Dark Stranger Immortal (The Children of the Gods #3)(22)
She wondered where the butler was going each time he disappeared. Was there a girlfriend somewhere? Or maybe he was spending his free time with his brother?
It was hard to tell with Okidu; the man was strange, kind of flat, two-dimensional, like an elaborate caricature instead of a real person. She was saddened by the thought that it might’ve been the many years of servitude that had painted a permanently false mask over his true self, only allowing him the expressions expected by others.
Syssi sighed. As if she needed another reason to be sad…
Just as she had feared, Kian’s penthouse was dark and quiet. Flicking the lights on, she peeked into the dining room and then the kitchen. Amazingly, there was no sign left of the big dinner which had ended only an hour ago.
Walking down the corridor to Kian’s room, she paused by each of the closed doors and listened carefully for any kind of sound. But Okidu was either asleep or not there.
The place felt deserted.
Once she reached the master bedroom, a quick glance at Kian’s big empty bed convinced her she didn’t want to be there alone. And anyway, as strung up as she still felt after that stressful evening, there was no chance she’d be able to fall asleep.
Deciding some quiet time while waiting for Kian was a better plan, Syssi kicked off her shoes and plodded barefoot back to the living room.
As she slid the glass doors open and stepped out onto the terrace, the cool, soft breeze caressing her heated face was refreshing, and with a soft sigh, she sat down on her favorite lounger.
Sprawling comfortably, Syssi took a deep breath and gazed at the clear, cloudless sky, its darkness relieved by the lambent glow of a full moon and tiny sparkling stars. It was peaceful, with the city quiet below and the distant hum of traffic lulling her with its monotone drone. But a few quiet moments later, a tinge of a familiar craving had her glance in the direction of the side table, where she had left Kian’s cigarettes.
The pack and his gold-plated lighter were still there, neatly aligned next to a sparkling clean ashtray. Evidently, Okidu had no problem with her little transgression, eliminating the incriminating evidence of the stubbed-out butt, but leaving the pack out there to tempt her.
She looked at it with longing. Should I? Or shouldn’t I?
It took a few moments of internal struggle, but in the end, she couldn’t help herself.
Ah, what the heck…
With a guilty little smile, she reached for the pack, pulled out a cigarette and lit it quickly before her conscience had a chance to talk her out of it.
Breathing in carefully, Syssi closed her eyes.
She felt the tension ease out of her with each pull.
Such a decadent pleasure. If only it weren’t stinky and unhealthy, she could’ve enjoyed it guilt-free. The health concern would become a nonissue if she turned, but it wouldn’t solve the problem of the clinging stench.
Well, whatever.
Right now, she didn’t care. She was alone on the terrace and in her solitude felt free to do as she pleased. That feeling of freedom, the element of rebellion she associated with smoking, was what made the whole thing so delightful—beyond the obvious chemical reaction to the nicotine.
Later, she would just rinse her mouth and spray herself with perfume, and no one would know…
“Hi, gorgeous…” Kian startled her.
Caught red-handed with the cigarette in her hand and smoke coming out of her nose, Syssi felt mortified. How did he get out here without her hearing the sliding door open?
Kian leaned to kiss her.
“Oh, don’t kiss me! I stink!” She made a move to stub out the thing.
“No, don’t stop on my account!” Smiling, he caught her wrist. “You’re obviously enjoying yourself, and I don’t mind the smell. They are, after all, mine…” He winked and plopped on the lounge beside her, then pulled out a cigarette for himself. “Now we’re going to stink together…” He lit the thing and took a long, grateful pull.
“I wasn’t expecting you so soon… you said you’d be working late…”
“That was the plan. But a memory of a certain beautiful, sexy lady was distracting me…” He pulled her panties out of his pocket and brought the crumpled scrap of fabric to his nose. “And these didn’t help either…” Kian made a production of inhaling her scent and pretending bliss.
“You’re such a pervert…” Syssi laughed.
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K I A N
“I know…” Kian slanted Syssi a lascivious look. Then remembering Amanda’s admonition, stuffed her panties back in his pocket and decided to change topics before their sexual banter got them in bed.
“Did you enjoy dinner?” he asked, then took a puff, exhaling it in a ring of smoke.
“Besides Edna’s probe? I guess so.”
“Edna probed you? When?”
“Before you and Amanda arrived.”
“Shit! I’m sorry, baby, I know how intrusive that feels. What did she say?”
“She liked me, I guess… Gave me her stamp of approval. Not that it mitigated how violated she made me feel. I kept thinking of what she must’ve seen in my memories—us together, intimate—despite her claim that she can’t read thoughts, just emotions. Still, lust is an emotion, isn’t it?” Syssi’s cheeks reddened all the way up to her ears.