The Death Games
Page 22
I cupped his cheek, and my thumb swept over his cheekbone, wiping away the remaining salt and moisture from our romp in the bed. “I love you, Lea Anderson.”
For a moment, he looked stricken, like my honesty was too much for him, but a gleam of playfulness sparked in his eyes seconds later. “Don’t forget God of Death.”
Rolling my eyes, I stepped closer, eliminating the remaining distance between us. “You’re not Death yet. But whatever name you go by, green, I love you.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and licked his lips. With pink cheeks, he smiled. “I love you, too, Boston. I’m pretty sure I fell for you the first time I saw your ass.”
I guffawed and pinched his cheek. “Pervert.”
With a wiggle of his eyebrows, he grinned unabashedly and popped onto his toes to lessen our height difference. “Most definitely.”
Inching closer, I let my mouth feather over his with the lightest touch. He sighed against my lips, gliding his hands up and behind my neck. Time became irrelevant as we kissed, relishing the other’s warmth. Nothing else mattered but Lea, the taste of his tongue and how his skin blazed against mine.
As I withdrew, I nuzzled his nose with a smile, memorizing every detail of this moment—the way his curls frizzed and fell over his forehead, the way his lips parted in anticipation. I wanted to remember everything as I encouraged us toward the bed.
He yelped as I tossed him onto the messy covers. I crawled over his body, my smile promising another round of tangled limbs and heady moans. But I froze when a shadow fell over us.
Instinctively, I bolted to my feet, dragging Lea behind me and away from the threat as I retrieved the dagger stored under the mattress. Naked, half-hard, I crouched in front of Lea and brandished my weapon, only to flush in humiliation as my mentor took us in. Cerberus stood beside the bed, his eyes steeled with fury as he crossed his arms over his slim chest.
Lea squawked and snatched the sheet from the bed to wrap around our naked bodies. “What the actual fuck, dude? We’re naked!”
Eyes the color of ice slid over us, and his lips thinned further. “I am neither interested nor impressed. Now—”
“I am neither interested nor impressed.” Lea’s voice lilted in a terrible impression of my mentor as his eyes spat fire. “Next time, knock, asshole!”
Less than amused, Cerberus crossed the room to Lea’s wardrobe and ripped the doors wide open. “I did knock. Several times.” Grabbing Lea’s ceremonial attire, he flung it at Lea. “Now, please, for the love of Death, get dressed, Mr. Anderson. And you, too, Mr. Barone. I sent you to fetch Mr. Anderson, not cavort with him.”
My cheeks flamed as I quickly donned my clothes, mortified at getting caught with my pants literally down. “Sorry, Sir.”
With a nod, he stormed toward the door, slamming it behind him after throwing a frustrated, “You have two minutes to finish dressing and to meet me outside. Two minutes,” over his shoulder.
After we were alone, Lea let out a harsh breath. “Geez, his albino ass nearly gave me a heart attack. Fucking creep!”
“You realize I have to work with him every day after this, right? After he saw us…” I waved at the mess of sheets.
Lea cackled. “Trust me, Boston, you have nothing to be ashamed about.” He bit his lip as he ran an appreciative, yet lascivious, gaze over my body. “He should count himself lucky to have seen us in all our sexy glory.”
“You’re incorrigible,” I grumbled as I hooked my crimson tie around my neck, and he chortled, utterly unaffected at getting caught naked moments before.
He slipped his arms into the sleeves of his black robe and used the string around the waist to tie it shut. The dark contrasted with his pale skin, and, not that I’d actually tell him, but he looked sexy as fuck in those clothes.
Once we were decent and ready to go, I held out my hand. With a smirk, he accepted it, and I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “You ready?”
He shook his head with a manic grin. “Not even close. Let’s do this.”
Together, hand in hand, we exited his room and followed Cerberus’ impatient steps to the main balcony in front. Before crossing through the doors, Lea paused, listening to the crowd congregated outside the doors. The event would be broadcast throughout the Afterlife, and, though he was nervous, he was excited, too.
I planted a kiss to his temple, squishing his fingers one last time. “You’re gonna do great. You got this.”
Releasing my hand, his lips curled into a cocky grin. “Of course I do. I’m the God of Death, bitch!”
Winking, he stepped through the open doorway, taking his place at the current Death’s side as the crowd roared, and I followed him out with an exaggerated eye roll. His attitude drove me up the wall at times, but I hoped he never changed. He was as sexy as he was infuriating.
As I watched him pretend to listen to Cerberus’ speech on leadership and responsibility, it took every ounce of my self-control to hold back my snorts of amusement. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye every few minutes, winking, smirking, even managing a not-so-subtle gesture that threatened to get me hard again.
Lea fucking Anderson. He was sassy, immature, and had the mouth of a sailor. But he was also smart, clever, and caring. Come hell or high water, he would work tirelessly for the souls entrusted to his care. He made a great leader, even if he didn’t know it yet.
Sure, he was bound to make mistakes—everyone did—but like I told him, he wouldn’t be alone. For better or worse, I would be here, right here. At his side, in his bed. Here. Where I was destined to be from the start.
It was funny. I always assumed death was the end, but, really, it was only the beginning of something even more incredible.
The End
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