Bad Mouth(20)

“At least it narrows down the search.” Drastically.

“Comforting.”

“Smart ass.”

He laughed. “I can’t believe you just cussed.”

She had cursed, hadn’t she? “It’s because you’re a terrible influence.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever said the word ass around you.” He ran his hand over her rear. “Maybe next time we—”

She pressed her fingers against his lips. “Don’t go there.”

“You want to stay at my place? I hole up at dawn, but we have a little time…”

She peered out the window. They were parked at the curb of her apartment building. “Oh. How long have we been here?”

“The whole time.”

“You mean your driver—”

“Has been patiently waiting for us to finish f*cking, yes.”

She covered her face with both hands. As usual lately, her skin was hot under her fingers. It was wild enough to do what they’d done without adding the thought of a semiwitness to their impulsive behavior.

“It’s okay, Val. He didn’t hear a thing.” He grinned. “Compulsion.”

She lowered her hands and glanced at his amused expression, but it was the underlying gleam of male satisfaction that made her decide her wanton abandon had been worth this embarrassment.

“No, I can’t stay at your place.” Yeah, that would only lead to more wanton abandon. She grabbed his arm to keep him in the car and climbed over him to get to the curbside door. “I appreciate it, but you don’t need to get the door for me every time, Sir Lancelot. Now,” she sighed, “let me get this walk of shame out of the way. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

She slammed the door on his thunderous laughter. The heavenly night chill eased her feverish skin but quickly got uncomfortable as her perspiration cooled. She hurried into the building and looked back toward the curb. Kade had waited for her to get inside before his car pulled away. Her heart melted to the consistency of putty. She could kick herself.

Four nights. She’d known him four nights, but she was full to the brim with him. Immersed. She’d crossed boundaries, not only the VLO’s boundaries, but her own as well. Never had she lost control of herself the way she did with Kade. Her reason jumped the boat every time, and that was inherently dangerous.

So she knew something of his past and his pain. It didn’t mean she knew him and what he was capable of. He was on the other side of the tracks from her, and what he wanted from her investigation was at complete odds with what she wanted. What he wanted didn’t matter much now that the perpetrators were clearly Immortalis rather than rogues, but he hadn’t had much to say about one of them murdering humans. She wanted to believe his sincerity about finding the killers. After what had happened tonight, though, she needed another opinion.

Val hit the speed dial on her cell. “Hi, Graham. I know it’s late, but can we talk?”





Chapter Thirteen


Kade’s ear ached. “Motherf*cker,” he muttered under his breath. He put the phone back to his ear. “It’s too early in the evening for your bullshit, Ezra. I’ve been on the phone all goddamned day. I’m tired and pissed off and the night’s only beginning. Killian f*cked up. Make the son of a bitch fix it.”

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose while Ezra argued on the other end. Kade only half listened. Blah, blah, blah, something, something.

“Hey, shut your f*cking mouth and listen.” The other end went silent. “I. Can’t. Do you understand? I can’t. Killian will fix it. Or you fix it yourself. Or Declan or Lucca or Gunner. Whatever you have to—wait…Don’t send Luc or Guns. Anyone else, though. It’s almost sunset, and I’m gonna have company in less than an hour. I have to have company.”

Finally Ezra caved. Like the bastard had a choice. Kade was royalty after all, though in this situation he couldn’t really pull that card. He could, however, beat the crap out of Ezra.

“Let me know when it’s done,” he told Ezra before ending the call. If it hadn’t been for that leech last night, life would be sweet right now. He’d been double-whammied, first by the Legion’s identity, and then by the eyewitness account of the blooding victim’s dump site. Wouldn’t have been so bad if the leech hadn’t seen the vampire flash. Ian, you f*cking idiot. He threw his phone at the couch and dragged his fingers through his hair.

The walls closed in on him. Had to be fatigue. He was so damned exhausted. He hadn’t slept much after he returned to the penthouse. Instead, he’d thought about Val all night long in the dark of his bedroom, reliving her sweet scent, her searing touch, and those kisses. Damn, those soft, moist kisses. He could drown in them. If that was all he was allowed with her, he would happily die a celibate. Uh, yeah, that was a complete exaggeration. He could almost happily die a celibate.

His smile turned to a scowl. She’d hate him. She’d never speak to him again. Probably demand the Rex execute him, if she knew what he was doing. The Dominorum would likely oblige because they’d hate him, too, if they knew.

And he didn’t give a rat’s ass, especially after last night.

His parents had lied to him all these centuries. The why of it might drive him out of his mind before he found any answers. He wasn’t about to fool himself into believing they loved him, but they absolutely believed in family solidarity and had always appeared pleased with his existence.

What would they think of his relationship with a human? If it were merely sexual, they wouldn’t blink. They engaged in such entertainment with humans together, as well as separately.

What he’d done with Val last night was in no way entertainment to him. He’d lost himself in her, lock, stock, and barrel. When he was inside of her, he would have cut out his useless heart and handed it to her. He would have given her the key to his kingdom, his title, his every penny. Anything she asked for was hers to take from him.

Panic rolled over him, and he cradled his head in his hands until he could get a grip on his emotions. He couldn’t let this happen, what he was feeling for her. It was changing him. The change burned like a bitch. His duty and his desires veered toward a head-on collision, and he couldn’t stop it if his life were on the line. It might very well be on the line.

The door buzzed. He checked his watch and, without warning, his heart contracted and began its Val-loving routine. He chuckled, his hand over his chest, and went to open the door for Val. Her sunny smile reached a depth in him he never knew he had. His eyes traced her body all the way to her toes. She wore filmy black slacks that flowed around her legs and an absurdly demure blouse under her tailored silk jacket. Automatically, he calculated how long it would take to get her out of them without shredding or tearing.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

Her lips took a wry turn, but those radiant emerald eyes sparkled.

“You look so tired,” she said. She turned him toward her and framed his face with her tender hands. His mind hit a whiteout for a moment before he recovered his wits.

“Didn’t sleep much today.”

“Why not?” She grinned at him. “Did you think about me?”

“Yeah. Rubbed three out, maybe four. I don’t remember.”

She gave his head a shove and dropped her hands. “Aaaaand I give up.”

“Hey now. You’re the one who wouldn’t come home with me. I wouldn’t have had to—”

Her hands clapped over his mouth. He shrugged. If she didn’t like what was on his mind, she’d have to wear earplugs. He was pretty damned sure she rubbed one out from time to time, too. His breath froze in his lungs. That image was a bad idea. Maybe she was in the mood to take care of his sudden raging erection. Except she was frowning at him. He kissed her fingers and then pried them off his mouth.

“I need a shower,” with a happy ending, “and then we can get started. You mind?”

“No. Go ahead.”

“Want to join me?”

She laughed and pushed him in the direction of the hallway. “We know how that would end, so no. I want to actually make some progress this time.”

He parted reluctantly. She had her own gravitational pull.

As soon as he closed the bathroom door, leaning heavily against it, alarms fired off in his head. He walked a treacherous line every moment he spent with her. The potential for disaster loomed over him like a thundercloud. Regardless of the peril, he didn’t want to just f*ck her. He was falling hard for her.





Chapter Fourteen


Val wanted to cry, she was so mixed up. The man was a perpetual blend of appalling and endearing. She never knew whether to slap him or kiss him. Even when she thought being affronted would be the proper reaction, she had a hard time keeping a straight face. It was always a revelation, the thoughts that came out of his mouth. He was an anomaly, and she’d never come across anyone like him, a man so completely at ease with himself.