“My family set your mother up for murder. I didn’t know it at the time, but I’d bet my life on it now. And they orchestrated the abandonment of my mother when she was sick and in pain. The murder, the money laundering, the cartels—it took me years of digging and scheming to get the information I needed to put all the pieces together. But now that I have, I’m ready for war.”

Lander reaches forward and taps his index finger against the words I’ve written down. “Let’s stop fighting with each other, Adoncia,” he says softly, and gently he puts one hand under my chin and turns my face toward him so now I’m looking into his eyes. “Let’s focus our energy. And let’s bring Travis and my father To. Their. Knees.”

I search his face for some sign of deceit or jest.

But all I see is honesty and vicious determination.

This man is not my enemy.

This man is my partner in crime.

Again, something inside me just snaps.

And immediately I’m on him. My lips crush against his as he draws me to him. I tear at his shirt as he yanks my skirt to my waist. I want him inside me and I want it now.

I pull at his belt as his hands move to my ass. I’m kissing his neck, his shoulder. I kiss the wounds that I inflicted on him less than an hour ago.

This man will be my partner, in crime and in love.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt this kind of need or this level of urgency.

When Lander pulls my panties to the floor I reach for his belt, but before I can pull it off him he pushes me down onto a chair and kneels before me, tasting me, teasing me, making me insane. I reach my hands into his hair as his tongue circles my clit. This is delicious torment. I can feel myself literally throbbing for him as I throw my head back and call out his name.

Lander, my Lander.

My warrior.

The man who will fight by my side.

My orgasm is sudden and intense and Lander holds on to my hips, keeping me in place, making sure that I can’t get away.

But I don’t want to get away. Not now, not ever.