Текст книги "Willing Captive "

Автор книги: Belle Aurora

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Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 13 страниц)

“The hell, Boss? Come in.” This comes from the two-way radio on the opposite nightstand.

Throwing my body across the bed, I press the button on the two-way. “Shower, Vito.”

“Lily? What the…? You know what, I don’t wanna know,” Vito responds gingerly.

I chuckle, “Shut up, Vito. I was asleep. And by the way, I need more pads.”

Clearly confused, he asks, “Pads? What kind of pads?”

“The feminine hygiene kind. Aunt Flo will be here soon.”

I almost see the disgust on his face. “TMI, Lily. Seriously, babe. Just tell me what you need.”

Feeling sleepy again, I mumble, “Heavy flow.”

He chuckles, “Oh yeah, like I could forget, huh? Got it. Anything else?”

Wow. Asking a woman, soon to be on the rag, if they need anything is a dangerous question.

Now that I think about it, I add to my list. “Uh, yeah. Candy. Lots of it. And a magazine. Or three. And pancake mix. The good kind, not the stuff you got last time. It tasted like cardboard. Maybe some bacon, too. And don’t forget the syrup.”

He scoffs, “Babe, I meant the essentials.”

Rolling my eyes, I utter, “Vito, that is essential to a girl with her monthly friend.”

Silence.

I gotta butter him up a little. In a sing-song voice, I say, “C’mon, Vito. I’ll be sweet to you.”

Lightning quick, he returns, “Oh Lily, baby. You get any sweeter and I’ll get a sugar rush.”

I’m stunned and thoroughly amused. “Vito, was that…? Did you just…? Was that flirting?”

He says quietly, “That depends.”

Confused again. “On what?”

He mutters huskily, “Depends on if you liked it, babe.”

Having to think about this, I mumble, “Well, it was my first time, but yeah, it was nice.”

Vito sounds shocked. “No one’s ever flirted with you before?”

“Nope.” I pop the p.

I can hear the smile in his voice. “It’s a crime, baby.”

Just then, the door to the bathroom opens and in walks Nox, wearing nothing but a towel.

My brain smiles like the cat that got the cream. Seeing Nox like this is nothing unusual now. Modesty is a thing of the past.

Nox narrows his eyes at the two-way in my hand and I roll my eyes at him. Pressing the button, I say, “Listen, I gotta go. Seсor Anger just got out the shower. You need him?”

Vito chuckles, “Nope. Not unless he needs anything.”

Still in bed, I look up at Nox and ask, “Need anything from the store?”

Stepping into a pair of gunmetal-grey boxers, he pulls them up under his towel and replies, “Oatmeal. Apples. Eggs.”

Still holding the button on the two-way, I ask, “You get that, Vito?”

“Got it. Have a nice day, sweet, sweet Lily.” He overdoes it with the huskiness, and I chuckle before putting on a breathy voice, “Bye, baby.”

Still chuckling, I put the two-way back on the nightstand and watch Nox dress.

I love this part of the morning. He acts like I don’t exist and I act like he can’t see me. Today is a little different for me, though. I can’t seem to wipe the smile off my face. It doesn’t bother me that he doesn’t know what today is. It doesn’t bother me that no one knows what today is. I’m just happy that I made it to another birthday safe and well and surrounded by friends.

The hot guy in my bed?

Total bonus.

Chapter Twelve

The hair of the dog that bit ya

Three days later…

Nox

I punch the bag. Hard.

Once more. Harder.

The feeling of pain shooting through my lightly wrapped knuckles, up my arm, then disappearing into my body feels good.

Pain is good.

Pain is an indication that you’re alive. Well, living, at the very least.

Pain is also a good way to play games with your mind. A distraction method taught to me in the early stages of training.

And I need a fucking distraction.

Waking up with yet another hard-on pressed into Lily’s ass is enough to put anyone in a bad mood.

Yeah. That’s right. Bad mood.

Why bad?

Because I feel like I’m getting my prick teased every fucking day with no relief! Sure I could jerk off, but that would leave me feeling like a creep. Jerking off in the bathroom next to our room is just…wrong.

Fuck me.

Did I just say our room?

I punch the bag repeatedly while growling through gritted teeth.

This is bad. Very bad.

Nope. I don’t like it.

Three weeks.

Three fucking weeks of sleeping next to that girl.

That girl. She’s just a girl.

Oh, I’m going to hell. No doubt. Especially after last night’s dream.

Wrapping up my morning training session, I step out of the workout room and into the hall. And there she is. Boo has her laughing at something. She has a nice laugh. It’s not small and sweet sounding. It’s not a giggle. It’s uninhibited and animated. When she laughs, I feel like I get a chance to see the real Lily. The one whose mind doesn’t stop her from living a good life. The one who isn’t paranoid or on edge all the time.

The free Lily.

She wears a pair of small, black workout shorts and a baggy white tee knotted at the belly. Then I see her feet and scowl.

Walking up to them, we meet halfway. I say, “Take the boots off.”

Confusion mars her face. “Why?”

Because they look way too sexy on your long ass legs, and I can’t do anything about it.

“Because they don’t belong to you.” I say matter of factly.

Her eyes widen and she says concretely, “Uh, yes, they do.”

What?

Okay, so the military boots have hot pink laces, but you can’t buy those just anywhere. I feel I need to let her in on this.

“You can’t buy those boots just anywhere, Lily.”

Boo and Lily share a look, then smile. Lily utters, “Yes, Nox, I’m aware of that. Boo bought ‘em for me and I love ‘em, so I’m gonna keep ‘em on.”

I don’t get it.

Turning to Boo, I ask, “Why’d you get her boots? She doesn’t need boots.”

Boo hesitates for a moment before she says quietly, “Because it was her birthday, and that’s what she wanted, so that’s what she got.”

Her birthday?

I fucking forgot her birthday. Great. Now I feel like an asshole.

What do I say now?

“Uh, happy belated birthday. Guess you can keep the boots.”

Rolling her eyes, she mutters, “Thanks, dickhead,” then pulls Boo along and they disappear down the stairs.

Watching her leave, I get an idea. It’s probably not a good one, but it’s something. Walking back into the workout room, I ask Rock, “You know it was Lily’s birthday?”

Rock continues to punch the bag but replies, panting, “Yeah. Boo got her boots. Vito got her flowers. I got her an eReader.”

The hell?

Vito got her flowers? The little fucker. He and I need to have a talk.

I mutter, “Got her an eReader?”

Rock shrugs, “She likes it. Always with the books.” He turns to me smirking, “Know what they say about women who read?”

I have no idea what they say about women who read, but I know he’ll say something dirty. And that’s not gonna help me and the semi I’ve been sporting for three weeks. Turning, I shoot him the bird and he chuckles to himself.

I have to find something. And in order to find it, I gotta do some digging.

Time to wrap a present.

***

Lily

“The guy is completely fucked up but he’s so dreamy at the same time. I like the dominant characters. But you know what’s funny? If I had a guy treat me like the guy in the book, I’d run the other way. Fast.” I tell Boo. I’ve had her reading some erotica and she likes it. So, naturally, we’ve been talking smut.

Boo reclines in her lawn chair. “Oh, I get ya, honey. The dude is rich; he’s powerful, and he wants a sub. I’m not a sub. I’d never be a sub. But for him, I’d pretend to be a sub.” After a moment, she adds, “The girl, however…man! What she puts up with? And how he treats her sometimes? Oowee. She is fifty shades of cray.”

I burst into laughter. “Fifty shades of cray?”

Boo takes in the sun with her eyes closed; she purses her lips and nods. “And then some.”

Another thing that’s changed in the house is that I get to go outside whenever I like. Whether it’s supervised or unsupervised. And that makes me happy. Although I’m not a big fan of the sun (Irish, remember? I get sunburnt from fireworks), I like knowing I can see it when I want.

Boo and I have been coming outside for our daily vitamin D for weeks now. She said it helps with training because vitamin D helps you absorb calcium, which the body needs for a number of reasons. She also informed me that ten percent of people in the US are vitamin D deficient, and that a huge portion of those are women, which means that a lot of those women are also calcium deficient.

So here I am, getting my ass some vitamin D.

The hot afternoon sun blisters down to a mellow warmth as sunset approaches and I ask, “Have you ever been drunk before, Boo?”

Making a choked sound through her nose, she utters, “Uh, yeah. A few times, actually. More than enough for my adolescence. My ma had a hard time controlling me when I was a teen.” She pauses a moment before she asks, “Why?”

Shrugging, I explain, “I was just curious. I never got to do any of that stuff and now I feel like I never had a complete childhood. I’m twenty three and I have a long list of ‘never have I ever’s. ” Scoffing at myself, I say, “That’s messed up. I’m upset about never having been drunk before. Who does that?”

Boo defends me immediately. “You do. Because you’re Delilah fucking Flynn, bad mamma-jamma and woman with a soul too old for her age. And if Delilah Flynn wants to get drunk, Delilah Flynn is gonna get drunk.”

By God! That was the best damn pep talk I’ve ever had!

That settles it.

Tonight, I’m getting drunk.

***

As soon as I step into the kitchen, the smell of frying bacon assaults my nostrils. Normally, the smell of such deliciousness would cause me to do a little jig where I stand, but today…it makes me want to barf.

Nox stands at the stove wearing a black pair of cargo pants and a navy skin-tight tee with bare feet, his hair is still wet from this morning’s shower. When he turns to look at me, he bursts into laughter at the poor sight of me.

He laughs so hard that my ears ring.

I don’t want him to tell me I told you so, so I walk over to the counter and sit as normally as possible, making out that nothing ails me. He smirks and speaks in loud tones. “I’d bet you’re hungry, princess.”

I fight the urge to swallow hard and hold my breath from the smell of the bacon and eggs.

I thought bacon was meant to make everything better?

Nox grins, “Mmmm. Bacon. I love bacon. Fried, greasy bacon. The fat melts to nothing. So crisp you can crunch it. Oh, and eggs. Let’s not forget how great eggs are. Packed full of protein. Fried in bacon grease. I just love to scoop out the gooey, slimy yolk.” He shudders at the word slimy. “I know some people don’t like it, but as far as I’m concerned, the slimier the better. Hell, I eat eggs raw.” He acts out cracking an egg on the counter. “Just crack and…” He lifts his imaginary egg above his open mouth. “…just drop that fucker in. Oozing, raw goodness. Feels a bit like eating a whole handful of boogers. I mean,” A cruel smile appears on his face. He leans forward and into my face, “imagine eating a whole handful of phlegm.”

Oh, shit. I’m gonna ralph.

Bolting out of the kitchen on shaking legs, I just make it to the bathroom before I gag and retch. I puke up next to nothing, just green, foul-smelling bile. My stomach is empty but I still gag. A cold sweat has broken out over my entire body and I shake.

Oh shit. This sucks so bad. Why the hell do people drink that shit?

Clearing his throat at the door, I feel something cool on the back of my neck. It’s like immediate relief. My stomach calms. “Oh, thank you. I’m never drinking again. As in ever.” I say hoarsely. I rest my cheek on the toilet seat, unable to give a damn that someone probably took a shit on it this morning. Nothing matters more right now than giving my tired body a little breather.

Nox squeezes the back of my neck and shakes it lightly. He says quietly, “Take some aspirin, and when you think you can eat, I’ll make you a nice bowl of oatmeal. It’ll settle you stomach.”

I hear him make his way back into the kitchen and I’m surprised. He didn’t gloat. He didn’t say I told you so. He was actually nice.

What a dick!

He did that on purpose. Now I can’t be mean to him or I’ll look like a jerk.

After resting my head on my toilet bowl for a few more minutes, I stand on shaky legs and walk back up to our room. Lifting my arm, I take a whiff of myself and almost pass out.

Body odor mixed with deodorant must make chloroform.

Stripping off last night’s clothes, I make my way over to the shower. For some reason, the hot water sluicing over my belly makes me want to vomit again. Quickly, I turn it off and let the icy cold water wash away the embarrassment and stupidity I feel.

It doesn’t work.

Not even a little.

I’m clean but still mortified. I can’t avoid facing him today, so dressing in black sweats and his loose grey tee that has ARMY written on it, I make my way back into the kitchen.

The smell of bacon is no longer there. Nox sits at the table eating a bowl of oatmeal and fruit while reading the newspaper.

Oh God. He didn’t even eat the bacon.

He is an ass. It was all for my benefit.

You deserved it.

Yeah, I did. I’ll let him have that one. I slide into the seat across from him and he lowers the paper. Smiling a devilish grin, he asks a hushed, “Feeling better, princess?”

Not trusting myself to speak without throwing up, I cringe and nod. For a moment, he looks concerned. He frowns. “Not speaking to me or still feeling ill?”

I motion with my finger that it’s the last one and he relaxes. Walking past me over to the microwave, he says, “Nothing a little aspirin and oatmeal won’t fix.”

Surprised at the nice gesture, I watch as he makes my breakfast.

I pick at it for a while. Halfway through it, my appetite returns with a vengeance and I wolf down the rest of it. I take the two aspirin he’s brought me and ask, “Where is everyone?”

Nox grins, “Working. Well, Rock is looking after Boo.”

Immediately concerned, I demand a little too loudly, “What happened to Boo?”

He chuckles, “Shit. You don’t even remember.” Then he explains, “Well, you drank about five or six shots of tequila all on your own.” I cringe at the word tequila and cover my mouth. “Then you said it was no fun drinking alone and begged Boo to drink with you. She decided she would because she has the morning off. So you and Boo had yourselves a private party. Drinking, dancing on tables, and coming onto every single one of my men that was in the house.”

I gasp loudly, “No. No way! You’re lying.”

He raises his eyebrows, pushes his phone towards me and dares me to take it.

I shrink into myself. “You recorded me, didn’t you?” He nods. “I made an ass of myself, didn’t I?” He nods again, his expression strangely soft. “Okay, I believe you. Delete the video…please.”

Taking his phone, he plays around with it for a while. “Sure you don’t wanna see the part where you told me I was cooler than the Hoff?”

I gasp again, disgusted at myself. “What? That’s ridiculous! I’m sorry, Nox, that was just mean.” Nox’s smile spreads wide. “No one’s cooler than David Hasselhoff! I mean, c’mon, it’s the Hoff!” Shaking my head, I widen my eyes to show him just how crazy that thought was.

Nox blinks. Once, twice, then leans his head back and roars with laughter. And even though it hurts my ears and rattles my brain, I smile. That laugh…I think it could be described as fallen angel song. As well as panty wetting.

Rough, raw laughter.

Sigh.

Playing with my spoon in my empty bowl, I don’t dare look at him when I ask, “So I came onto all your guys?”

Nox is suddenly quiet. I look up to find him glaring holes into my skull. He nods. “Yep. Don’t need that distraction with my men, Lily.”

Seriously apologetic, I cringe once more. I think that makes forty-seven just this morning. “I’m sorry, Nox. Seems I get a bit friendly when I’m hammered.”

He snorts, “Friendly? You stuck your tongue into Matthew’s ear like you were licking a sucker!”

My face flushes crimson and I squeak, “You’re shitting me!”

He shakes his head forlornly. “Nope. ’Fraid not, little one. Friendly? No. Frisky. Yeah. A whole lotta frisky.”

Fuck my life!

Crossing my arms onto the table, I lower my head onto them and say a muffled, “What else did I do?”

Nox chuckles. Something about that chuckle I don’t like. I know I’m not going to like what I hear. “Well, you– uh– you sort of kissed me. Twice.” He says quietly.

Oh my fu-. This just gets better and better.

My face flushes brighter than red and I lift my face. Nox wiggles his brows at me looking all too pleased with himself, and I can’t help but laugh at my own stupidity. “Well, that sucks. My first kiss and I can’t even remember it. Figures. Was I bad?”

Nox’s smile falls right off his face. He looks stunned. Leaning forward over the table, he stares at me wide-eyed. “Never been kissed? What do you mean never been kissed?”

Oh man. Me and my big mouth.

Trying to shake it off, I shrug. “No big deal. I didn’t exactly have a lot of opportunities to meet people, namely guys living under the lock and key of my father now, did I? Just one of those things. So I guess I sucked at it, huh?”

Nox frowns, leans back and away from me. He looks up as if in thought. “No. Not bad. A little sloppy. But I couldn’t really judge because I stopped you both times after a few seconds. And I was tempted to take a photo of you molesting me as blackmail material, but I didn’t…because I’m a gentleman.”

At the gentleman part of his mini rant, I burst into laughter and it hurts my entire dehydrated and hungover body. “You are so not a gentleman, Nox! Whatever made you think that? You’re like anti-gentleman. You’re rough and scary and downright mean sometimes. You’re jaggedman not gentleman!” I guffaw.

He scowls at me but doesn’t say a thing. Immediately, I feel like an ass and try to soften the blow that I didn’t expect would strike him. “Look, it’s probably just because of the job you do. I’m sure you can be a gentleman if you tried, Nox. Really.”

Someone stumbles into the kitchen. We both look over at Boo who looks worse than I did this morning. Nox opens his mouth to say something, but she cuts him off with a swipe of her hand. “No.”

Boo glares at me. “God, you suck. Remind me never to drink with you again. You’re like a freakin’ bottomless pit. You just kept guzzling.”

I shrug. “I’m Irish.” I say that as if that should explain my drinking ability.

Boo cringes and hisses, “Ssshhhhhh!”

I chuckle quietly. I hadn’t even spoken loudly. Nox grins at her. “You better get your shit together today, Boo. I won’t let you sleep in tomorrow. You’re lucky I let Rock look after you today. He should be on ground patrol.”

Boo snorts. “Look after me? The ass is asleep, Nox. Didn’t lift a finger when I rushed myself to the bathroom to throw up, just snored and turned over.”

Nox scowls, “That fucker. He’s pulling a double this afternoon.”

Boo grins in victory. I love the relationship she and Rock have. It’s unlike any relationship I’ve seen or read about. It’s almost like they’re in constant competition with each other but never drastically, only playfully. It’s a sweet rivalry. I smile wistfully.

They must have a lot of fun together. Lucky them.

I’ll be lucky if I ever get a boyfriend. Knowing my luck, it’ll never happen. I’ll be the old, plump, spinster that knits covers for everything I own. Throw in a few cats for companionship and that will be my life. I mean, I can’t even remember my first kiss and it only happened last night.

Nox and Boo chat while she pours herself a cup of Joe. Unintentionally, I find myself looking over at Nox’s full lips and my brain wanders.

What would they have felt like? Rough or soft? Maybe he uses chap-stick.

I fight the urge to scoff out loud. Nox does not use freakin’ chap-stick, brain!

Okay, scratch the chap-stick. Did he kiss me back? Would his kisses have been sweet and gentle, or demanding and possessive?

Holy shit, I’m making myself antsy.

Well, he did say he stopped you after a few seconds. Why didn’t he stop you immediately?

Well…because…that…that is actually a good point. Why didn’t he stop me immediately?

Because he wanted you to lay one on him, of course!

No way, brain. You’re crazy. Which means I’m crazy.

Well, I am having a conversation with my brain. I’ve officially lost it. Bravo, Nox. You win. I need to stop reading erotic romance. It obviously fills my head with sexual thoughts…all the freakin’ time.

“Lily?”

I shake my head and look up to see Nox and Boo both staring at me and looking concerned. “How long was I out of it?”

Boo grins. “A while. Been callin’ you for a solid minute, hon.”

Nox’s lip twitches and I glare at him as if this is all his fault. I tell him pointedly. “I am never drinking again,” then throw my head down on the table with a bang.

Chapter Thirteen

Your knife. My back.

Lily

It’s been weeks since I slept in my own bed, but every day I stop in at my old room to get a change of clothes. And today is no exception. Walking into my room, I stop dead in my tracks when I see a small white box on my bed. It’s pretty damn small, so I’m ninety-nine percent sure it’s not a bomb.

Sigh.

Shaking my head, I mentally chastise myself for being stupidly ridiculous. That’s the problem though. When you find out someone’s trying to kill you, you become suspicious of everything. And what with my dad’s paranoia rubbing off on me, suspicion plus paranoia equals cray-cray.

I walk closer to it and scrawled on the top in chicken-scratch writing is ‘Lily’.

Lowering my hand, I pick up the box when someone clears their throat behind me. I drop the box like it’s hot and spin on my heel to face the intruder. Nox stands in the doorway dressed in his regular uniform of black cargo pants, army boots, a tight, black ribbed tank, and a black leather belt.

All black for the dark and sinister man.

His hands grip the top of the doorframe making his muscular arms look veined and angry hot. He leans into my room, his face void of any emotion. His blue eyes look into mine, “Open it.”

Narrowing my eyes at him, then the box, I ask suspiciously, “What is it? And more importantly why did you get me something?”

He sighs, suddenly looking tired and drawls, “Well, it was your birthday and I didn’t say a thing…”

I cut him off, not wanting him to know that it did kinda hurt, “You forgot. It’s cool. It happens. You’ve got a lot on your mind, and I’m sure my birthday wasn’t nearly as important as the other things you’ve got going on.”

He nods in admission, “I did forget.” He jerks his chin to the box on my bed and says quietly, “That’s something you can use so open it. Please.”

Sitting on the bed, I put the small box on my lap and lift the lid. I gasp wide-eyed and whisper, “Is this for real?”

I look up at him with my stunned expression and his lip twitches, “Yep.” He runs a hand down his face and says softly, “How did I know you were going to be excited about it, princess?”

Lifting the small three inch marble handled switchblade into my hand, I’m suddenly confused. My brow furrows and I ask, “Why this?”

Nox nods as if he’s mentally asking himself the same question, then explains, “That was mine. One of the first I bought. It’s light and easy to conceal. It’s one of my favorites.” Taking a step into my room, he utters, “I can’t be there all the time. In fact, I probably won’t see you again after this is all over. It would give me piece of mind knowing you have it. Just promise me something.”

Listening to his explanation has taken any fight I had out of me. I nod and he says, “You have to keep it on you all the time, even here at the house, and that if you ever feel you’re in danger, you use it. On whoever. No questions. Just do what you need to do to keep safe.”

I shrug and say quietly, “I don’t know how to use this, Nox.”

Smirking at me as if he was expecting me to say that, he tells me, “I’m going to teach you how to use it. You’ll have lessons with me. Every day.”

A small smile crosses my face and I tell him, “Okay. Cool.” I take him in a moment before I drawl teasingly, “You know, this is actually really sweet.”

Nox scowls and says, “Sweet? I just gave a twenty-three year old woman a weapon. A weapon that could kill a person. Not only that, but I’m going to teach her how to use it to kill a person, and how to harm someone well enough to escape a bad situation.” Shaking his head, he goes on, “Sweet? No, princess. I don’t think that’s very sweet.”

Smirking, I turn my back on him and whisper loudly, “Whatever you say.”

Totally sweet.

***

“Oh my God. I think I’m gonna be sick.” Blocking my nose with my forearm, I begin to sweat. This is my reaction to seeing a pig carcass hanging from the rafters.

Outside. In broad daylight. As if it is normal.

“Don’t sweat it, Lily. This is the best way to teach you. You’ll be able to see the wounds you inflict and I can show you where to use little force to create maximum damage.”

I open my mouth to speak, but only a high pitched squeak escapes me.

Finding my voice, I whisper, “I think I changed my mind. I don’t want to do this.”

Game over.

A firm and cautionary, “Lily,” comes from Nox.

Turning to look at him, he offers, “You feel like you need to puke, we’ll stop.”

Okay.

I can do this.

Okay. I’m good.

Nodding, I tell him, “I’m good now. Where do we start?”

Looking relieved, he takes the small knife from my hand, opens it in record time then, lightning fast, he plunges the blade into the belly of the pig.

The carcass swings from side to side with my switchblade embedded in its belly and I’m surprised that it doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. I guess I thought there would be more blood. And there’s, like, zero blood.

“What was that?” I’m proud of myself for the steadiness in my voice.

“Kill shot.”

Holy shit.

Nox comes up behind me, raises my hand and repeats the motion over and over again, bladeless. I’m confident in myself. I feel like I know what I’m doing now.

He places the blade into my hand and jerks his chin to the piggie. Clearly hesitating, he asks seriously, “You’re thinking about it all wrong. What if this carcass was a bad guy? A person who was trying to hurt you?”

It’s not very motivating but I get what he’s saying.

Then he utters, “What if it was someone trying to hurt Terah?”

And without thinking, I grit my teeth and attack.

Perfectly.

My blade sticks out of the swinging pig’s belly and Nox’s hand lands on my shoulder, squeezing. Pulling me back a little, his lips hit my temple. I feel his smile there. The hand on my shoulder moves up to my neck and with another quick squeeze, he separates himself.

“Again,” he demands.

And I smile.

Yeah.

I can do this.

***

Today was a good day.

I learned to protect myself in a way I hope I never have to use, but the simple fact is, knowing what I now know could save my life.

Nox is (surprisingly) a very patient teacher. Even when I almost stabbed him in the eye.

I told him! I warned him! I said, “You sure you want me to come at you with something sharp in my hand?”

He grinned. “Lily.” He said this while shaking his head…like it was cute.

Alright, mister. You asked for it.

What Nox was not expecting was for me to incorporate the defensive and attack skills that he, Rock, and Boo had been teaching me for a month. So when he lunged at me and I feinted then jabbed, he didn’t see it coming. My hand with the switchblade jerked back as soon as I realized this.

What actually happened was I got him. I got Nox.

Insert shit eating grin here.

The sharp blade pressed against his cheek bone for not even a second, but it was enough to draw blood.

So, of course, I shit myself.

Dropping the blade as if it was burning a hole in my hand, I stepped back and waited for the yelling and arguments to start.

But they never came.

Instead, I got another neck squeeze and smiling lips at my temple. Still with his lips against me, he muttered thoughtfully, “Maybe I wasn’t the only one born for this life.”

My heart clenched for a full ten seconds before it released when I whispered my reply, “Maybe it’s because we’re lonely.”

His arms wrapped around my waist and he held me close, my side tucked into his hard stomach and chest. I closed my eyes, savoring the rare sessions of closeness he allows. When he kissed the top of my head and murmured, “Yeah. Maybe,” I did something that stunned even me.

Turning my head, I stood on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his.

Lightly.

Whisper soft.

Pulling back, I told him, “I don’t feel lonely when I’m with you.”

His eyes met mine, searching for something. When he found whatever it was he was looking for, I lost his deep blues. With a squeeze of my waist, he let me go, and walked away.

I stood there thinking about what just happened, and I knew it changed things. Yet again.

Why was I feeling like this?

What was it about this man that made my brain stupid and irrational?

Why did I never want this threat against me to end?

Nox.

I wanted to stay with him.

And tonight would help me make my decision.

***

Already sitting on the blue sheets of Nox’s bed, I wait for him to undress and get comfortable.

Dressed in a spaghetti strapped tank and white cotton panties, I’m sure I’m far from sexy right now, but I made sure to shave my legs and underarms. I even blow-dried my thick reddish locks and applied a little gloss to my lips. I don’t have perfume here at the safe house so I had to make do with deodorant.

Isn’t that how one becomes sexy?

My brain slaps a hand to its forehead, shaking its head in despair.

Removing shoes and socks first, he undoes his leather belt and he narrows his eyes at me. “You ‘kay?”

Shit! Play it cool, Lil.

Rolling my eyes, I scoff, “Uh, yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

The zipper to his cargo’s come down and I swallow hard. His lips purse. “I don’t know. You’re too quiet tonight. Normally talkin’ my ear off before bed.”

This was true.

I always had something to say and Nox was a good listener. He never once fell asleep while I was talking. He would always answer when asked. And he always made me feel like what I was saying was worth listening to, just by providing the attention.

That’s one of the things I love about him. Just one. There are too many things to name, and right now, looking at Nox undress, I can spot a few good ones.

I should make a list.

His tight black tee comes off next revealing his sculpted abs and broad chest.