A Rose By Any Other Name

by Rosko, Mandy

  Rita sat back, stunned. Why hadn’t he said anything?

  He shook his head. "I have no idea how I got on her list. Maybe one of the guys put me on as a joke. They were always saying I needed to get laid. But I figured, if she sent you to me, it was for a reason. We’re mates."

  Rita was humiliated. "So you found out what I'm... well, wait, just because I busted you out doesn't mean that's what was going on? I didn't necessarily go to bust you out of there to get her services. You could easily be for someone else."

  "I thought so at first, but the way you just said that tells me otherwise. You're a professional thief, and you busted me out of that place. I'm clearly who you were matched up with."

  She was going to die. She was actually going to vanish from her seat and die.

  "I'm not a... I mean I don't always..."

  "Why are you embarrassed?"

  She didn't want to face him. "I don't know. I don't know why this is suddenly so embarrassing. It shouldn’t be. I don’t think. I only take from people who can afford it.”

  “Which is still stealing.”

  “But I make sure they deserve it.”

  “Which is subjective to you,” Dallas said. “But if you’re asking me to judge you for it, I can’t exactly do that either. I wouldn’t have gotten out of there if you hadn’t woken me up.”

  “I didn’t wake you up.” Rita was salty about this whole thing now. The fact that he’d known this entire time and he hadn’t told her? She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel about that.

  “Yes, you did.”

  “No, I didn’t.” She might as well be as honest as she could be about this one thing. They’d lied to each other and kept things from each other since they first met. She didn’t want him thinking she was some sort of savior to him either. “I walked into that room where you were being kept, and you woke up on your own. Maybe whatever it was they were using to keep you knocked out wore off, or ran out.” She said, remembering the tubes that had been plugged into his body.

  “You would have gotten up on your own, found a way to get out of that gurney with that stupid strength you have, and broke out on your own eventually.”

  “I woke up for a reason.”

  “I know. I just said that.”

  “No, I’m saying that I woke up because of you.”

  She looked at him, frowning. “What?”

  He didn’t take his eyes off the road, responsible driver that he was. “I smelled something in the room with me. Something good. I knew I had to see it. It… pulled me awake. I had to see you.”

  He glanced at her, but only briefly. “I needed to see you. Your smell woke me up, and then you let me out. Then I found out you were smart enough to get some of those double locks picked.” Dallas shook his head. “There was no way I was getting out of there without help. I don’t know who gave my name to Gerri to put on her list, but I’m glad they did it because it brought me you.”

  Rita’s chest felt all fluttery and weird. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it was there.

  “Um, maybe one of your friends gave Gerri your name after you were locked up? She knew you were going to be in that vault.”

  Gerri was supposed to be a firecracker of a woman with a bit of a filthy mouth, but Rita didn’t know much else about her aside from that.

  “Unless Gerri is a psychic…I don’t know. It is possible. Nothing is impossible in this scenario.”

  “Maybe it was Bryce? He could have used it as a way to call for help for you.”

  Dallas got really quiet at that suggestion, and Rita wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to give it. To give him some hope that maybe his friends were still trying to look out for him.

  Hell, he could have easily given his name to Gerri one night when he was too drunk to remember it. His friends might now have had anything to do with it.

  When Dallas did finally speak, his voice was somber. "If they did have anything to do with it, then do me a favor and don't repeat it. I don't want to take the risk that Lilly even suspects something like this. Better that it just be a coincidence."

  "We can go to Gerri and ask her right now."

  "No. I'm not doing that either," Dallas said. "I want you to have plausible deniability, and I want the same for me. If anything ever happens to either of us, I don't want Lilly to think someone in her house is working against her."

  "Why? If something like that could end up saving either you or me, wouldn't you want to give them away?"

  Dallas shook his head. "I don't want to stab someone in the back like that. Not even to save myself."

  Rita tensed. "I...that wasn't what I meant. I just..."

  "I know," Dallas said. He briefly looked away from the road again, but he didn't hold eye contact with her for long. "I know what you meant. Don't worry. You don't seem like the type who would be into doing that to someone else. Not after breaking me out of that prison."

  "But...how do you know I wouldn't have left you behind? When I was in the window, I thought about jumping and leaving you."

  "But you didn't."

  "Because I got shot."

  "Which means you and I don't know if you would have jumped, so don't judge yourself as though you had."

  Her heart swelled in that moment.

  He was offering her an olive branch, and screw it; she was taking it.

  Rita believed he wasn't just letting her off the hook. He was accepting that she wasn't going to be that sort of person.

  Rita couldn't stand people like that. She couldn't believe she'd said something that gave him the impression, even for a second, that she was like that.

  "So, where are we going?"

  Dallas breathed deep through his nose. "To be honest, right now? I don't know. Just away from here. We can wait for the police to be finished what they're doing. When they leave, we can go back and get some of your things."

  "We could still go to Gerri," Rita suggested. "Not to ask her about where your name came from, but she knows people. Maybe they can help us. Have you ever seen her nephew? That guy looks like he can take out a bunch of those simple human guards without a problem."

  "Yeah, I saw the pictures. Long hair and tattoos? Guy is probably taller than I am."

  "But you've been given a few power-ups."

  "There is that."

  Dallas thought about it. "This is your suggestion?"

  "I'd really rather not do this alone. She seems like she's hanging around with good people. I think they would help us if we asked."

  Dallas pressed his lips together. "All right then."

  Rita blinked. She'd expected more of a fight than that. "Really?"

  "Yes," he nodded. "Really. You've at least met these people, and if you're right, then she had something to do with getting me out of there. Even if one of my old buddies didn't give her my name, then she's still responsible for getting me out of there as much as you are."

  "More so, probably."

  "She's not the one who did all the physical work. No offense to the woman."

  Rita smiled. "I won't tell her you said that."

  "But... to be honest, there is something we need to do before going to see her."

  "Really? What's that?"

  He hesitated before responding.

  Rita's stomach swirled with anticipation. He knew they were matched up from Gerri, matchmaker extraordinaire. There was only one possible thing he could want, right? Rita was shockingly eager to hear him come out and say it.

  "We need to take a look at your stitches."

  Rita deflated.

  That... was definitely not what she'd expected him to say to her.

  Chapter Ten

  They waited for three hours. Driving around in a stolen van wasn't the best idea in the world, so they dumped it two miles away from her apartment and walked back.

  The police were long gone by the time they made it back, which was a plus, as Rita was not in the mood to do anymore lying or explaining.

  "I'm sorry
," Dallas said. "I should be taking care of some of this for you, not dumping it all off on you."

  She shrugged, trying to look on the bright side. "I'm a thief, right? We have to throw everything away and start fresh every couple of years anyway. I mean, if we don't want to get caught."

  "Makes sense," Dallas said. "I still want to take a look at your stitches before we get out of here. Do you have a first aid kit?"

  "Under the bathroom sink."

  Rita realized it might be a good idea to take that with her when they left here.

  She normally had her list of important items memorized and ready to go in her head for just such an emergency as this.

  But she was frazzled. Too much had happened too soon.

  She was starting over. She was going to have to get a whole new name, go to a new town, and start from scratch.

  But she would be doing that while someone was there to share it with her.

  Which was kind of the point of going to Gerri.

  It wasn't just being a shifter that complicated her dating life. It was her line of work, but now that Dallas knew what she was, had admitted to knowing and didn't judge her for it, Rita felt alive and hopeful in a way she had never before experienced.

  If she wanted to go straight, she could do that with Dallas beside her.Not because it was something she had to do or because she needed to hide her past from the person she fell in love with.

  No. It would be because she was choosing to do it.

  And that made her feel all kinds of optimistic. Even though there had been uninvited guests in her apartment only a few hours ago, and her shoulder was killing her, Rita was actually in one of the better moods of her life.

  The fact that Dallas could see all the dirty dishes in her sink didn't bother her a bit.

  And, miracle of miracles, Bryce had been telling the truth when he'd admitted to not having gone through her underwear drawers.

  It looked exactly as she had left it. Panties still kind of messy, but definitely untouched by anyone but her.

  Packing some of her sexy panties seemed like a good idea if she was going to be on the road with Dallas.

  "All right, first aid kit," Dallas said, coming into her room. "Take a seat."

  She did as she was told. "We don't have long, do we?"

  He shook his head, opening the case. "Not really. Lilly is going to realize Bryce failed even before he can give his report. We need to be out of here before then. Open your shirt."

  She did as she was told. She couldn’t help but smile as she did so.

  Dallas shook his head at her, as though he could read her mind. “Don’t even think about it. That’s what not what I’m thinking about it, and we don’t have time for that anyway.”

  “Right, right. We just have a few minutes for me to pack my things and for you to take a look at my shoulder.”

  He nodded. “Exactly.”

  He was either being purposely dense, or he really couldn’t read that she was trying to flirt with him.

  He’d figured out a lot on his own, and so Rita was willing to bet that he was intentionally ignoring her advances.

  Dallas’ fingers were quick as he checked her stitches. He was calm as he worked, which helped.

  “Does it hurt?”

  “Both physically and my pride,” she said. “I think the thing that annoys me the most is that these stitches were fresh.”

  Dallas didn’t say anything to her for a little while. He cleaned the wound, pulled the stitches out, and sewed her back up. He seemed to be trying to put the needle through the holes that had already been made in her, which she definitely appreciated.

  “So, a fairy, eh?”

  He shook his head. “Quarter fairy. Barely amounts to anything.”

  “You didn’t have wings or anything, did you?”

  He laughed. “No, nothing like that, so you don’t have to worry.”

  She was glad, but the fact that his metal hand seemed to do such a good and steady job of giving her new stitches made her think.

  “Why did she give you new limbs? If she hated you that much—”

  “Lilly doesn’t hate me,” Dallas said.

  Now Rita was the one to figure things out. “Was she in love with you?”

  Dallas finished, and he snipped away the extra thread before he replied.

  “Yes. When I turned her down, she decided she was going to keep me around and drink my blood whether I wanted to or not.”

  Rita flinched. “God, I’m sorry.”

  Dallas sat next to her on her bed, putting his elbows on his knees. “If you’re worried that I see her when I look at you, no. Definitely not. You and she are polar opposites. I mean, Lilly stole things plenty of times, but her idea of who deserved it and who didn’t was different from yours.”

  She smiled at that. “You keep complimenting me like that and I’m going to start getting ideas.”

  “I haven’t said anything about you that wasn’t true.”

  That was exactly why she felt complimented.

  He looked right at her, and Rita froze, realizing she was staring at him.

  Neither of them looked away from each other. That heady, heart thumping feeling came back to her, and when Dallas’ eyes glanced down to her mouth, she knew what he wanted.

  “You saved my life,” he said. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “I think you need someone to watch out for you just as much,” she joked.

  Dallas shook his head, but then he reached for her, his metal hand finding the back of her neck.

  She didn’t fight him as he pulled her closer, kissing her on the mouth. He had a rough stubble around his lips and jaw. She liked that. A scratchy jaw got to her every time.

  Christ, Gerri had to get even that part right, too, didn’t she?

  Rita grabbed his arm, just for something to hold onto. The cold metal of his forearm was a stark contrast in comparison to the heat and softness of his mouth. He pulled her close, and she straddled his lap, fitting on him perfectly as she rubbed against him.

  “Do you think she’ll send people right away?” Rita whispered. “Or do you think there’s a chance they’ll take a day to regroup?”

  Dallas groaned, “I’m willing to take the risk.”

  Rita smiled, pulling her shirt the rest of the way off and tugging at his. She was starting to realize that he might just be as much of an adrenaline junkie as she was.

  Their breath quickened, and their hands explored each other’s bodies while they shed their clothes. Dallas was careful to avoid her shoulder, except for the light kisses he left there.

  With not a lot of time, and knowing anyone could bust in on them at any moment, they wasted no seconds. Rita stared into his eyes as she lowered herself onto him, taking in his thickness and enjoying each inch.

  When he filled her to the hilt, she shuddered, and let out a moan of pleasure. “You feel so good. Just perfect.”

  “Are you going to do it?” He asked.

  In response, she started to move her hips. He met her rhythm. “Like this?” She asked.

  “No, I mean, yes, this is fucking great, don’t stop, but I meant the mark. Don’t you have to mark me, so we can make this thing official?”

  She stared into his green eyes as she rode him, taking a moment to process what he was saying. “You barely know me. Don’t you want us to get to know each other first?”

  He shook his head before dipping his head to kiss her neck. His hands traced her hips and her waist and went up until he held both of her breasts in his hands. He traced her nipples with his fingers, heightening all the sensations in her body. “I don’t have a single doubt about us. It feels right, and we have the blessing of the best matchmaker in the paranormal world, right?”

  Rita nodded, feeling her body start to tense. “I’m close.” She told him, shocked at how quick it was happening. She didn’t know if it was the attraction she had to him, the fact that it had been a while since her last lay, or maybe some mag
ic of their mating, but she was ready to go over the edge with him.

  “Me too,” Dallas said, starting to buck even harder.

  Rita readied herself, placing her teeth on his skin-covered shoulder. She started to kiss, then suck at the flesh, and as their bodies reached their orgasms together, Rita bit down, leaving her mark on her mate.

  She felt Dallas do the same on her opposite shoulder – the uninjured one. Fairies didn’t need to mark their mate, but she liked it all the same. It was something her kind did, and she would love having it on her as a permanent symbol of their lasting connection.

  Rita’s body pulsed, and both of their thrusts turned into more of a rocking until finally, they stilled, and Rita collapsed on top of him. They breathed in unison, feeling the echoes of their orgasms fade and leave a heart connection in its wake.

  This is love. Rita thought, knowing without a doubt that it was true.

  When she finally pulled back, Rita blinked a little, trying to clear her head, but she was smiling.

  “What?” He asked.

  She chuckled. “I think this was just a preview of what we’re going to do to each other.” Rita slapped his knee. “Now, let’s get on the road and on the way to making a new life.”

  The End

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  About the Author

  USA Today Bestselling Author Mandy Rosko is a videogame playing, book loving chick. She writes paranormal romances from light steamy to erotic, and has some contemporary and historical romances as well.