He continued to cackle, spurting off obscenities, and I stood upright, turning to Daniil. Holding out my hand, I asked calmly, “Can I borrow your gun, please?”
He was furious, glaring at the man, but he blinked at my request, his head snapping to me. Staring at me, his eyebrows pulled together, but he nodded slowly, and even more slowly, reached around his back and withdrew his gun. He turned the safety off with a click, and gently placed it in my hand I was holding still—just barely.
I was nervous as hell, but this needed to be done. I gripped its heavy weight, making sure I didn’t drop it and turned back to the man still spouting obscenities. Walking a few paces to his left, I moved in and when he could see me, I took a deep, calm breath and placed the gun to his temple.
“Do you understand death?” I asked quietly. “I know you understand I am the preacher’s daughter. So, I have it on pretty good authority where you’ll go when I pull this trigger. You will go to Hell. You will burn in agony. Burn for the rest of eternity. Every second, of every day, of every year, of every decade for the rest… of… your… life. You will burn. The most horrific pain you can imagine will be bestowed upon you. And you will begin to pray to a God, who won’t answer your prayers because He won’t be able to hear you. Because you made this choice. Here. On earth. Here and now. And you willburn.” I paused, leaning in closer and pressing the gun harder into his temple, whispering, “So, I’ll ask you again. Do you understand death?”
And…he laughed again. And more vulgar indecencies flew through the air at me.
And…that was my answer. Not to mention the tiny twitch of his smile in the beginning. And his recount of what he would do to me.
I leaned back and lowered the gun. “He’s insane. Not just sane insane. But really insane.” I glanced at Daniil, who was standing where I had left him, watching me silently with loosely crossed arms. “Check his records. I guarantee he’s off some type of meds. This isn’t his fault. Not really. Put him in some type of hospital of your choice. But, one that has permanent bars. He doesn’t deserve to die because of a mental imbalance. He can live and try to find his way back to sanity from there.”
Daniil stared at me long and hard, now cocking his head and listening to the man’s taunts. Gradually, he nodded, apparently hearing what I said. The way the man rambled, his repeating words, mixed in with nonsense. “I know of a place. I can agree to that.”
I nodded once. “Thank you.” I walked over to him slowly, but quickly gave him his gun back. “Well, that was loads of fun.”
His lips twitched as he put the safety back on and put his hands behind his back, leaning down and murmuring in my ear, “I am the preacher’s daughter?” He chuckled. “Absolutely beautiful. And you would have scared the shit of me.”
I bit my lip and glanced at him a little embarrassed. “I just needed to know if the lights were on up there.”
He laughed outright, herding me out of the room, and away from the rambling man. “Go on. I need to finish up in here.”
I nodded but stopped, asking, “This place you have planned for him isn’t like some third world jail, is it?”
He shook his head but stalled, glancing at the ceiling. “It’s not the penthouse suite, but it’s suitable.”
“A bucket of water and straw for a bed?” I asked dryly.
He grinned. “It’s a little nicer than that. And I’ll check his history to find out what medication he needs. He’ll be taken care of.” His eyes hardened. “But you said permanently.”
I crossed my arms but nodded. I didn’t want that loony on the streets and going off his meds again. From what I could hear him still rambling about, he had already done enough deeds to have a man here in the States tried and convicted and put on death row. That was enough for me. “Definitely permanently.”
“You’re damn adorable.” Daniil kissed my forehead, murmuring, “And sexy as hell with a gun in your hand,” he touched my glasses, “even wearing those, covering up your kewpie doll face.”
I pointed into the air, turning and walking away down the hallway. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.” I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Don’t take too long.” I smiled at him, and yeah, it was blatantly carnal.
His jaw clenched, and his gaze roamed over me from behind. “I won’t be.”
…and he wasn’t. Even though the night was long and full of heated, but carefully gentle lovemaking that turned me inside out and back again. And by Daniil’s reactions, the feeling was mutual. After the day and night we had together, we were falling headlong into each other.
That Friday morning, I woke early having to pee.
Andnotpuke.
Hurray for small favors!
After doing my business, I climbed back into bed, crawling on top of Daniil. He stirred, his arms instantly wrapping around me. His palms climbed up under the back of my simple white spaghetti strap pajama top and rested against my back. He held me tight but immediately fell back to sleep as I rested my forehead against his chest and listened to his heartbeat, strong and steady. His lungs filled and emptied with each relaxed breath.
I was content.
I roused to him running his hands up and down my back, grabbing my derriere firmly. He pressed against my little white shorts with an impressive morning erection. The sun was just filtering in through the windows…and it was tempting as hell…but my stomach growled. I leaned up, mumbling, “I’m hungry. Food first.”
He blinked lazily, a soft smile lifting his lips. “Please.”
My own lips curled. God, I loved it when he said that. But… “That’s not fair.”
He ground against me again. “Please, Beth. I need you.”
