“I hate you, Seth Cage,” she proclaims in what I know to be an out-of-character emotional outburst that tells me I’ve rattled her.
And earns her my cool reply. “There’s a fine line between love and hate, sweetheart,” I say, but I don’t want her to hate me and it pisses me off. What is it about this woman that makes her my weakness? “I wonder if I missed the taste of poison on your lips, or did I just choose to ignore it?” And I need to know that answer. I close my mouth down on hers, my tongue sliding into her mouth, rough, angry, but she doesn’t respond. She doesn’t even touch me, and I won’t allow her that win. I fold her against me, cupping the back of her head, my tongue licking against hers until she finally fucking moans, and responds.
And damn it, she still tastes just as good as she did, just as right when she’s wrong, but at least I know now. Everything right about this woman will always be wrong, including the moment she bites my lips, drawing blood. “I still hate you,” she hisses.
Wiping my lip, I’m wildly aroused by what just happened, which proves how fucked in the head this woman makes me. And while I’m certain we’d both be more than comfortable with the idea of me pulling her skirt up and fucking her right now, and letting her think she’s manipulating me again, that has to wait until I have her someplace to myself. I release her, snatching up her gun and shoving it under my jacket, inside my holster. “Meet me at the south exit. If you aren’t there, I’ll kill you and then move on to Plan B and kill Franklin. And yes. This is a test. Pass it or you’ll be in my bed, in handcuffs for the rest of your life.”
“You said you’d kill me.”
“After I cuff you to my bed.”
I move to the door and exit into the staff hallway, and then the main school hallway, the scent of her, sweet jasmine, clinging to my skin. Damn it, I used to love that smell.
I’m halfway to the exit when suddenly she’s beside me. “As I know you know from whatever file they gave you on me,” she says without looking at me, “I watched people die because of that man in China seven years ago when he set off poison gas in the subway. I’m not sitting back while he does it again.”
I don’t reply. I just keep walking, but now she’s by my side again, as she was for three solid months, three years ago. Her words and actions are reminding me of what I’d found so damn appealing about this woman: her conviction and her moral compass that were greater than mine, that made her too good for me, and yet, made me want her all the more. Only, it was an act, a façade maintained even now and well. She’s an enemy in an uncomfortable alliance. I don’t believe a word she has said.
We reach the exit and I pause with her directly to my right, my eyes capturing hers. “You’re with me now and no one gets to take you from me. And I’m the only one who gets to kill you.”
“You’re so damn romantic,” she says. “No wonder I missed you.”
“You missed me, sweetheart?”
“That wasn’t literal.”
My lips curve. “And yet you kissed me like you missed me.”
BLP REVIEW ~ TRACY
I’m gonna start by saying that I’d much rather read a full novel rather than a novella series but I really enjoyed Poison Kisses Pt 1 even thought it was in this format, that may in large part be due to the fact that I love Lisa Renee Jones and her books!
The first book of the series introduces us to Seth – who we met in the Dirty Money series – and Amanda.
Seth was a CIA agent and 3 years ago he and Amanda were partners – in both work and love – and were about to close a big case when she suddenly disappeared and the operation went to hell. Since then, Seth has felt betrayed by his ex-lover and the last thing he wants is to be partnered up with her again!
Amanda had her reasons for running and her own trust in Seth has long been shattered. For the last three years she’s been living a solitary life but when things got to be too much for her she ended up putting herself in the sights of the CIA again.
Seth is known as The Assassin and Amanda is The Scientist but he always viewed her a his Poison Princess – initially as a term of endearment and then as a curse when she up and left him.
Part 1 gives us their history and an idea of what they are getting into this time around. Although the chemistry is still off the charts, trust in nowhere to be found between the pair but if they’ve to work as a team, they’re gonna have to get over this hurdle.
A great start to the novella series and I’m looking forward to what’s next as we ended this installment on a little bit of a cliff hanger!
4*
Book Loving Pixies 
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