by Raven Scott
“We’ll just rent a room. I just thought it’d be easier since Mateo already has one, and it’s got complimentary features.” Sure, the more I hung around Theo, the easier it was to figure him out, but it was also becoming startlingly apparent that he was stubborn as all Hell. Pursing my lips thinly at that alternative, I started to shake my head, but Theo’s scowl only darkened. “Consider it a gift— no repayment or expectation.”
“Theo, I . . . ” I know you’re trying to be nice, but this is making me sick and uncomfortable. The words balanced on the tip of my tongue, but I could see it in his tight features that he was starting to burn his fuse and get frustrated. Something had to cave, and I didn’t want it to be me, but . . . “I guess that’s okay.”
His eyes brightened in a mix of surprise and satisfaction, and he squeezed my hand before leading me up the stairs. My feet tingled in my ratty sneakers as I stepped very lightly, and I glanced back to make sure I wasn’t tracking in dirt. The front doors of the mansion opened when we reached the top landing, and the fine hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
Opulence was a good word to describe this place— it was absolutely dripping in creature comforts and expense. There were old-timey elevators with personally closing doors opposite the reception desk, and a huge, grand staircase. It was like being on the Titanic. Man, I wish Leonardo DiCaprio was here.
“Welcome back, Mister Jackson.” Even the receptionist was beautiful in a model kind of way, and she flashed us both a smile with red-painted lips. Her high cheekbones cradled eyes that sparkled, but I guess she had something to be happy about. Even if she hated her job for whatever reason, I was sure she got paid in potato sacks instead of envelopes. “How can I be of service today?”
17
Illya
“This is so comfy.” The short, silk robe was so soft and smooth that it didn’t agitate my scars, and I smoothed the sides down my thighs gingerly. The front closed just enough to cover my breasts, but not enough to hide the scars climbing up over my shoulder. Glancing around the room— or should I say ‘suite’— I licked my lips as my gaze trained on the door leading to the living area.
After exploring this suite bigger than three of my apartments, I just wanted to jump into the massive, jet-spraying bathtub and never get out. Even the separate shower had jets. Flexing my toes against the plush, soft carpet, I wandered over to the closed bedroom door and gripped the handle.
Anxiety curdled my blood, and I took a deep, stabilizing breath before turning the handle and cracking open the door. Theo sat on the semi-circular sofa, but his head whipped up at the change of air— because the barrier surely didn’t squeak in the slightest.
“I thought you wanted to waste away in the bath.” Flames licked my cheeks as I shook my head, the only part of me he could see, and Theo sat back on the sofa to stretch his long legs. “You just like to say shit, don’t you, Illya? You never follow through, do you?”
“Yeah, I guess I don’t.” He had a point— every word that came out of my mouth, I ended up not adhering to. I told him I didn’t want to be around him, but here I was— in this place, alone, with him. I told him this wasn’t happening, but it’d been a few hours, and I was already going back on my word.
Stepping out from the door, I rolled my lips between my teeth as Theo stiffened, his eyes narrowing into slits as he scanned my bare legs. A bulge formed in his jeans, and my heart hammered against my ribs as I walked over to sit next to him. His heat seared my arm where the half-length sleeve didn’t cover.
I was stupid. There was nothing anyone could do to dissuade me from the fact that I was just outright dumb at this point. I kept making the same mistake over and over again, telling myself that afterward— afterward— afterward, it’d stop.
But it wasn’t going to stop. From the second Theo opened that door in the club, the ball started rolling down a hill, and all my attempts to throw something in front of that ball only made it bounce.
“It’s horrible, isn’t it?” Speaking up softly, an ugly, self-deprecating smirk twisted my lips, and I fiddled my fingers in my lap. “You think you’re all that and then someone shows up and you realize that you’re not. You’re big and bad until someone bigger and badder comes along. Then, you realize that you’re just really . . . tired.”
“You don’t have to be the only one that cares about you, Illya.” My gross smirk turned sad, and I sighed shallowly as I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. Theo’s eyes narrowed tighter at the action, and my scalp tingled under my high, loose bun from the intensity of his gaze. “It’s okay to rely on someone. That doesn’t mean being dependant on them.”
“What has that ever gotten either of us? Sylvie turned her back on me. My family decided I was too fucked up to be bothered, so they shoved me into foster care. And before you say it, you know just as well as I do that you’d eventually screw me over, too. Whether or not you want to admit it, you’re only as close to someone as their usefulness or convenience allows.” Surrounded by all this pomp and gaudy beauty, I felt small and insignificant, and Theo grunted lowly in acknowledgment. “I wish you hadn’t brought me here.”
Theo grabbing me, causing me so much pain, bruising my already destroyed body, it seemed like so long ago even though it was just last night. I said things and acted the exact opposite, but did I really know what I wanted anymore? I didn’t want to struggle financially. I wanted a place to live that wasn’t infested with cockroaches and ants. I wanted a regular job that required me to make strangers think I gave a shit about them.
Laying down on the sofa, I rested my cheek on Theo’s thigh, but he didn’t tense or grab my bun or anything. Closing my eyes, I savored the tentativeness of his hand as he pulled down my robe and rested his palm on my hip. Warmth radiated from his touch, and I reached for his right hand to plop it on my head.
And, ever so nicely, Theo started playing with my hair. His palm left my hip as he leaned forward to snatch the remote off the coffee table, and he propped back to recline the seat. Behind my shuttered lids, the television flickered on, the sounds floating garbled in my ears, but he turned the volume down and didn’t stop threading my hair through his thumb and forefinger.
He had such incredible resolve, and what did I have? Some flimsy, bullshit declaration that I couldn’t keep. Theo had every right to have that first impression of me. I mean, what if my whole conviction was a lie? What if I had everything backward, and I was just pretending to be strong?
Was there harm in just giving up, or was I just screwing myself over by fighting?
“Hey, Theo?” A gruff hum met my mumble, and Theo worked his three fingers under my bun to scratch my scalp. “What did you think when you first saw me? Before everything— even going into the VIP room— what was the first thing that came to mind when you opened the door?”
He inhaled deeply, sinking a little lower into the sofa, and I curled my toes in anticipation of his answer.
“I was kinda pissed you were wearing contacts and hair dye. I had a feeling you were a lot more beautiful without them, and I was right.” Stiff fingers curled slightly in my bun, and Theo exhaled heavily as the light of the television combatted the memories. “I get why you do it, though. I wondered what color your eyes were and whether or not your ass was as tight as it looked in your leotard.”
Sitting up, I shuffled wordlessly to straddle Theo’s lap, and he stiffened with a sharp whistle of an inhale. Facing the television, thoughts were strangely absent from my mind, and I leaned back as heat seeped into my veins. He stared straight ahead, but his chin jerked when I tilted my head to brush my lips along his jaw.
“Is it?” Reclined in the seat, Theo’s abdominal muscles rippled against my ass as I ground against him, and a powerful rattle jolted up my spine. “We both know whatever comes out of my mouth is a lie. Maybe that’s why it’s so frustrating— lies are so hard to keep up with.”
Incredible, defined muscles played along the length of my back, and Theo ground his teeth audible
in my ear. Rolling my hips against his bulge, I gripped his forearms just as he braced his fists around my calves, and his thick arm hair tickled between my fingers. My tongue snuck out to scrape against his stubble, and I shivered at the heady taste of him.
“Will fucking me give you the answer you’re looking for, Illya?” I paused at the probe, and Theo growled in displeasure as he thrust to keep the friction going. “I’m not gonna say ‘no’ but it’s not gonna be my fault if it doesn’t do what you think it will.”
“I don’t even know what the question is, Theo.” His cheek twitched against my forehead as my breath rolled down his neck, and I groaned softly. Unhooking his left hand from around my leg, he reached up, and my heart jumped into my throat as my nails dug into his arm. “Don’t touch me there.”
The atmosphere became tense at my snap, and the sensation seeped through my melted skin to send tingles shooting down my sternum. Slowly, Theo lowered his hand to open my robe, and I released his forearm to hold the top closed. His jaw clenched against the bridge of my nose as I clutched the plain, white silk, but if he wondered, he didn’t do the stupid thing and open his mouth.
“Oh . . . ” Calloused fingertips circled my clit through my panties, and I gasped as shocks skittered through my abdomen. Pleasure flared to wrap my heart in a vice, and I thrust my hips against Theo’s palm in hot eagerness. “More . . . ”
“Yeah?” Nodding hastily at his low growl, goosebumps blanketed my body, and I licked my lips heavily. Theo pulled my underwear to the side, and I clenched in expectation and this growing desire to just feel light. Rough fingertips circled my bead, and pleasures tightened my abdomen as I rested my head on his shoulder. Knowing fingers spread my folds, and a gasp burst from my throat when he ground the butt of his palm against me.
“Theo . . . Theo . . . Theo . . . oh-h-h . . . ” His body jolted at my back, muscles taut, skin burning mine, as he thrust two fingers into my channel, and I moaned his name. Arching to roll my hips, my chest throbbed fiercely, but I ignored it for the moment to savor the sensation. Harsh pants sounded above the blood pounding in my ears, and Theo curled his fingers to draw me closer and closer.
Flopping forward, I braced my palms on his knees to roll and buck in white-hot need, and Theo let go of my leg to grab my ass with his right hand. His fingers inside me wiggled and curled, but he was quick to exit my channel to slip his palm under my ass.
“Oh . . . God, yes!” My high-pitched keen when he shoved his fingers past my entrance with a grunt rang in the room, and my knees lifted off the sofa. “Yes . . . yes . . . yes!”
Pushing my ass up, I spread my thighs a little wider, and Theo ducked his head to kiss and graze his teeth over my ass cheek. His knuckles bashed my pelvis with each powerful jab of his hand, and two fingers quickly turned into three. Clamping down on his thick digits, I scrunched up my face as my thighs quivered around his forearm.
“Fuck . . . I’m gonna cum . . . make me cum . . . make me . . . I-I’m c-cu— ” Shivers assaulted my spine, and I ducked my head with a cry as my words dried up on my tongue. Theo twisted and curled his fingers deep inside me, and my channel undulated wildly as he coaxed me to jump off the edge. Waves of icy euphoria rippled up my chest, set cold fire to my ruined skin, prickled up my collar bones, and I clenched my jaw as I sat back on his hand.
Sputtering a gasp, I spasmed weakly when Theo pulled out of me, and he sighed to send frigidly cold air rolling up my back. Pushing me off him, he grabbed my bun with his right hand, but he didn’t unfasten his jeans like my addled mind expected. Instead, he just set my face on his thigh again, his soft, scarred palm rubbing my face so gently.
Now, though, I had a question. One that I thought Theo had the answer to.
What if trusting him doesn’t turn out to be a mistake like all the others?
18
Theo
My phone buzzed insistently beside me on the real leather of the couch, and my eyelid twitched in agitation when I glanced at the caller I.D. Reaching for my cell, I swiped the ‘Accept’ button because God only fucking knew that Mateo would keep calling and calling like a douchebag.
“If you’re gonna harass me all God damn day, Mateo, I’m gonna block your ass and quit.” Growling lowly into the phone, I scowled when Illya tensed against my leg, and my lip curled into a snarl. “The fuck do you want, huh? If it has anything to do with Sylvie— ”
“Get your ass back here, Theo, and bring the roommate, or you won’t have to quit. I’ll put a bounty on you. I’m done playing this game.” Arching a brow at the cold, detached tone that flowed through the line, I rolled my jaw as my prickly beard bristled. I was not Mateo’s errand boy, or his friend, and I carefully picked out what I was going to say. Irritation flooded my chest, and I didn’t bother trying to hide it when I opened my mouth.
“I’ll get there when I get there.” I hung up on Mateo’s stupid ass, and I set my phone down to flop my head back and scowl at the ceiling. He didn’t scare me. Shit, nothing scared me anymore, even if Big Bro made me a little nervous. I stroked Illya’s hair in the ensuing, heavy silence. “Hey, is your name really Illya or is that your stage name or something?”
“It really is. It was my grandfather’s name.” Surprise rose my brows, and she rolled onto her back to smile fondly when I looked down. “Yeah, it’s a boys name. Ironically, he escaped Nazi persecution just to have his only daughter die of smoke inhalation.”
Frowning as Illya’s smile soured, I rubbed her forehead with my thumb, and my gaze flickered to the thick pad of scar tissue stretching over her shoulder. Obviously, her parents hadn’t died natural deaths, but I wasn’t going to ask. That was downright rude, and I had a hard enough time trying to not come off as a pushy asshole.
“Will Mateo really have you killed if you don’t bring me back?” Licking my teeth at that, I reached to scratch my scruff as a harsh sigh bubbled up in my chest.
“He can try. He’s too much of a pussy to do it himself. Not to mention, if he put out a hit on me and people found out that it was for something as stupid as not doing something that’s not even my job description, he might get a visit from his brother.” Curiosity sparkled in Illya’s swirling, green eyes, and I exhaled heavily as I weighed my options. “I put up with Mateo because . . . why the fuck not, you know? I get paid a lot to keep him from stubbing his toe. He’s not exactly the guy you want to bother to assassinate, either, which makes my job easier. He runs things here, but that’s just to keep him from fucking up the real operations because he’s incompetent.”
“Like fixating on Sylvie even though it’s not gonna end well.” Nodding curtly, I slumped a little against the sofa, and Illya rolled back onto her side to stare through the television mounted on the wall. “He does know she’s had two back-alley abortions, right?”
“I’m positive he didn’t even see her in person, yet. I really couldn’t care less, but Mateo needs to grow the fuck up. He’s only twenty-four and has a raging case of rich-bitch syndrome, so maybe that'll be the thing that screws him up just the right way.” She hummed softly, and I threaded my fingers through her thick, silky hair to scratch her scalp. That, at least, was something she liked that I hadn’t fucked up yet. “I know she’s your friend— or she was— but, frankly, I would’ve gotten rid of her the second I found out if I was Mateo.”
“Well, you’re not, so . . . ” Pushing herself onto her arms, Illya folded her legs under her, and every move she made was so graceful that it stole my breath. Gazing at me from under sunken hoods, she fluttered her lashes, and I clenched my jaw hard. “You’re a lot more genuine, even if it backfires on you sometimes, Theo.”
“I got one thing going for me, at least.” My palms itched to bury in Illya’s long hair and kiss her, and she puffed out her lips like she wanted me to. I wasn’t sure what I’d said that made that switch flip in her head, but I wasn’t going to question it, either. Reaching to stroke her cheek, my mind whirred with how fast and hard things went from Stop, do not pass Go
to Collect two hundred dollars. “I’ll get around to going back. If Mateo doesn’t want to be treated like a kid, he shouldn’t act like one. It’s one thing to man-up when you knock a one-night-stand up, but it’s another thing to go about it the way he is.”
“Don’t you think he’ll find out eventually who I am? You can’t hide me forever.” Illya inched a little bit closer, and I clenched my jaw when she put her hand right on my crotch. My raging hard-on throbbed almost painfully, and a glimmer shimmered in her cobalt green eyes. Squeezing my cock outside my jeans, she puffed out a breath through her mouth, and my abdomen tightened as desire thrummed up and down my thighs. She really knew what she was doing, and I ground my teeth hard while my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.
“I’m not hiding you. I brought you here because I felt guilty about what I did last night. You deserve a little R-and-R, Illya.” There . . . fuck. The truth worked before. Might as well just stick with that. “I was gonna leave you here to enjoy some alone time, but then you started freaking the fuck out about— ”
Sucking in a sharp breath when Illya squeezed more firmly, I flopped my head back as fire swirled in my lungs. In the second or two that I glared at the ceiling, she attacked my jean fastenings, and I groaned when her fingers wrapped around my shaft. Red flashed behind my lids when I blinked, but she reached to touch my chin with her free hand instead of just diving down headfirst.
Glancing over, my pupils narrowed at the pink tinge in Illya’s cheeks, the brightness in her mossy eyes as they swirled with hazel.
“Theo.” My name caressed her lips, and goosebumps blanketed my bare arms as she leaned in to brush her nose up my neck. Flames licked just under my skin, and my throat flexed as every muscle in my body quivered with the thick sexual tension floating in the air. “Don’t make me regret this. Please.”