by Alessa Thorn
Athena glared at Kon, and he stared her down. “You want to fight me about it? I’m right here, güzelim. Come at me.”
Athena was on her feet and in his face in a blink of an eye. “I’m trying to protect you, asshole.”
“I don’t need protecting,” Kon snarled back. “I need you to stop fucking fighting me and trying to push me away when I only want to help you.”
“What if Gadal made me kill all those people at Pokrovskoye? What if I’m really a monster, Kon?”
Kon took her face in his hands and held her tight. “Then you are my fucking monster, Athena. I promise you, I will find every one of the fuckers that hurt you, and I’ll kill them all. I won’t stop until they’ve paid for what they did.”
“No,” she said, her hand gripping his shirt. “We will kill them.”
Kon raised a skeptical brow. “Together?”
“Together,” Athena promised and kissed him.
“I’m still in the room, you two,” Silas complained, getting to his feet. His nerves were shredded, and his heart hurt. Kon pulled Athena tight in his arms. She reached for Silas and squeezed his hand.
“We got you, Cub. Don’t forget that,” he said gruffly.
“I know. I love you, Dad.”
“Love you too.” Silas patted her back. “You got this, Basty?”
“I do. Thanks for… Thanks,” Kon replied.
“Anytime. Cub, try not to throw any more knives at Kon for a few hours. I’ll be back later.”
“But he likes it.” Athena grinned a cocky smile. “He’s hard as a rock right now.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, I don’t want to know that.” Silas shook his head at them, grabbed the vodka bottle, and headed for the door. “Get some sleep!”
The sun was rising as Silas walked home, drinking the vodka and hoping that they found something on Gadal soon.
He was a ball of rage and overprotective instincts. He wouldn’t lose Athena to the nightmares of her past, and he wasn’t going to sleep properly until he got his pound of flesh from the people that had hurt his daughter.
16
Silas walked through the door to find Izabella on the couch drinking coffee and looking worried.
The vodka bottle hanging from his fingers was almost empty, and it had barely taken the edge off.
“Fuck, Silas, what happened?” she asked, leaping to her feet.
“Athena…she’s starting to remember.” To his horror, tears started to roll down his cheeks. The bottle slipped from his fingers, shattering on the floor as he covered his face with his hands. “They tortured my baby girl, Bella.”
Warm arms wrapped around him, and he pulled her up against him. He didn’t want her to see him falling apart but couldn’t let her go or stop the horror he had been holding in.
“It’s okay, Silas. I’ve got you,” she whispered, hands stroking his hair. “Come on, come with me.”
Izabella led him to the bathroom and sat him down on the closed toilet seat. She kissed his tear-stained cheeks before turning on the bath taps. Kon must’ve bought it with company in mind because it was wide and deep and built for two.
She opened a jar of purple salts and tipped some in. Silas watched her in a daze, wishing for more vodka but unable to move to get some.
“Get in, I’ll get you something to drink,” she said, helping him tug off his shirt.
Silas caught her arm. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”
“Too bad. You saw me at my worst and took care of me. Let me do the same,” Izabella said stubbornly. God, he loved her. Silas let her go quickly in case he admitted it to her and freaked her out.
One mental breakdown at a time, he told himself. Silas kicked off his boots and jeans and climbed into the water. It was the perfect heat for him to sink into.
Izabella came back with a bottle of water and a glass of scotch. She put them on the basin where he could reach them before she sat on the tiled ledge behind him and put her feet in the water. She gently maneuvered him back between her legs so she could rub his too tight shoulders and neck.
Silas groaned, overwhelmed by her touch and kindness. With a shaky breath, he told her about getting woken up by Kon and everything that had happened with Athena.
“What the fuck did they do to her, Bella? She was skinny and wild when I found her. She was so small…” Fresh tears built in Silas’s eyes, and he swallowed down their bitter salt.
“You found her, Silas. You saved her from whatever horrible fate they had planned for her,” Izabella reminded him, her hands brushing his wet hair. He rested his head on her lap and stared up at her beautiful face. She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “We will find the motherfuckers who did this, and you will do what you do best and put a bullet in them.”
“That doesn’t bother you? I’m going to kill all of them, and I won’t be able to stop or be at peace until I do.”
Izabella stroked his cheek. “I’m not some naive girl who doesn’t know who she’s been working for. I know you, Silas. We’ve all got blood on our hands, but these people… No one can stop them except us. Athena is precious to me too. We will start with Gadal, but I’m not going to walk away until all the Secret Chiefs are in the dirt.” She leaned over and kissed him, soft and lingering. “I’ve got your back as long as you want me there, Jefe.”
“I’ll always want you there,” he murmured, cupping her face. She kissed him again, and he got lost in her soft touches.
“I know you’re angry, Silas, but Athena is so strong. She will get through whatever her past is. Kon is never going to let her go,” she assured him.
“Oh, I know it. They were throwing knives and getting ready to tear each other’s clothes off by the time I left. I had to get the fuck out of there or be scarred for life,” Silas said, making her laugh.
“Well, if you can’t fight, fucking is the next best thing to relieve tension,” she said with a naughty smile.
“Is that so? Tell me more, Silversmith.” Silas lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her wrist. Her legs curled around him, and he turned in the bathtub to face her.
Izabella’s arms went around his neck, pulling him closer so she could kiss him until their breaths were ragged. Silas undid the tie of her kimono and tossed it aside. She slipped the wet silk off her shoulders and pulled him up against her so they were skin to skin.
“Get in this tub,” he growled, hands going to her hips and pulling her into the warm water.
“This wasn’t what I had in mind when I ran it for you, just so you know,” Izabella laughed as her slick body pressed up against his.
“I’m making it better,” Silas said, getting her onto his lap and putting his arms around her. “You always make everything better.”
“If you keep talking like that, I’m never going to be able to say no to you,” she teased, stroking a hand down his chest.
Silas cocked his head. “Why would you want to?”
She rolled her eyes at him but still reached up to kiss him. Her wet breasts brushed over him, and his dick went even harder. She was just so damn irresistible. His dick and his heart never stood a chance.
Izabella’s hand found him under the water, fingers wrapping around his cock and giving it a hard stroke.
Silas dropped his mouth to suck the droplets of water from her neck, her pulse dancing under his tongue. His hand went between her thighs, stroking and teasing her, making her whimper.
“God, Silas, why do I always want you so damn much?” she murmured, grinding up against his hand.
“Five years to make up for,” he replied. He groaned as her grip on him tightened, jerking him harder. “Fuck, Bella. You keep doing that and…”
“And what?” Izabella gave him a punishing kiss. “Take me any way you want me.”
Silas groaned, moving his hand away from her pussy and grabbing her around the waist. She gasped when he flipped her, her hands reaching out to grab the side of the tub.
Silas licked up the slope of her brown ba
ck, his hands going to her hips and down to cup her full ass.
“You are so fucking beautiful, it hurts,” he murmured, his hand going underneath her.
Izabella moved back against him. “Stop teasing and get inside of me, Silas.”
Silas guided himself to her entrance, pressing the head of his dick gently against her. Izabella pushed herself back on top of him before he could stop her, and her body clenched.
“Fuck, you’re so hot and perfect around me,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist to stop her slipping too far away from him. Izabella gripped the sides of the bathtub, and she grinned.
“Damn, Silas, you look good like that,” she said. He followed her gaze and saw their reflection in the large mirror. She looked so soft and tiny compared to his big body behind her. His dick went even harder at the sight, and he thrust into her. Izabella pushed back, each moan and cry encouraging him to fuck her deeper.
He spread her so he could see his dick slide in and out of her, watched her expressions change in the reflection of the mirror. She looked so decadently wanton it made him want to do dirty, dirty things to her.
She was everything he had always wanted but didn’t deserve. He was never going to get enough of her passion, her intelligence, her warmth. He would do anything to protect her…and to keep her all to himself.
Izabella cried out, one hand reaching behind her to grip his thigh, her sharp nails dragging down his skin. Silas pulled her tighter up against him, his hand going to her breast and squeezing it hard.
“Oh god, don’t stop,” she begged, as Silas’s free hand went to circle her clit. Izabella screamed his name as she came, her pussy clenching so tight around his dick, he saw stars and almost lost his grip on her.
Izabella hung onto his arm, her heart beating hard against him. Silas tilted her head so he could see her lust-hazed eyes and kiss her panting mouth.
He didn’t give her time to recover. He shifted and drove deep inside of her, the change in position making her moan. Fuck, he could lose his mind when she sounded like that.
Silas rode her sleek body until the heat at the base of his spine exploded, and he bit her shoulder to smother his cries. Izabella was shaking under him, her nails digging into his forearm.
“Shit, I’m probably crushing you,” he realized, moving back to give her space.
“I’m okay,” she reassured him. Silas sat back in the tub, and she drifted into his arms. Silas looked at the water that was now all over the bathroom floor instead of the tub and began to laugh.
“Are all baths with you this messy?” he asked.
Izabella’s smile was pure joy as she laughed with him. “Only when they are done right.”
17
Izabella had never seen Silas so raw and vulnerable. He always hid what he was feeling behind a calm exterior, giving the impression he was always in control.
It said a lot about his state of mind that he couldn’t hide it, and she felt it was a rare privilege that he was comfortable enough to show that side of himself to her.
Iz wanted to wrap her arms around him and not let go. She needed to find Gadal so that both Athena and Silas could put an end to their nightmares forever.
Izabella mixed the ingredients for omelets while she thought about Gadal. She had woken up that morning with her program still running and no lead to act on.
It was infuriating, but it had forced her to start thinking in a new direction about Liddell and the Secret Chiefs.
Kon had always said that Liddell was a code name, not a real name, that was a nod in honor of the founder of the Golden Dawn. What if Gadal was a code name too? And if that was true… What was his real one?
“I must look bad if you are making me omelets,” Silas said, walking into the kitchen. He had put on some pajama pants but remained shirtless, much to Iz’s enjoyment. She had left a few hickeys and scratches on him and liked that too.
“You look as hot as always. I’m just feeling in a really generous mood after that orgasm you gave me. It’s worth some breakfast even if I’m probably going to have bruised knees,” she replied, passing him a coffee.
“It was definitely worth the mess I had to clean up afterward.” Silas brushed his fingers over her cheek, concern clouding his eyes. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“Of course not. You would never hurt me, Silas,” Iz reassured him, turning her face to kiss his fingers. “I’ve enjoyed everything we’ve done together.”
It was true. She hadn’t freaked out when he got behind her in the tub. It wasn’t on top of her, but it was one step closer. Maybe she had panicked with the others after Ruslan because deep down, a part of her knew they weren’t who she was meant to be with.
Saints, who knew you were so pathetically sappy? Iz thought, but when she looked at Silas, all she had was sappy feelings.
“Good. You know you just need to say something if you’re not enjoying yourself, Bella.” Silas kissed her forehead tenderly. “Thank you for taking care of me this morning. I know I’ve got baggage…”
“Jefe, your baggage is my best friend. You don’t ever have to apologize about having a bad day or being a father. It’s a part of who you are.”
Silas cupped her cheeks and kissed her in a way that made her breath catch and her toes curl. “Thank you for saying that and for giving me a chance even though I don’t deserve you.”
Iz’s heartbeat jumped at the seriousness in his expression. “Right back at you. Now, go and sit and let me feed you.”
With one more kiss, Silas sat down at the breakfast bar and glanced at her laptop.
“Find anything interesting? Who’s this guy?” he asked, looking at the black and white picture on her screen.
“That is Antonin Gadal,” Iz explained, tipping the egg batter into the frying pan. She ran over her theory about the code name. “This guy is the closest thing I could find to possibly being someone that the Aurora looked up to. He was a French mystic and historian who was obsessed with the Cathars. Like my witch ancestors, the Cathars were hunted down and burned alive. They were gnostic Christians with different spiritual practices than what was sanctioned by the Catholic Church at the time. Antonin studied their spirituality and beliefs and wrote books about it.”
“So you’re thinking our Gadal is obsessed with this guy enough to take his name?” Silas asked.
“I know it’s a stretch, but if there is a link between obsessions and these code names, then this is the best one I could find. If he’s like Liddell, he might be obsessed enough to want to buy artifacts and antiques related to the Cathars. It would give us something new to try and run down,” Iz replied.
“It’s not a stretch at all. It’s an excellent idea, Bella,” Silas said, pulling out his phone. “I’ll call Julian, see if it’s something he knows about them, or if he has any contacts that specialize in Cathar relics.”
Iz placed the omelet down in front of him. “Eat first. You had a rough morning and need something to soak up some of that vodka.”
Silas picked up his fork. “Are you fussing over me? I think that’s a first.”
“Well, you’re usually the one that’s acting like the adult. It won’t hurt to let other people take care of you occasionally.”
“But I like taking care of you.” Silas gave her a filthy smile. “In every way I can.”
“Stop that. I have work to do, and I won’t let you distract me,” Iz replied, just as her laptop chimed. She pulled it to her quickly. “Fuck yes, the signal from the cameras went to…Toulouse somewhere. South of France.”
“A building or just the city?”
Iz frowned. “It was the last tower it bounced off in the city.” She huffed out a frustrated breath. “It’s not much to go on.”
“Hey, remember what I said about breadcrumbs. This is one more piece of the puzzle. Also, it backs up your theory that Gadal might have a big hard-on for the Cathars. That’s your French connection,” Silas said, pointing at the screen. “You’re brilliant, just accept it
.”
Izabella’s neck went hot at the praise. “Okay, let’s see what Julian knows. You eat.” She pulled out her phone and dialed him, hoping it wasn’t too early.
“Izabella, my love, to what do I owe the honor?” Julian answered. Silas’s eyes narrowed and then focused on his plate.
“Silas and I are teasing out some possible leads on Gadal. What do you know about Cathar relics?” she asked.
“Not a lot, but I know there is definitely trade done in them,” Julian replied. “I’m back in London for the day, so I can make a few phone calls and see who has an appetite for French mystics.”
“Thank you, that would be great. I’m hoping Gadal has a weakness that we can exploit.”
“So if I find something, do I get a prize? How about a kiss?”
Silas leaned towards the phone and growled, “How about I kick your teeth down your throat?”
Julian laughed. “Oh, good morning. I didn’t realize you were there, Edgeworth. In that case, I’ll take a kiss from you too.”
“Fuck off, Julian.”
Iz moved the phone away from Silas. “Your help would be appreciated, as always.”
“For you, anything,” Julian replied before hanging up. Silas still looked pissed, and Iz could only roll her eyes. Julian flirted with anything that had legs; it was just who he was.
Iz opened her message chat with Athena and sent her an update on what she had found out on Gadal.
Is Zeus okay? I think I scared him. I didn’t mean to, said the return message.
All good. I made him breakfast and going to send him to bed. You should get some rest too. Sounds like it was scary.
Not as scary as what I’m going to do when I get my hands on the fuckers. Tell Silas we’ll see him tomorrow. Take the day. I need to stay in bed so Kon can bang my anxiety away.
Fair call. Feel better, and try not to wear Kon out too much. We’ll find them, Cub.
Silas moved past her to put his dishes in the sink. “Everything okay?”