Deviation (Clone Chronicles #2)(18)

This time, his sweep comes up empty. I don’t trust it. Not after Williams.

Linc comes toward me, his mouth open to say who knows what sort of incriminating thing. I hold my finger to my lips to shush him and shake my head. I slip out of bed and over to the stereo. I hit a few buttons and sultry jazz once again leaks from the speakers. Linc’s brow rises but he doesn’t comment on my selection.

When I’ve returned to his side, he leans down and presses his mouth to my ear. “You don’t think it’s empty?” he asks.

I shake my head.

“Why not?”

“Williams,” I say, my lip curling at the single name.

“What about him?” His voice hardens to sharp edges and I realize he has no idea.

“Where have you been?”

He frowns. Instead of answering he says, “Come here.” He snakes his arm around my waist and pulls me close. I’m tucked in tight against his side as he draws the covers over our head. I inhale the scent of spicy cologne and feel a little guilty.

“What is it?” Linc asks, his voice barely more than a breath.

I draw the device out of the pillowcase I’d stuffed it in earlier. It is nothing more than a shadow of gray with sharp edges in the darkness between us. From some pocket, Linc produces a slender flashlight and clicks it on. The minute he sees the device, his expression twists. He lowers the flashlight to pat his pants pocket. Satisfied, he looks back at me with a different emotion. His eyes widen.

“How in the hell did you …?”

I smile smugly. If Linc didn’t suspect me, I know Titus won’t.

“I’m being proactive,” I say.

His eyes narrow. This is the part I wasn’t looking forward to. “How?” he asks through closed teeth.

I swallow hard and tell him about Obadiah. My lacy outfit. Williams.

Linc swears. “And Titus bought it,” he mutters. “Of course he did. He’s a guy. You were wearing … Shit, Ven.”

And now the punch line. I tell him about Obadiah. His eyes bulge. “Are you serious?” he hisses. “And Titus let him stay?”

“He wants me to be her, Linc. The old Raven probably did stuff like that all the time. It’s probably why you’re allowed in here right now,” I point out.

Linc’s silence is answer enough.

“But … Obadiah?”

“Would you rather I have called someone else? Caine Rafferty would’ve been here in half the time if I’d asked.”

Linc swears. His string of curses is mixed with the word “no” between each one.

The air inside the drawn blanket is stuffy but I don’t dare mention it. Not while he’s still deciding whether to be angry with me. He’s still holding the flashlight. It’s angled away so it won’t hurt our eyes, but it’s enough for me to study the shadowed edges of his jaw. The strong line of his chin.

I reach out and trace a finger from his ear to his bottom lip. He goes still. All of the indecision leaks away. His smile is soft and inviting as he wraps me in his arms and kisses my hair. “I’m sure I’ll be angry about this later,” he whispers.

My lips twitch as the jazz ends. I wait for the next song to start before I answer. “I’m sure you will.”

His skin is so touchable. I hesitate for a second but then I realize if the world expects me to do Raven-like things, I might as well do them for real when the opportunity presents itself.

I slip my hand behind his head, brushing his hairline with my fingertips. My hips wriggle until I’m pressed close against him. If he’s surprised, he doesn’t say. I tighten my grip on his neck and pull his face toward mine. It’s a bold move on my part. No matter how many kisses we share, no matter how convinced I am of Linc’s feeling for me, I rarely make the first move.

But last night, I made all kinds of moves. I feel like a victor, though I’ve gained only inches.

Linc makes a noise of appreciation and deepens the kiss. I hold on and give freely everything he’s willing to take.

All too soon, he pulls away. “While I’d love to spend my entire visit attached at the lips, I think we should talk,” he says. His fingers are still tangled in my hair. His forehead leans lightly against mine.

“Talk,” I agree, forcing myself to concentrate. I reluctantly slide my hand off his neck. I’ll never focus if I’m touching him this way. I scoot my hips a few inches away.

“I want to know where this sudden klepto streak came from. Did something else happen?” he asks.

Finally, I remember what it was that spurred my call to action tonight in the first place. My victory dims. “When I came home last night, Titus was in the parlor with someone.”

“Who?”

“A man.” I shake my head harder than necessary, an awkward move with the pillow in the way. I am careful to keep my voice low as I explain. “I don’t know him. I told you I heard him once before but I never saw his face. He’s not afraid of Titus and he sounds powerful.”

“‘Powerful’ includes half the city, Ven.”

“I know. But this one’s different. He knows about me, Twig City…everything. He kept bringing up identity thieves and how whatever he and Titus are planning will stop the thefts.”

Linc nods. “It’s a bigger issue lately, although it started about eighteen months ago. At first, it was sporadic and seemingly random, but now it’s more and more often and they believe it’s all connected to one group.”