“I’m a little busy,” he grunted, stroking himself faster, his thumb brushing across the head.
She ignored the slight burn against her cheeks. “When you’re done playing with yourself, we need to talk.”
She risked one more glance down, and she swore there was a glint of metal.Jesus Christ.
“Just…”Why was her voice so hoarse? “Hurry up or you’ll go blind.” Not particularly interested in seeing the end to his little show, she stumbled backwards to the door, the cool air welcoming against the sweat at her nape.
Well,she thought.That was...
Rae kept walking, deciding she didn’t want to be anywhere near his bedroom while he finished himself off. Passing straight back to the kitchen she pulled herself up onto the side, reaching for the dry, cardboard crackers to distract herself from visions of Titus all naked and wet. It wasn’t long before he appeared, stopping to hook his hands up on the doorframe, scowling at her feet on the counter.
She’d taken her shoes off at least. She wasn’t a monster.
“What did you want?” he asked, brow furrowing at the crackers she was shoving into her mouth as if she hadn’t eaten in years. He wore no shirt, his tattooed skin on full display with thin, grey jogging bottoms covering his legs. A skull, that was what shaded the majority of his chest and stomach, the details so well done it looked like runes had been carved into the bone. The dragon curled around his left arm, just as intricately detailed as the skull, with the rest of the visible skin covered in those strange swirls and lines. “Rae?”
“Did piercing your nipple hurt?” she asked around a mouthful, forcing herself to keep her eyes above his waistline. “Do you know what? Never mind.” She dismissed the question with a flick of her hand. “We need to keep moving, it’s not safe.”
“We’re surrounded by some of the best security money can buy. It’s secure. ” The doorframe creaked beneath the pressure of his hands. “We should rest, we’ll leave in the morning.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t trust your definition of safe.” Rae jumped from the counter, bare feet slapping against the cool tiles. She slammed the rest of the crackers against his chest, forcing him to grab the packet or risk a mess on the floor. “Guess the shower’s mine then?”
Rae didn’t wait for him to reply, her stomach cramping from the bloody crackers that she’d eaten dry. She made sure to twist the lock to the bathroom, pulling at her clothes with a grimace. Her wrist ached, but other than the slight swelling, it was fine. Flexing her fingers, she carefully checked her movements, happy that it wasn’t broken. The cuff had been tight, the metal cutting into her skin with every tug.
Rae scrubbed her left hand across the mirror, removing the condensation and towel to study the mark between her breasts. The bottom half of the stylised moon was darker than the top, a literal hourglass filling up with every passing second. She knew if it ever darkened to black entirely it would be over, and she’d have broken her Guild contract. It proved she still had time, the assignment active. She wasn’t sure about the exact hours, but she had at least a few days to figure it out.
Her mother’s pendant sat just above it, usually hidden from sight beneath clothes as per her mother’s last request. She never understood why she had to hide it, the necklace beautiful with its design, holding a blue stone in the centre. One side was solid silver, the other a series of white stones that glistened even without light. But still she found herself keeping the chain long, the pendant usually nestled safely away beneath her t-shirt. She’d never taken it off, ever.
For you to wear until your last breath, my love. Never remove it from your skin, for it will guide your soul to the old gods when the time comes.
Her mother had babbled gibberish, if it wasn’t alcohol that loosened her tongue, she would blame the voices inside her head. She was sick, Rae understood that now, but as a child she’d listened to her mother’s wild stories with curiosity, even when her father screamed at her to stop. And when she didn’t, he’d make her.
Her mother had needed help, medication, therapy or even hospitalisation. But no, that would have looked poorly for her father, the respected detective, and retired SAS sniper. So instead she’d suffered for years, those voices slowly eating away until there wasn’t much left.
Rae shook the memories of her childhood away, not wanting to dwell on the past. They were both long dead, her mother no longer hearing those voices, and her father no longer using his fists.
Her shower was quick, just a wash with the masculine scented soap to get off the rest of the dirt. What happened to pretty scents like honey and lavender? Or vanilla and jasmine? Why did men want to smell of musk? What even was musk?
Rae eyed the clothes on the floor, her t-shirt slightly ripped and covered in filth from her earlier fall. Smoke was still faint in the fabric, as well as burning rubber.
Not wanting to put dirty clothes back on if she was staying the night, she slipped out of the bathroom in just a towel, thankful Titus was nowhere to be seen. Brushing her fingers through the long strands of her hair, she found the drawer she knew had some clothes in, stealing one of the three t-shirts inside.
He definitely didn’t stay there permanently, or if he did he clearly needed very little. Padding barefoot into the living room, his t-shirt long enough to hit her just shy of her knees she found him on the sofa.
“You can take the bed, I’ll stay on the sofa,” he said, keeping his back to her. Tattoos patterned every inch of skin there, vertical lines in symbols and patterns that she wanted to study closer. He’d pulled his hair back up on the top of his head, just a few strands loose to brush against his nape. “I’ll order some –” Titus turned, eyes hardening. “Take it off.”
Rae blinked at the hostility, his nostrils flaring. “I don’t have anything else to sleep in.”
“Take. It. Off,” he growled, the cold steel of his voice melting the further his eyes dropped, devouring her bare legs.
Rae ignored the heat pooling between her legs. “Or what?” Her tone remained light, but then tension between them electrified, vibrating her blood.
Titus climbed to his feet, all hard muscle and delicious tattoos. “Test me and find out.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She pulled from the hem, tugging his t-shirt off in one, quick movement, and simply dropped the fabric to the floor.
Chapter12
Titus
