He flashes me a wild, unhinged grin before firing up his bike. Maniac.
As we roll out and the convoy snakes toward the city, something slithers up my spine. Cold and slick, it coils around my throat like invisible wire, squeezing until I can’t breathe. I choke in a gasp, knuckles whitening on the bars.
Then, just as quickly, the pressure vanishes.
A warning.
I don't know yet what it's pointing at. But my gut doesn't speak up for nothing, and right now it's loud and churning and certain that something is already in motion that I haven't seen yet.
I push the throttle and keep my eyes open.
Chapter Eighteen
“Stop.Stop!”Ibeg,my voice hitching through fits of breathless laughter.
Tomcat’s fingers show no mercy, burrowing into my ribs as he tickles me into helpless surrender. “Say it, Goldie. Say, 'Sorry, Tomcat. You’re the goat. The king of my orgasms. The absolute best I’ve ever had.'”
“Are you sure?” I gasp, twisting and turning in a desperate bid to escape his reach. “I think Jack the Dripper might give you a serious run for your money!”
He goes utterly still, fingers suspended mid-tickle, and I burst into giggles at the stunned look plastered across his face. Seizing my chance, I squirm free, tumble off the bed, and spring to my feet before he can blink. I scoop his abandoned t-shirt from the floor and slip it over my head, breathing in the scent of leather, woodsmoke, and pure Tomcat. He’s still gaping at me, ego bruised and all, which only makes me grin wider. I strut to mynightstand, wrap my fingers around as much of Jack the Dripper as I can, and hoist him triumphantly into the light.
“Hiyaaa!” I yell, spinning around and wielding it like a legendary samurai sword.
The neon pink silicone wobbles and sways in my grip as I brandish it at Tomcat like a weapon. My fingers barely fit around its impressive girth, which, honestly, is one of Jack’s most admirable features.
Tomcat’s eyes widen. For a second, I think he might actually turn a sickly shade of white. “Sweet hell,” he breathes, sounding genuinely horrified. “What the fuck is that monster? It’s as long as my damn forearm, Marigold.”
I glance down at Jack, my brows drawing together in thought.
He’s not that enormous, is he?Tomcat must just be feeling a little threatened, since Jack’s been my go-to for the most amazing orgasms for years. Poor guy probably thinks he’s in competition. Sure, Jack’s got skills, but Tomcat has nothing to fear. Jack can’t spoon me or shoot me those looks that make my toes curl. He beats the silicone on merit alone.
His eyes follow Jack as the pink head wiggles in my hold. “That big son of a bitch should be registered as a fucking weapon. I bet you could knock a man out cold with that thing.”
Huh.
I cock my head, suddenly intrigued. I’ve never actually pondered the tactical potential of adult toys before. I bounce around the room, swinging Jack like a slugger at batting practice, perfecting my follow-through. In my mind, I’m not just slicing air, I’m aiming straight for Damon’s smug, villainous head.Whack.
I whirl back to Tomcat, grinning like a madwoman, and slap Jack the Dripper against my palm with a meaty thud. “Great idea. Fantastic, really. Why didn’t I realize he was so versatile?See, I knew I picked a smart guy.” I toss him a flirty kiss and skip to my ever-ready bag. “Time to holster my new sidearm.”
“Wait,” he says, finally scrambling out of the bed. “Marigold, I didn’t mean that literally. Put the fucking dildo down.”
“But why not? It’s brilliant. Picture their faces when Jack takes them down. They’ll expect a knife or a gun, and then…BAM!” I giggle, the whole scene playing out like a Saturday morning cartoon in my mind. “You’ll be dating a covert weiner ninja. They’ll never see it coming.” I bust out a few ninja moves I’m pretty sure I stole from a midnight movie. “How about the Rubber Matriarch? That’s a superhero name with some bite, right?”
Tomcat groans, scrubbing his hands over his face, but I see the way his lips twitch. “Life is never going to be fucking boring with you, is it?”
“Meh, boring is overrated, lover. Keeping you on your toes is basically a wellness service. You should be thanking me, honestly."
I saunter over, adding a deliberate sway to my hips. If he hadn’t already wriggled into his jeans, I’d be plotting ways to lure him back to bed. My fingers drift over the sculpted lines of his chest, twirling a rogue strand of his hair.
“Want to go again?” I ask, my voice dropping an octave.
Tomcat groans, his hands sliding down to grip my bare ass under the hem of his shirt. “So fucking tempting, baby. I’d stay buried inside you all day if I could.” He drops a lingering kiss to my nose, then my lips, before pulling back with a reluctant sigh. “Unfortunately, Pope needs all hands on deck to finish the complex. He wants the renovations back on track as quickly as possible so we can get some money rolling in.”
My bottom lip pokes out in a practiced pout. “Fine. I guess I’ll go see how Snow is doing and see if she needs any help. I imagine she’s feeling pretty low after last night.”
“Not working today?”
“Nope. I’m going to give Becca the opportunity to run the place in my absence. Everyone should get the chance to be reminded of how grateful they should be that I’m in their life.”
