no idea,” he said. And it was the truth. He didn’t know. It was better that way.
She gazed at him and again that feeling of sinking into her pervaded Adam’s mind. Would she watch him as he sank into her heat? Would she take his body as completely as she now tried to take his mind?
He shook his head, denial swift and brutal. What about Aziveh? Had his heart given up on her totally? No, he affirmed silently. Never. But his body was an entirely different matter, a fickle beast. Still he watched the amber-eyed woman before him and knew lust as he’d never known it—became acquainted with the texture and flavor of it. The scent of need rising from her skin permeated his pores. His cock hardened and he was disgusted with himself.
Killer , his mind whispered.
Want , demanded his body.
“Oh, I think you do, Mr. Collins, but make no mistake. As I stand here, Blade and Bone are searching for him, and they will find him. He is ours.”
Her attestation rang through the shadowed room. Adam believed she meant what she said. But she would not find the child.
“Are you hungry?” he asked again.
“Yes.”
Adam opened the door, intentionally brushing against her in the process. But it was a double-edged sword, the tip of which branded him. “This way then,” he said, and walked out the door.
Arrow followed him. Every muscle in his body rebelled at having a killer at his back. He could smell her and he hated himself—hated her. He’d sworn to Aziveh he’d return for her. That had been four years ago, yet each time he’d returned he’d been unable to find her. But he would, goddamn it. He would.
The smell of food wafted from the kitchen, blessedly drowning out the scent of plum blossoms. Carmelita had her hands full feeding the children and the men of Trident, but she did an amazing job with the task.
“How many people live here?” Arrow asked, the melodic tones of her voice rasped across Adam’s insides, drawing his body tight.
Goddamn it.
“Enough,” came the answer from table situated within the nook of the big bay window.
Arrow snorted. “Oh, an answer within an answer. Goody! Riddles are my very favorite thing in the whole world.”
“I see Bullet and Blade didn’t corner the market on being a smart-ass. Joseph must give amazing lessons,” Ken said from the head of the table.
Adam sat at the opposite end. Arrow remained standing, body relaxed, thumb and forefinger of her right hand rubbing together. He’d seen her do that many times. Perhaps that was her tell.
She glanced at Ken dismissively and something in Adam eased. For some reason he didn’t like when her gaze met another’s. He rejected the reason for that, letting the thought fade away.
“You’d be amazed at the lessons Joseph gave, Mr. Nodachi. You wouldn’t have survived them, but you’d have been astounded right before the breath left your body the final time.” She laughed and the sound was beautiful, tinkling.
Wrapped up in the tones of humor was enough pain for a thousand lifetimes. Ancient . He rubbed his chest before he could check the action. Ken saw him and raised an eyebrow. Adam flipped him off.
“Arrow was there that day in Shanghai,” he dropped into the silence left by her laugh. He poured her a glass of tea and slid it across the table.
“Was she now? So Blade wasn’t the only one? Interesting,” Ken said.
Arrow didn’t comment on what he’d said. “I prefer my tea hot,” she directed to Adam with a grimace.
“You need the sugar, drink up,” he ordered. She glared at him, but to his amazement she sat down at the table, directly between him and Ken, with her back to the door. What kind of discipline did that take? Did she fear nothing?
She lifted the glass, her long, delicate fingers at odds with her profession, more suited to a piano player. Her gaze met his and she proceeded to down the contents of the glass.
She coughed afterward and winced. “That’s awful.”
Carmelita placed a bowl of beef
She gazed at him and again that feeling of sinking into her pervaded Adam’s mind. Would she watch him as he sank into her heat? Would she take his body as completely as she now tried to take his mind?
He shook his head, denial swift and brutal. What about Aziveh? Had his heart given up on her totally? No, he affirmed silently. Never. But his body was an entirely different matter, a fickle beast. Still he watched the amber-eyed woman before him and knew lust as he’d never known it—became acquainted with the texture and flavor of it. The scent of need rising from her skin permeated his pores. His cock hardened and he was disgusted with himself.
Killer , his mind whispered.
Want , demanded his body.
“Oh, I think you do, Mr. Collins, but make no mistake. As I stand here, Blade and Bone are searching for him, and they will find him. He is ours.”
Her attestation rang through the shadowed room. Adam believed she meant what she said. But she would not find the child.
“Are you hungry?” he asked again.
“Yes.”
Adam opened the door, intentionally brushing against her in the process. But it was a double-edged sword, the tip of which branded him. “This way then,” he said, and walked out the door.
Arrow followed him. Every muscle in his body rebelled at having a killer at his back. He could smell her and he hated himself—hated her. He’d sworn to Aziveh he’d return for her. That had been four years ago, yet each time he’d returned he’d been unable to find her. But he would, goddamn it. He would.
The smell of food wafted from the kitchen, blessedly drowning out the scent of plum blossoms. Carmelita had her hands full feeding the children and the men of Trident, but she did an amazing job with the task.
“How many people live here?” Arrow asked, the melodic tones of her voice rasped across Adam’s insides, drawing his body tight.
Goddamn it.
“Enough,” came the answer from table situated within the nook of the big bay window.
Arrow snorted. “Oh, an answer within an answer. Goody! Riddles are my very favorite thing in the whole world.”
“I see Bullet and Blade didn’t corner the market on being a smart-ass. Joseph must give amazing lessons,” Ken said from the head of the table.
Adam sat at the opposite end. Arrow remained standing, body relaxed, thumb and forefinger of her right hand rubbing together. He’d seen her do that many times. Perhaps that was her tell.
She glanced at Ken dismissively and something in Adam eased. For some reason he didn’t like when her gaze met another’s. He rejected the reason for that, letting the thought fade away.
“You’d be amazed at the lessons Joseph gave, Mr. Nodachi. You wouldn’t have survived them, but you’d have been astounded right before the breath left your body the final time.” She laughed and the sound was beautiful, tinkling.
Wrapped up in the tones of humor was enough pain for a thousand lifetimes. Ancient . He rubbed his chest before he could check the action. Ken saw him and raised an eyebrow. Adam flipped him off.
“Arrow was there that day in Shanghai,” he dropped into the silence left by her laugh. He poured her a glass of tea and slid it across the table.
“Was she now? So Blade wasn’t the only one? Interesting,” Ken said.
Arrow didn’t comment on what he’d said. “I prefer my tea hot,” she directed to Adam with a grimace.
“You need the sugar, drink up,” he ordered. She glared at him, but to his amazement she sat down at the table, directly between him and Ken, with her back to the door. What kind of discipline did that take? Did she fear nothing?
She lifted the glass, her long, delicate fingers at odds with her profession, more suited to a piano player. Her gaze met his and she proceeded to down the contents of the glass.
She coughed afterward and winced. “That’s awful.”
Carmelita placed a bowl of beef
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