Page 31 of Desert King

My soul feels lighter the more I walk around the yard. It’s hot but there’s quite a lot of shade under the canopy of the trees. It almost feels as if time stops here and I’m in a bubble. Turning toward the horizon, I half-expect to see cowboys on their mustangs riding with big-brimmed hats through the brush. I feel connected to the Earth here. I feel as if in the quiet spirit of the nature all around me I can be still and listen to my soul, unlock the secrets hiding there and finally find the purpose that’s been eluding me. Two-hundred and fifty thousand is cheap when I’d pay any price to feel this way.

The phone rings in my hand. I tap, answering quickly.

“Mouse. It’s time to collect.”

My heart hammers. My palms sweat. The sound of his low voice skates down my spine.

“Edge.”

“I still taste you.”

“Mouse must taste good.”

“I wonder if your pussy could taste sweeter?”

“You’ll never know.”

He chuckles low. “I bet you’re wet just thinking about my head between your thighs.”

“My eyes are rolling.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What do you want?”

“I need you to gather some intel for me…”

“Me? That’s funny.”

“You owe me three, I’m collecting one. Tarak and a few men are riding out this weekend. Find out where and why.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll just ring his doorbell and get back to you. He threatened me…wants me out of Santa Fe.”

“Are you going to let him run you out?”

“Nope.”

“Good girl,” I hear the pleasure in his voice as he praises me.

“I’ll expect to hear from you by sundown.”

“What? That’s impossible. I can’t—”

“Don’t disappoint me.”

“Or what?”

“I’ll collect much more than a kiss, sugar.” A shudder rips through me. “Or maybe, you want that? I break girls like you then hand them over to F.O.C.U.S. I have a good side-business going partnering with him. Fresh girls are always a hot commodity and your kiss was the freshest I’ve had yet.” He taunts.

“You’d take me, just to trade me?”

“In a flash, doll. Don’t get any crazy notions about me. I told you from the start, I’m no angel.”

“And yet you kept saving me.”

“Saving you for a purpose. Sunset, doll. I’ll be in touch.” He ends the call and I’m left breathless and bewildered. I have a small crush on him. Like very tiny. Damn hormones. How else can I explain why the sound of his voice and the remembrance of his kiss makes my heart feel like tripping off a cliff? My nipples are pointy and swollen. Damn. I need to get laid. Repeatedly. I was never one to want sex in my old life but maybe that’s because my experiences were all with high school boys who were clueless. While Edge has so much experience it borderline grosses me out.

My phone rings again.

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