I frowned. “You’re as serious to me as bird flu,bedda mia.”
Eyelashes fluttering, her soft whimper taking me from a semi to a raging hard-on, she breathed, “Which strain?”
TWENTY-FIVE
STAN
It physically pained me to watch her lock her door, but from the corner of my eye as we said goodnight, I saw the glow from a lit cigar and recognized it for what it was—a summons.
She kissed me and pouted, rubbed my dick and whined when I wouldn’t fall into the temptation she oozed by existing, then grumbled and pinched my ass as I ushered her to her room.
God, she was so alive.
So vibrant.
So demanding.
And I needed that.
I needed someone to swallow up the air around me, to push my thoughts elsewhere, to consume my focus.
I needed her to be the eye of my storm.
As my nails burrowed into my palms, I walked away from her. Knowing it was the wrong thing to do while also aware I had no alternative.
I would not fuck her on allied turf where a war had just started. I would not.
She deserved better.
That belief helped me leave her behind and spurred me on for further information.
We were here for a reason, and hopefully this meeting would provide me with some answers.
I retreated to the outer hall of the wing Eva Martinez had guided us to and found the woman herself watching me while picking her nails with an impractically long knife.
“That’s one way to lose a finger.”
“Says the man with eight of his on the sister of an ally.”
“Tendigits,” I corrected. “My thumbs were involved too.”
She sniffed her disdain but slipped the knife into a holster. “Martinez wants to see you.”
I had to give her credit. Eva might be pregnant as fuck, and that baby might be ready to make an appearance, but she remained just as deadly as ever.
I had no doubt she could and would shove that blade into my throat before I got within a foot of her.
And that alone deserved my respect.
“What does Martinez want?”
“You’ll have to talk to him to find out.”
“A foolish man underestimates the woman who stands beside a leader like Martinez.”
“Maybe you’re not as dumb as I first thought.”
“Oh, I’m plenty smart.” I smirked. “Just not into politics. As I’ve warned you repeatedly. Nor am I into strategizing.”
