me?”
“Are you okay?” Tamrin asked her sister.
Tamara glared at him. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”
Straightening slowly. Tamrin turned toward Jaymin. “When did you know?”
“At first, I thought you were just playing hard to get. Hot one minute and cold the next. Then I realized it was more than just a game. It was like you had a damn split personality. So either you were mental, or there was something else going on. I didn’t want to believe it, Tamrin. I trusted you.”
“I played my role just fine,” Tamara grumbled. “We’ve never had a problem getting in each other’s head and thinking and behaving the way the other one does. Flirting with him wasn’t the plan.”
“After my security tied you with Negatin, I did some snooping. There are some records that don’t add up. While your parents wanted you two to live as one, you were still two different people. As a teenager, you had a cyst removed from your back, but I’ve seen you naked, and you have no scars. After that, it was only a matter of connecting the dots. You father made the mistake of talking about the David Scrolls. I guess he forgot that they used to be in our possession. It must have been desperation that had you hitting the same family twice. After that, all I had to do was have you followed.”
Tamrin clenched her jaw. “I didn’t know about that, but it was desperation that had us marking you at all. If we don’t pay that two million back to Anton, he’ll kill my father.”