Truth or Dare (Liar Liar #2)

by C. A. Mason

  “Smart women don’t put their faith in men like you,” she said, pushing my hands away.

  “Ah, so smart women put their trust in men like your fiancé, is that it?”

  It would destroy her when I dropped the bomb later, especially if I forced her to admit how trustworthy she believed he was. She would curse herself for being a fool, and she’d be even more humiliated because I knew. If I were smart, I’d back off, but her assumptions about me hurt. I was the one who’d been faithful to her. He was the one who’d cheated.

  “Yes.” She picked up a small purse from a hook by the door. “That’s exactly why I intend to marry him. So whatever plans you have of seducing me tonight, you can forget it. It’s not going to work.”

  By the end of the night, she’d be sobbing in my arms, cursing her own stupidity. But I wouldn’t take any pleasure in knowing I was right. I didn’t want to see her hurt, not even if it meant I could look like the hero who’d saved her from a miserable marriage. I waited in silence as she locked the door, then I led her to the parking lot. I didn’t try touching her again. I knew she wouldn’t appreciate it. This was her town, her people, and most knew she was engaged to the illustrious district attorney. We were supposed to have a business dinner, so I had to play along, at least for now.

  She stopped short, a gasp slipping past her lips. “Oh my God. Is that your car?”

  I couldn’t help but smile at her reaction to the new yellow Ferrari I’d purchased that afternoon. Handing her the keys, I asked, “You wanna take it for a spin?”

  “But…” She looked from me to the keys. “Why would you buy a car? Why not just use a limo service or rent a car?”

  “Because I intend to spend a lot more time here now that I have reason to.”

  Her breath hitched as her hand curled around the keys. “You have reason to?”

  “Your father and I reached a deal on the buildings.”

  “My office building? My apartment building?” Her words came out in a high-pitched screech before she reined herself in. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Deadly serious.” I turned into her, using my body to block her from the wind that was kicking up dust and debris. “I told you, I get what I want, Maura. I want you.”

  She closed her eyes before looking at me. “This is crazy. You’re only interested in me because you can’t have me. The novelty will wear off, and you’ll be stuck with buildings you don’t really want. You can’t spend millions of dollars on real estate on a whim. It doesn’t make any sense. You’re not being rational.”

  She had no idea how many hours I’d spent thinking about her, especially when I was lying on a cot in a jail cell. Memories of her had made me smile even though they were tainted with the knowledge that she believed I could hurt her. My best memories were the times I’d spent with her. She was the first and only woman I’d ever loved, and even though I had believed I could keep a safe distance from her emotionally, it was proving difficult.

  “I can afford to spend millions on a whim,” I argued. “Besides, these buildings are a good investment. The return is good. I know what I’m doing.”

  Shaking her head and looking rueful, she said, “I know you do. You didn’t get where you are being stupid or impulsive. It just doesn’t make any sense. I can’t figure out why you’re doing all this.”

  I was dying to touch her, to pull her close and immerse myself in her. But I couldn’t. Not yet. “I’m doing it because I want to. Because I can.” I smiled. “That’s one of the fun things about being obscenely wealthy.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’ll have to take your word for that.”

  I wanted to tell her that everything I had could be hers one day, but I bit my tongue. Where the hell had that thought come from? I wasn’t really considering a future with her, was I?

  Walking to the car, I opened the driver’s door for her, gesturing for her to climb in.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, looking apprehensive. “I’ve never driven a car like this.”

  The girl I remembered loved speed. I used to tease her about having a lead foot as she’d race us down a country road, the wind whipping through our hair and the bumps jostling us. We laughed as she made us feel we could take flight. I had a collection of exotic cars now, most of them designed for speed, and I knew my passion for them stemmed from my memories of her. She used to tell me that behind the wheel she felt free with the exhilaration of knowing she could go anywhere and do anything.

  “I’m positive.” I rounded the car and eased into the passenger’s seat. “I’m going to leave this car here. I’ll give you a set of keys. It’ll be parked in the underground parking garage. You can drive it whenever you want so long as you promise to take good care of her for me.”

  Her mouth dropped as she started the car. “You’re crazy. You can’t just leave a car like this.”

  “Sure, I can.” She would have the time of her life driving it, and I wanted to give her as much pleasure as my money could buy.

  “But… but…”

  I pressed my index finger to her lips. “No buts, angel. You’re not going to change my mind about this.”

  I smiled as she pulled into traffic. She was hesitant at first, but it didn’t take long for her to find her groove. Watching her shift gears and manipulate the powerful automobile as if she’d been doing it all her life was one of the sexiest things I’d seen in a long time. Shifting to relieve the sudden bulge in my pants, I cleared my throat.

  She glanced in my direction, her eyes traveling over my body. “Jesus, Walsh, you’d tempt a nun.”

  I laughed, taken aback by her honesty. That was the girl I remembered, the one I’d fallen in love with. She was carefree, unabashed, and lived to please only herself.

  “The question is, am I tempting you?” I pointed at a clearing. The road we were on seemed pretty deserted. We’d only passed a few cars in the last ten minutes, and none were behind us. “We could pull over and—”

  “Shut up!” she said, throwing her head back in laughter. “You’re so bad.”

  I loved making her laugh and being the reason for her joy. “So, I guess we’re going to be neighbors. Your dad mentioned one of the units was empty, so I’m going to keep it for when I’m in town.”

  I knew she was trying to act nonchalant when she asked, “Do you intend to be in town a lot?”

  “As much as possible.” I didn’t know how long it would take me to get the answers I needed, but my motives for wanting to spend time there revolved around her. I wanted to be close to her and to get to know her again, as well as find out who’d hurt her and make sure they paid.

  “You must travel a lot for business.”

  “I do.”

  “Does that make it difficult to have a relationship?” She glanced at me.

  I could tell my answer was important to her. “Like I said, I’ve never been real big on relationships. They’ve kind of been an afterthought. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t make it work if I wanted to. I can do anything I set my mind to.”

  She smiled. “I have no doubt about that.” She eased the car to the side of the road before removing her seat belt and shifting to face me. Gesturing toward the car with a wave, she said, “This was fun, Blaise. Thanks.”

  “You haven’t been having much fun lately, have you?” I didn’t want to make her defensive, but I wanted her to acknowledge that her relationship wasn’t what she wanted. It would make it easier when she learned the truth about her cheating fiancé.

  “I guess I’ve been too focused on building my business.” She twisted her engagement ring around on her finger. “And thinking about the future.”

  “Just ‘cause you’re trying to be a responsible adult doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.” I set my hand on her knee. “What did you do for fun when you were younger?”

  “I used to love dancing,” she said, tipping her head back as she watched the sun slowly set. “Not formal dancing or anything, just going out with my friends, having a good ti
me, and getting lost in the music.”

  I closed my hands over hers. Being cocooned in the car on a deserted road, just talking, felt good. I’d made reservations at a five-star restaurant, but I didn’t care if we ever got there. Those stolen moments with Maura were the highlight of my day. “What else did you enjoy?”

  She giggled. “Skinny dipping in my parents’ pool. My boyfriend and I would meet out there after my parents went to bed and…” Color stained her cheeks. “We’d make love in the pool. Thinking back, it was crazy. My father would have hauled out his shotgun if he’d ever caught us, but that made it all the more thrilling, the possibility of getting caught.”

  I remember. That was what I wanted to say, and it killed me that I couldn’t. “Tell me what else you used to do for fun.”

  Looking down the deserted road, she said, “We used to hop in Matt’s pick-up truck with no destination in mind and just drive. He’d let me drive so he could…” She bit her lip. “You know.”

  I did know. I used to pleasure her while she drove. “Sounds hot.” So hot I was thinking about doing it right now.

  “It was.” Her nipples were peaked.

  “What else?” I whispered.

  She tipped her head back and closed her eyes as though she was lost in the memory. “When I couldn’t stand it anymore, we’d park.”

  “And?” I was so hard, I didn’t know how much more I could take. Reliving those nights through her eyes, hearing the want and need in her voice, was doing me in.

  “I’d climb into his lap and ride him. Hard.”

  “Fuck… Maura.” I grabbed her neck, bringing her face to mine.

  I didn’t even try to be gentle. There was no hesitation in my kiss, only raw hunger and need. She responded with a low moan as she threaded her hands through my hair, capturing my head.

  I pulled her over the gearshift into my lap. “I need to be inside you again.”

  “No.” She tried to tear herself away.

  I kissed her neck as I worked the zipper on the back of her dress. “You know you want this as much I do.” I was angered by her rebuttal. I hated that she was trying so hard to remain faithful to a man who’d never shown her the same consideration. “You need this.”

  She gripped my shoulders. “I can’t. We can’t. Please. Stop.”

  That single word immobilized me. She wanted me, but I would never take more than she was willing to give. I dropped my forehead against hers, my breath coming in heavy gasps as I worked to slow my racing heart. “Okay, I get it. Not now.”

  “Not ever,” she cried. “Don’t you get it? I can’t do this with you. I can’t.”

  I captured her beautiful face in my hands. She really did look like an angel, an alluring angel. Her full lips were swollen from my kiss. Her blue eyes, rimmed with smoky shadow, were heavy with lust, and her minty breath fanned my face with every breath. Her light blond hair, which had been pulled into a careful up-do, was tousled from the wind and my restless hands. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d wanted her more. Fierce longing tore through me, reminding me of the first time we’d made love, the first time I’d told her I loved her. Was that what I was feeling now? Love?

  I couldn’t do it anymore. I had to tell her the truth, to prove to her that nothing stood between us, nothing prevented her from letting me love her tonight. “I need to take you somewhere, angel.”

  “Where?” In spite of her protests, she was still straddling me, my arousal prodding her.

  “I can’t tell you. I have to show you.” I hadn’t intended to take her to the club yet. I wanted to give her one perfect evening of dinner and dancing, showing her how strong our connection was, before I ripped the rug out from under her and proved that her relationship was a lie. But I couldn’t wait. I needed her to know.

  Maura reached for the door handle and climbed out of my lap. I helped her, my hands around her waist as her five-inch heels landed in the soft dirt on the shoulder of the road.

  She ran a hand over her hair as she straightened her short dress. “I’m a mess.”

  “You’re a beautiful mess.” I captured her mouth with mine. I kissed her slowly and thoroughly, enjoying the erotic dance of my tongue over hers. Before pulling away, I licked and nibbled her lower lip, prompting her to sink into my chest. A deep rumble moved through my chest as I steadied her. “You like that, don’t you, angel?”

  She sighed, her eyes fluttering open. “I can’t deny it. I love the way you kiss me. It’s so erotic, I just want to tear your clothes off right here.”

  I was already semi-hard, but her words made me stiff instantly. Pressing my arousal into her stomach, I whispered, “I will have you again, baby. That’s a promise.”

  Chapter Three

  She sat in the passenger’s seat of my car, gaping at the neon sign above us. “You want to take me to a strip club? Are you crazy?”

  I knew Jeff was there. I’d seen his car. It had been parked in the lot at Maura’s office earlier that day, and the vanity plate on the black Lexus gave him away: YOURDA. Thankfully, Maura hadn’t spotted his car, and I’d parked on the opposite side of the lot to ensure she wouldn’t. I knew his infidelity would hit her hard, but I didn’t want to soften the blow. Maybe it was heartless, but I needed her to feel the full impact of his betrayal. It was the only way for her to get over him and move on with her life.

  “Just humor me,” I said, opening the car door. I was grateful for the cloak of darkness as I rounded the car to open her door. A woman like Maura wouldn’t go unnoticed in a crowd, especially at a place like this, and I didn’t want that dirtbag to have a chance to prepare his defense. I wanted him to be caught red-handed.

  “Blaise, I can’t go in there,” she said, ignoring my hand.

  “Please, for me? We’ll be in and out, I promise. There’s someone here I need to see.” Someone you need to see. I gave her my best pleading look.

  Evidently it worked, because she climbed out of the car with a heavy sigh. “Fine, but I’m giving you five minutes. Then I’m out of here.”

  I guided her inside with a hand on her lower back. The doorman raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t say anything. I was certain they weren’t used to classy patrons like Maura. It was a seedy club in a rough part of town, which was no doubt why Jeff had chosen it. He thought no one would recognize him in a place like that.

  What happened next would have been comical if not for the fact that it stirred my long-dormant jealousy. Men who’d been watching the women on stage turned to watch Maura instead. The crowd parted, surrounding her as hungry eyes traveled all over her body.

  “Holy shit,” a few of them muttered. “I gotta get me some of that.”

  One even had the audacity to grab her ass before I snagged his wrist and hissed, “Touch her again, and I’ll break your fuckin’ arm, asshole.”

  “Blaise,” she whispered, reaching for my hand, “I don’t like this. I want to leave.”

  I knew, given her attack, she would be nervous being surrounded by so many men who looked as if they wanted to devour her. I said loud enough for all of them to hear, “Back the fuck off. The lady’s with me.”

  Given the crowd, I knew many of them would recognize me. Those guys were our target demographic: blue-collar workers with a penchant for violence. That worked in my favor because I was a tough son of a bitch. They knew I could lay them all out without breaking a sweat. They eased back, giving her room.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, resting my palm against her face. “Baby, it’s okay. They’re not going to hurt you as long as I’m here. I promise.”

  She looked terrified, but she nodded. “I know. I’m okay. It just… made me uncomfortable, that’s all.”

  I kissed her hand before slipping it into mine. I didn’t want to be there any more than she did. I ignored the half-naked women milling through the crowd, trying to get my attention by rubbing up against me. I was on a mission. I slipped a hundred-dollar bill into the palm of the guy manning the V.I.P. lounge before he r
emoved the velvet rope, letting us through.

  My eyes cut through the darkness. I was afraid Jeff was upstairs with one of the girls until I spotted him in a dark corner getting a lap dance. Her huge fake tits were in his face. His hands were on her ass as his tongue darted out to capture her nipple. He must have special privileges if they let him touch the girls like that.

  Maura’s eyes zeroed in on him. She sank against me. “Oh my God. What the hell?”

  “Baby, I’m sorry you—”

  She shoved me aside, storming up to her fiancé, “What the fuck is this?” She pointed at the woman in his lap.

  Jeff’s jaw dropped as he scrambled to get the woman off his lap. “Oh my God, Maura, what are you doing here?”

  “What am I doing here?” she screamed. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I was just…” He raked a hand through his hair. “I was here to meet someone, an informant, and I got… carried away. I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again. I swear.”

  I moved in behind her and glared at him. “Be a fuckin’ man. Tell her the truth—that you’re here all the time, that you fuck these women in rooms upstairs.”

  “Oh my God,” she said, leaning into my chest. “Is that true?” She looked at the few other people occupying the lounge. Most were too wrapped up in what they were doing to care about the drama unfolding in front of them. “You fuck these women… then you come home and slip into bed with me?”

  My gut clenched. Fuck. I didn’t need to hear that.

  “It’s not like that,” he said, reaching for her hands.

  “Don’t you fucking touch her,” I said, shoving his shoulder and forcing him to step back.

  “Who the hell are you to tell me I can’t touch her?” he demanded. “She’s my fiancé.”

  “Not anymore.” I put a possessive hand on her hip. “You blew it, buddy. It’s over.”

  His eyes fastened on my hand before looking at Maura. “Who the hell is this guy to you?”