The call ended and my eyes trailed off to my closed door. I dunno what bothers me more. The fact that I can’t figure out what she’s up to…or the fact that she doesn’t trust me with it. I decided to see what she’d give me and slid all the open tabs to a file folder, tucking it into the corner of one of my screens. When I stepped into the living room, Bridget was finishing up her toes on the couch. Her nails were painted the exact same color, and she’d already changed out of her little nightgown. She barely spared me a glance as I padded into the kitchen. Dried pieces of dumpling were glued onto a plate in the sink, and I started scrubbing at it. I hate when shit isn’t tidy. It’s a tick I have…and the only thing this beautiful nightmare keeps clean…isherself.
“The food doesn’t jump off the plate, love. Did ya even rinse it?” She didn’t look up from her pedicure while I started loading the dishwasher.
“That’s what a dishwasher’s for, Declan.”
I smirked and shook my head, rolling my eyes while I started to add another plate and some silverware.“The plate doesn’t put itself in the dishwasher, love.”Didn’t have to see the eyeroll to know it was absolutely there, followed by her growl. I heard her stomp into the kitchen and looked up just as she raised her sweater…those perfect tits staring me right in the face. I felt my muscles give a little. One in particular, tightening under my loose sweats. “Payment accepted,” I winked, closing the dishwasher and shutting off the water.
“Good boy.” She patted my cheek and grabbed ice cream out of the fridge, and I watched her…closer than I usually do. She’s not gonna tell me shit. That’s at least clear to me.
“You didn’t come home last night until almost dawn.”
No eye contact. No emotion on her face at all.
“I was at Malek’s.”And at Simon Kinsley’s. Little liar.
“I know. I’m a wizard. Doesn’t tell mewhy.”
She didn’t even hesitate. She dug into the pint and kept her eyes on her spoon while I stared at her.Give me something, Bridge. Fuck.
“I don’t need a reason why, Dec.”
I see. We’re back to that. Don’t push her. Don’t act like we’re more than roommates that fuck all the time. Don’t pretend that we’re not moving into a house that we built together. Just take it like a good lad and shut the fuck up. Bridget’s clock. Bridget’s way. No room to argue about her commitment-phobic shite. She tipped the carton towards me.
“Chubby Hubby?”
God, this woman makes me crazy. How do I wanna rip her throat out, and taste the back of it at the same time? “Not unless ya want me tobecomeone. I’m not a huge fan, anyway. You ate all the Cherry Garcia.”
“So complain a little…I ate it off yourtaint.”
She flipped that spoon over in that lyin’, filthy mouth and smiled around it. I want it around my cock. I wanna punish the bad girl right out of her. She knows exactly how to grate my nerves, pish me off, and then make me a complete fool for her bratty little arse just seconds later. I’m so absolutely fucked. I couldn’t help but look at her with that fire in my eyes that she has such a hard time not dancing in.
“Sounds a bit more appealin’ now,” I soothed, dropping my voice into the one that makes her come whenever it slithers into her ear. It gets her every time. She inched me back with that spoon until I bumped into the counter.
“Can’t right now. I’ve gotta go meet the contractors at the house. Adult kinda shit. You know…the boring kind you only like paying attention to if they’re talking about tech?”
Uh huh…right.
“Look at ya. Growin’ up on me.” I reached forward, flicking her nose, and she grabbed my finger, bending it backwards until I groaned. “Ah,shite…quit it.” She raised onto her tiptoes, and I was a goner as soon as I tasted that tongue. I told you…she’s a witch. And if whatever she’s doin’ lands her at the stake, then she’ll have me burning right along with her—wearing a fucking smile while we both ride our handbaskets straight to Hell. My hands took a life of their own, finding every part of her that melts under my touch, and when they rested on her perfect arse…I squeezed. I got lost in her for a second, and she pulled away, grabbing my cock.
“I’ll be home in time for dinner. Keep it hard for me, ‘kay?”
What can I even say to that? I’m still under her spell. I probably always will be. I couldn’t do anything while I watched her back away and walk out the door. She’s not gonna tell me what she’s doing. She’s not gonna let me help. I guess that’s how it’s gonna be.Two can play this game, Bridget Byrne.
…I just snapped a mic to her back pocket…
I smiled to myself while I walked back to the bat cave with a fucking boner.
CHAPTER 3
The Princess
“How in the fuck could it just be…gone?”
I’m wearing out the pristine carpet in Simon’s living room, and the creepy look that comes naturally to his face is even creepier with the amount of disdain gracing it while I have this meltdown. He scoured Witherle…and found neither his knife…nor pretty Natalie. Not a trace of anything except the tire tracks I left on the path.
“Animals. Or man.”
I parked my hands on my hips and stopped, sighing to myself while I glanced over at him as he sat still in a little wooden rocking chair. “An animal wouldn’t hide the knife. I’m absolutely fucked. Who would clean this for me? More importantly…why?”
