Conceit (Se7en Deadly SEALs Book 1) Read Free

ruined our love. My conceit.
    Joaquín would never turn his back on someone he loved. He would embrace his anxiety. Shake hands with fear.
    Somehow I would have to learn to do the same.
    “I need to talk about Joaquín.”
    Grant opened the door, and I gasped at the sight of him standing in front of me wearing only pajama bottoms. I’d forgotten how incredible his body was; his broad shoulders and V-shaped torso displayed no body fat, just a perfect eight-pack of abs. His skin glowed in the afternoon sun, highlighting his sculpted arms, which were covered with ink. My eyes focused on his huge hands, remembering how they had explored every inch of my body. He ran his fingers through his golden hair, and I imagined those fingers deep inside me, sending spikes of pleasure to my core. The scruff of his beard hid the deep scar on his neck. His green eyes seemed to shoot beams of kryptonite at me, exposing my soul.
    Right, I came here for my brother.
    “Let me in, Grant.” I pushed my way inside the door, scanning the place for signs of another woman. All clear. Hero, his black lab/pug mix, gave me a lick on my face and lay by my feet.
    The last time I saw Grant was an awkward run-in at my brother’s apartment last summer before they deployed. Grant had ignored me the entire time. No matter how hard I’d tried, he refused to engage with me.
    Today, he had no choice.
    ***

 

     
     
    THE VIXEN STANDING IN FRONT of me barely resembled my beautiful Mia. Her waist-length brown hair that had once carried the scent of coconut milk and vanilla beans was now tinted fuchsia and chopped off into a long, angled bob with spiky bangs. Her freckled skin was painted up like a streetwalker’s. Her soft curves were hard, skinny, angular. Her nails, which had always been kept short and pale, were filed into sharp points and polished black, like daggers. I fucking hated her full look. Like some bullshit revenge breakup make-under meant to ensure that I wasn’t attracted to her anymore.
    It didn’t work—I still wanted her.
    My eyes lingered on her small breasts and fell down to her hips. “There’s nothing I can do. No one remembers anything—and if they do, they aren’t talking. I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I don’t think he’s guilty.”
    “Of course he’s not guilty. But you can help him. You know the men on the Team. You were there. We can find out who killed that girl. I’ll do whatever it takes. Maybe I could go undercover? I’m a chameleon. An actress, a makeup artist. I’ve reinvented myself so many times even you wouldn’t be able to recognize me. We can do this.”
    This bitch was crazy. “You can’t be serious. You’re five-feet-four inches tall, one hundred thirty pounds. I used to have to open spaghetti jars for you. You think you can defend yourself against a SEAL? No way can you outsmart my Team. Sorry, Mia. It will never work. You’re delusional. I could recognize you no matter how you changed.” I knew every inch of her body, the sound of her voice, the way her lips parted when she was embarrassed, the glint in her hazel eyes when she wanted her way, the flush on her cheeks when she came.
    I loved you. Picturing her smile had gotten me through those long muddy nights freezing my balls off in the frigid water during BUD/S. Her faith, her love, her belief in me had kept me from quitting, from ringing that bell. Too bad it was all complete bullshit.
    She touched my face, tracing the beard that hid the scar on my neck. “I just need one of them to talk.”
    I pushed her hand away. My stomach churned, I couldn’t stand the sight of her. Couldn’t she see the hurt in my eyes? I’d once looked at her with warmth, love, devotion. Now only her betrayal lingered in the air. “SEALs don’t talk.”
    She let out a laugh. “You did. You used to tell me everything.”
    Smartass. My fist clenched. “Yeah, I did. Only because you were my girl. What are you going to do—fuck them all?”
    A wicked smile