“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I tried to kill you,” I offered. “I’m sure I didn’t mean anything by it.”
He shrugged. “What’s a little choking between friends,” he said casually, though I suspected he was downplaying what really happened. I couldn’t have actually hurt the god, surely. Even without shifting, he probably had a hundred pounds on me. It would’ve been so easy to overpower me, and yet I was the one on top.
“Are we?” I asked, watching him. “Friends, I mean.”
He shrugged. “Sure. I don’t typically stick my tongue inside my enemies.”
“Good to know,” I said with a smirk. I was so confused by how we’d gotten here, but I couldn’t entirely be mad about it. My smile slowly died on my lips as I shook off the last vestiges of sleep. “I wonder what I was dreaming about…” I tried to wade back into memories of sleep, but everything before kissing Ruadan had been obliterated by those damn lips. I cleared my throat. “Well, I don’t know about you, but there’s no way I’m getting back to sleep. So, if you’ll excuse me, I need to… clean myself up.” I couldn’t look him in the eye as I eased off the bed, still sporting a stubborn hard-on, poorly hidden by my hands. “Thank you, Ruadan, for… well, for waking me.” Couldn’t very well thank him for all the other things he’d done.
He glanced up at me through his long lashes, careful to keep his eyes up. “Call me Rue. You know… since we’re friends and all.” His smile was all mischief, and I offered my own shy smile in return.
“Okay. Rue.” I slunk out of the room, a little embarrassed and unsure of everything that had happened.
I closed myself into the sanctity of my tiny bathroom, with its comforting blue tiles and matching sink. Catching sight of myself inthe mirror from the corner of my eye, I jolted in shock. There were still too many signs of the sin I’d purged. My skin was too pale, eyes bloodshot with black veins instead of red. But my gaze was drawn to the marks Rue had left on my body, evidence of what we almost did—whisker burn down my neck, a love bite on my collarbone.
I shut my eyes tight. “Fuck.”
Spinning away from my reflection, I reached past the shower curtain and cranked on the water to a temperature far colder than normal. Dream or not, I was severely regretting putting a stop to things when I did. Things were already awkward between us; would it really have been worse if I’d let us both finish before asking questions?
Cursing what could’ve been, I stepped under the frigid spray and grabbed the soap. Shivering so hard my teeth chattered did nothing to ease the frustration I felt. “Fuck,” I hissed, staring down at my dick, which was staring right back up at me. I was going to have to do something about that, or I’d be walking back out there with the evidence of how worked up I was written all over me. I had no idea how long I would be roped into working with Ruadan—Rue, I corrected myself with a fond smile—but it would go a lot easier for both of us if I didn’t have blue balls.
So, after adjusting the temperature of the water and lathering up with the soap, I closed my eyes and got to work. It felt almost shameful, jerking myself off when there was someone else in the apartment, but at least it wouldn’t take long. It had been far too long since I had a lover. Life was easier without all the complications that came with romantic attachments—the lies and manipulations, the cheating and betrayal. But a man had needs.
It took no time at all to recall the way he’d kissed me, his tongue and teeth and lips as he licked and bit his way down my neck. I imagined what that sinful mouth of his could do around my cock instead. Hewouldn’t bite me there, I hoped, but as I pulled my hand roughly up my length, I decided the scrape of his teeth on my shaft would be a nice addition to the image I painted. My shower was so small, he would barely fit on his knees before me, but in this fantasy, we would make it work.
I didn’t bother trying to be quiet. In fact, I imagined he was out there right now, taking care of his own little problem. It wasn’t like he expected me to be a saint. In fact, I hoped he was enjoying the show, as my mewls grew louder, more desperate. He’d felt so thick, grinding against me, I just knew he’d stretch me to my limit.
Thrusting faster into my fist, the steam perfumed with my slick, I found myself holding my breath, remembering how he’d choked me—gently, tenderly, like I’d mattered, and even if we didn’t trust each other, for some reason, in that moment, I’d trusted him to take care ofme.
“Shit, Rue, yes,” I moaned as my balls clenched, painting the tiled wall with my cum.
As my blood pressure dropped in the aftermath, I reached over to turn the water back to cold, letting it cool the fire that still burned in my veins.
I looked down at my dick, spent and softening. It was enough—for now—though I had a sneaking suspicion that this was going to be my new nightly ritual. Draining myself dry so I could get a good night’s sleep. Maybe that was what my nightmare was about, being unsatisfied.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could set aside our differences, even just for a night? Maybe we could just work this out of systems and be done with it. “Gods, I wish I could…” My words trailed off as it triggered some sort of distant awareness inside me.Wishes… Cold realization shot through me as I bolted out of the shower, slapping the water off behind me. Electric panic made me clumsy, and I fumbled to wrap a towel around my waist before I ran out in search of Rue.
Chapter 9
Ruadan
Idraggedmyshirtback on and flopped back on the couch where I should’ve stayed all along. Uly was a grown man—more than! He was hundreds of years old, no matter how young he looked, and he was more than capable of dealing with a little nightmare on his own. Why I thought he needed my help, I didn’t know. It was like hearing his cries had forced me to act, and I was helpless to stop it. I closed my eyes, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep, even while my entire body buzzed with a need I refused to acknowledge.
But then, the sounds began. The moaning, the slapping of wet flesh.
I groaned and dragged the thin blanket over my head, but it did nothing to muffle the lewd symphony currently echoing from his bathroom. I did everything in my power not to listen. Fuck, he was really going to town in there, every whimper, every jerk of his fist magnified by the tiles.
My hand drifted down of its own volition, taking my cock in a chokehold.No, I scolded, prying my fingers away.He’s not for you. Not even like this.It was nearly impossible to ignore the tiny voice that whispered,Why not? He’ll never know.
But no matter where I placed the blame for what happened, I shouldn’t have kissed him. While I was fairly sure he wasn’t a suspect, probably, it had been clear from the beginning that he was involved in this case. Fate had put him in my path for a reason, and I doubted it was for meaningless sex.
He and I needed to talk—about the crimesandabout what almost happened between us. I hadn’t been entirely truthful with Uly about his nightmare. I’d neglected to tell him that his eyes had turned black or that he’d been supernaturally strong, enough to be able to overpower me with little effort. He’d explained the way his powers worked as digesting the sins he purged. So now I had to wonder… just what was in that sin he’d removed from Mr. Lear? Was this the supernatural equivalent of a caffeine high?
While we couldn’t exactly ask Samuel Lear about his motive for stealing that money, seeing as he was dead, I had a strong suspicion he wouldn’t have had any memory of the event anyway. Whatever was happening in Valleywood, my gut told me he’d been a part of it.
And now Uly was my only connection to him.
I needed to keep a clear head around the sin-eater. Needed to put some distance between us and keep a professional working relationship. No amount of bare skin or needy whines would make me change my mind.
