Lust (Alternate Cover)

Liza needed closure. None of this made sense. 

Taking two ladder rungs at a time, Liza was on a third level fire escape before anyone had noticed. The night was dark, giving the perfect cover for a stakeout. Liza checked the window of the apartment attached to the fire escape. Both curtains and windows were closed. It didn’t look like anyone was home. Perfect. 

She squatted and kept her body hidden in the darkness between a tall planter and the building. She settled her gaze squarely across the way—at Joe’s. He’d kept the curtains open and the lights on, so she had a clear view inside. 

She wished she hadn’t. 

Tanya had her paws all over him. A hot and prickly sensation down Liza’s spine grew stronger. It spread to the tips of her fingers, and despite the cold temperature of a Cardinal City winter evening, she felt as though she were on a balmy beach in the Caribbean. Sweat itched her skin. She tugged at her blouse and fanned the fabric.   

Joe broke away from Tanya. He ran a hand through his hair and walked to the kitchen. Tanya was locked in place, hands fretting. When Joe turned back to her, he gestured erratically. 

“Oh, here we go,” Liza murmured, suddenly wishing for an audio surveillance kit. “Trouble in paradise.”

Something squeaked at her feet. A brown rat leaped onto the platform and scampered over Liza’s boots.

“Shoo.” She shoved it away with her hand. Gross.

Joe’s argument was getting heated. 

He paced across the floor behind the couch. Tanya was doing that thing where you look at the ceiling and shake your head. Disbelief. That’s what it was. She wasn’t accepting what Joe had to say. 

Squeak.

Another rat scampered onto the fire escape.

“Piss off, rats.”

The next time Liza looked up, Joe and Tanya were kissing.

“You see that?” Liza snapped at the rats. “He’s not supposed to act like that. I can’t sense his lust.”

Liza concentrated. The closer she looked, the more it seemed like the kiss was one-sided. Joe’s posture was stiff and unwelcoming. Liza bit her lip, frowning as Tanya coaxed Joe to the couch facing the window. He reluctantly sat down. Tanya unzipped his pants.

“Whoa.” Liza stepped back, blinking. “TMI, bro. Too much information.”

This was getting a little cozy for her liking... she should go... but... she slid her gaze back. She couldn’t tear herself away. 

It was Joe—Joey Luciano. The one friend she’d never felt lust from. The one person who’d been on her team for most of her life. The same friend who’d just told her to look down at his impressive, very hard package. And then he told her to fuck off. 

As Tanya settled in to give Joe the best time of his life, Liza couldn’t stop staring. This was... impossible. 

There were only two explanations. One, Liza was broken. Her sin-sensing was off. 

Two...

Joe was her mate. 

But he couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. Yes, she couldn’t sense his lust. That was clear. But if they were bonded, she’d also have powers. Supernatural powers like her siblings. There was more: her sin equilibrium and tattoo would reset every time she was in his proximity; her hormones would rage and set off pheromones around him so he couldn’t resist her lure. It was a biological response programmed into all the siblings, a safeguard to ensure that when they finally found their mate, they kept them.

None of that had happened. 

Grinding her teeth, Liza flexed her fists as everything she’d known to be true turned upside down. Joe was getting some... and... Liza’s brow lifted in surprise. Joe wasn’t enjoying it. 

Some sort of sick satisfaction rose in her. 

He’d reclined on the couch, an arm splayed on each side of the backrest, but his bored gaze had focused outside his apartment and to the right. Even from across the street, Liza could tell his attention was elsewhere than the thin lips wrapped around his erection. He looked wearied. Then Joe frowned. His hand pulled something out of the gap between the pillow and the couch. He brought it to his nose, lashes fluttering, and lids turning heavy.

Was that... was that Liza’s scarf? Her hand fluttered to her neck and found it bare. Yes, she’d left her scarf in his apartment. On the couch.

Something scampered over her foot. She squeaked and jumped to the side. God damn, it was another rat. She swatted it away with her sweaty hand. 

Ugh. This building was overrun with stray rodents and God-knew-what else. Disgusting. Maybe the rat was a sign for her to leave. This was too bizarre. But when she glanced one last time at Joe through his window, she found him staring back.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t think.

The expanse across the street disappeared. The woman at his lap faded away. It was just Liza and Joe, locked in a battle of wills. He refused to break eye-contact.