ite swung open. He didn't look up. The only person who would

and arrogant charm. He was already heading for the mini-bar, pulling out a bottle

a generous measure into a crystal tumbler. "Yo

swer. He just he

es, his expression shifting from amusement to disbelief. He playe

on the coffee table with a clatter. "Thi

and fifty thousand doll

h the chat. He read the refusal, his eyebrows climbing higher and hi

one: establish the innocent, sick-girl persona. Step two: reject the money to make yourself seem different from all

his expression unreadable

on, man. This isn't you. You're Dereck Campos. You eat people like th

said, his voic

ious. "You're not actually falling for this,

es. Dereck's hand, resting on the arm of the wheelch

hand. "Shit. Sorry. I should

reston had just stepped on it. Lydia, who had smiled and lied and stolen. Ly

ble state. You're isolated. It's the perfect setup for a con. Just let the legal team handle it. One let

he Dereck Campos solution. A quick, s

o remove the annoyance.

aid. "That

? Since when do you care about

" Dereck said, his eyes fixed o

Because she's playing hard to get?

was a spark, a flicker of the obsessive, driven maniac who could dismantle a

g up and draining his glass.

"I'm going to test your little MoonCookie. I'm goin

just watched, a faint, predatory

sn't going to play nice. He was going to hit her with a sledgehammer. He w