Page 31 of Graveyards & Greed

I puffed out a breath. “It’s about my climbing on top of you…” My gaze slid away and my face went hot. “Without a condom.”

He grinned slowly. “I’ve never had sex without a condom before, and it felt like my head was going to explode. I’m clean, but if you need to—”

Shaking my head, I stopped him. “I’m on birth control, and I’m, uh, clean too. Damn it, why is this so hard to talk about?”

He chuckled and pulled me into his chest. When he leaned in and ran his nose along my hairline, I shivered in his arms.

“I don’t want to use a condom. Will you give that to me?”

Before I could think too much about it, I nodded against his chest and curled into his warmth.

He growled and tightened his arms. “If Diego weren’t downstairs waiting for me, I’d back you up, lay you out on my bed again, and eat your sweet pussy for breakfast.”

I squeezed my thighs together. “There’s always tomorrow morning.”

When he left, a million thoughts and emotions flitted through me as I tried to shake off the residual incendiary heat. There were dead people to deal with who were far less complicated than the living. After a quick shower, I walked back into his kitchen feeling a little freaked out to be making myself at home in his loft. I poured coffee into a travel mug and finished getting ready for work.

My phone buzzed as I gathered my things. Glancing down, I noticed a message from my most levelheaded cousin, Kilian, and my heart sank as I read it.

Kilian: Declan was attacked this morning. He’ll recover but stay away from the funeral home for now and call me when you can

Chapter 13

Sylvie

I pounded down the metal stairs to the garage, a coffee mug in one hand and my phone in the other. The smell of oil and gasoline hit me as I took in the sleek black 1960s Chevy Corvette with its beautiful curves and signature white highlights. The hood was popped, and Drakos leaned inside, fiddling with something. Diego lay on a mechanic’s creeper under the vehicle.

I speed-dialed Kilian as Drakos straightened. “Kil, what the hell’s going on?” I hadn’t meant to sound so worried.

“Where are you?” he demanded.

I looked over at Drakos. “At a friend’s house. What happened?”

“Declan was getting out of his car in front of Fenn’s house, and someone did a drive-by. Stupid idiots. That street has more cameras on it than the White House.” Fenn and Ezra lived next door to each other, and they’d created a lush, fortified compound between their two homes, including a pool and spa area, and two guest cottages.

“What about Declan?”

“He’ll be fine, but it was close. They got him in the calf as he dove behind his car. Luckily, he’s fast and he was armed. When they stopped to get out and finish him off, he returned fire and held them back until the dogs could get there.”

Sinking onto a bench, I looked up as Drakos stared down at me. “Who was it?” I asked, but I already knew.

“We traced the vehicle back to an MC OutKast gang member. Their attack makes no sense and doesn’t follow any logical pattern. I can’t figure out why they’re coming after us.”

He sighed. “Can you stay where you are until we secure the mortuary and have eyes on them?”

“I’m in a safe location, but there’s a viewing tomorrow morning, and I still need to prep Ms. Rudding.” I wanted to tell Kilian what I knew, but Drakos and I needed to talk first.

“Okay. Fennick is going to throw a fit when he finds out you’re at Drakos Creed’s loft, but it might be a blessing in disguise right now.”

My back straightened, and my eyes went wide. “How did you know?”

“Because it’s my job to keep track of the family. I won’t tell Fennick for now—he’s already out of control. I’ve got to go.”

He hung up, and I stared down at my phone, then shoved it back into my pocket.

“What’s going on?” Drakos watched me carefully.

“Kilian told me not to come in yet. A few OutKast members did a drive-by and shot Declan outside the Spade compound last night. Kil said he’s going to be okay, but he got hit in the calf and had to return gunfire to chase them off.”

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