Tirone (The Night Skulls MC #2)(37)

“Say it, Jo. What’s going on?”

“I…I just didn’t like what you did with the principal today.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say that wasn’t a lie. “Coercion is a form of bullying, and for a teacher, it’s a big deal. We fight this daily. It was hard to be on the other side.” Because your moral compass is pointing fucking North, Miss Meneceo? Hello, you just came all over the mouth of your boyfriend’s son.

Disappointment dulled his face. I didn’t know if he was disappointed I wasn’t as dark as he’d hoped or disappointed I wasn’t telling him the truth about what was really troubling me.

Either way, I didn’t want to know. I grabbed some of the shopping bags and headed for the bathroom. “I’ll hit the shower.”

I banged the back of my head against the wall tiles as I washed the evidence of my betrayal off my body and both pairs of panties. As if that will make you clean, like your shameless sins never happened. My eyes squeezed shut as I filled my lungs with air. “O, that way madness lies; let me shun that; No more of that.” I reminded myself through Shakespeare that I couldn’t dwell on my indiscretions. It’d only drive me mad. Guilt was rooted in the actions of the past, perpetuated in the lack of action in the present. I couldn’t change what happened, but I could stop it from happening again.

I hoped the things I told Tirone downstairs would make him understand and persuade him to leave me alone. Today proved, the hard way, I wasn’t strong enough to resist on my own.

I hung the panties to dry, wrapped a towel around my body and headed out of the bathroom. I stifled a yelp as Laius was standing right outside, leaning against the doorframe, his stare dark. “Why are you standing like this? You startled me.”

He peered at the wet underwear. “What’s this?”

My heart skipped a beat. “What does it look like?”

“Why did you just hand wash two pairs of underwear?”

My lashes fluttered. “The black ones are too delicate for the machine.”

“And the red ones? Were you wearing two panties today?” he taunted.

“No,” I sighed. “The red ones are new.”

He stared at me for a nerve-wracking moment. “You wash brand new panties?”

I gulped, sweating all over again. “Of course. Do you not wash your new underwear before you use it?”

“Why the fuck would I do that?”

“In case someone else tried it on.”

“The kind I wear comes in a closed box.”

I chuckled nervously. “I see.”

He eyed the red panties again, and guilt almost swallowed my consciousness. I should just confess and get it over with. “They’re hot,” he said. “You got them for me?”

Not anymore. “I know you prefer pink, but I thought you might like them. Red is my favorite color.”

“Good to know. I can’t wait to see you in them.”

Fuck. “Um…I’ll buy a new set. The fabric…after washing…isn’t as good as I thought it’d be. Maybe we can go together next time so you can choose what you like?”

He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck in his familiar possessive way and brought my body to his. Then he dropped the towel. “Sounds like a plan.”

I wasn’t ready to have sex with him after what I’d done, but knowing how rough Laius could be in bed, I’d take it without a word. I should be punished.

His lips feathered on mine, hovering sensually, not devouring, and then left a trail of whispering kisses down my neck and chest that had me shuddering with arousal. I wasn’t used to such softness, especially not from him. Who knew it was more powerful than a lustful, forceful rhythm of passion?

He cradled me in his arms and put me in bed, as if I were a baby. Then he stripped out of his clothes, keeping only his cut, before he crawled toward me.

“What…wh…” I laughed under my breath, “what is this?”

“This is your man about to make love to you.”

Make love, not fuck? “Okay. Where are the cuffs, the spanking, the choking?”

“When I went to buy something as simple as cake, I didn’t know what you liked. A minute ago, I didn’t know what your favorite color was. I’m pretty sure you like things in bed I don’t know either.” He shook his head. “None of that. I want to get to know you, Jo. It’s my job to please you. I want to be a good man for you.”

My jaw hung low in complete and utter awe. The tears pricked my eyes, and blinking them away didn’t work. Of all the times in the world, he chose now to do this?

“Hey, what happened?” His thumbs quickly wiped under my eyes. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No. Of course not. You’re saying all the right things. I just didn’t expect it. Not now.”

“Why not?”

Because I’m a boil, a plague sore, an easy glove. In other words, I’m a disgusting bitch, the scum of earth, the worst person in the whole world. “I just didn’t know you could be… so sweet.” I wept.

He hugged me, and I bawled my eyes out. “I’m so sorry, Laius. So sorry.”

“For what, baby girl?”

“For being me. For putting you through all this trouble.”