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I thought I was unaffected, but I wasn’t.

“So, Becca… Did she have anything in her hands?”

“No. She just came out. Becca’s a good person. I’ve known her for a long time and—”

Diya cut me off with a shake of her head. “You’d be surprised what people are capable of when no one’s watching.” Her voice was steady, but there was a hard edge to it, and her eyes… they burned with something fierce. Doctor Diya Sharma didn’t trust anyone. That much was clear.

“You always expect the worst in people, don’t you?” I tried to sound amused, but her expression wiped the smile right off my face.

I, at least, wanted to give someone the benefit of the doubt, but not her.

“If you want to believe people are better than they are, you might end up paying the price with your life.” Her voice was soft, but there wasn’t a hint of softness in her eyes. “Don’t let your guard down. Trust is a weakness, especially now.”

“Can’t I trust you?”

A faint, almost sad smile touched her eyes. “You can’t. I don’t trust you either. But for now, the deal we made benefits us both.”

She turned away, slumping on the couch.

“Sit.” She motioned to the single chair across from her. I ignored her and instead settled onto the couch right next to her. She stiffened but didn’t move away.

“Good to know,” I said.

Her lips curved into a smirk, and she tilted her head. “Did you expect something more?”

“I don’t expect any promises from you.”

“Smart man,” she murmured, her voice like silk. “People who make promises rarely keep them anyway.”

“I know. That’s why I don’t trust you either.”

But it was a lie.

“Guess that makes us a perfect match, doesn’t it? For now.” She leaned closer, until her lips were against my chin, softly tracing the skin of my throat.

“Or a disaster waiting to happen,” I whispered, my fingers buried into her skin as she sucked the sensitive skin where my pulse pounded. “I don’t know, but I want to find out. It has been a while since I’ve had any reckless fun.”

She chuckled, her laughter vibrating down my bones, slowly, studiously trying to bring my walls down.

NO.

“If you think I’m fun, Maddox, you’ll be sorely disappointed,” she murmured, biting the underside of my chin, a low groan escaping her as she moved closer. “Just be careful.”

I slid my hand around her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space between us. Her lips hovered inches from mine, her gaze smoldering, daring me to close the distance. Slowly, deliberately, I did. My mouth brushed against hers, soft, tender.

Her body softened, and her hands slid up my neck, fingers threading through my hair, pulling me closer.

Every taste, every soft sound she made… sent a thrill through me. Diya Sharma was someone a man could easily get addicted to.

I shouldn’t, though.

Her hand slipped down, fingertips trailing along my chest before her arm wrapped around my neck. She broke away for a breath. “If we get caught…”

“It’s part of my treatment,” I said with a grin, leaning once again, taking her lips.

She tasted like she was laced with poison and honey. I dug my fingers into her hips, and she moaned, the sound muffled between us, her lips pulling away only to press back with urgency.

The kiss turned even faster—each press of her lips, each brush of her tongue, each bite… was a dare, testing how close I could come to unraveling. Her fingers slid from my neck down to my shoulders, her breath hitching as I tilted her head back.