Page 23 of Powerless
"No, that was justhisname. It came to me in my head but I didn't choose it, if that makes sense."
I stopped in my tracks, pulling him back by his hand when he tried to keep walking.
"That makes zero sense. You're actually fucking with me now, aren’t you?”
"I swear I never heard the word Hades in my life before then," he insisted. "It was like," he paused to watch his dog chase after a bird, "like hetoldme his name."
"The more you tell me about this, the more fucking confused I get," I groaned, rubbing my temple.
"See? Better to not think about it so much," he teased, pulling me by the hand to keep walking.
The momentum sent me crashing into his side, which he used as an opportunity to drape his arm over my shoulders and kiss my temple. I slid an arm around his waist to coolly match his affection, but that didn't quell my insides shooting off like fireworks.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I thought I could do casual sex but I really had to get my feelings in check. Chances were higher that he'd discard me than keep me, and I had to prepare myself for that. Which meant not reading into the hand-holding. Or the kissing. Or his flirting and playful banter. Nor his insistence on making me come no less than a dozen times in a night. That was probably just his kink.
"I don't know who or what exactly Hades is," he mused, oblivious to the turmoil of my inner thoughts. "But I'm glad he's on our side."
"Where did Gunner ride off to?" I asked, ready for a subject change.
"To take care of club business," he answered dismissively. "He goes off solo to secure deals sometimes."
"He made it sound like it was something big and out of the ordinary." I gave Reaper a jab in the ribs. "And that you were pissed because he didn't ask you first."
"Woman, you are too fucking observant and curious for your own good." He lowered his forehead to mine and dropped a kiss on my nose with a smile. "It's a good thing I trust you."
"So," I looked up, the sun and bleached desert landscape making his eyes shine like two emeralds, "what's going on?"
"We're dealing with something here," he sighed, "that requires all hands on deck. With him gone, it leaves me short-handed. And without going into specifics, him leaving with no warning looks bad to the club. But he is taking care of something of utmost importance so I had to let him go, as much as I don't like it."
We walked a few more paces. Hades rolled onto his back, twisting and squirming with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth like a goofball.
"Anything I can do?" I asked after a few quiet moments.
"Aren't you sweet, sugar." He squeezed the nape of my neck. "Tensions are high, so the guys might take a few swings at each other. If they get seriously hurt, don't let them kill each other."
"That I can do," I smiled. "Anything else?"
His hand slid down to cup the small of my back.
"Scream my name when I'm inside you." His whisper was hot against my ear. "Come all over my cock like you'll never let it go. Sleep with your head on my chest and let me massage your worries away. Rub my balls—"
"Okay!" I laughed, shoving him away. "Jesus, I never know when you're going to be dirty or romantic."
"Gotta keep you on your toes." He pulled me into his side again with another devilish grin. "He likes you, you know."
"Who?"
"You know," he chided gently. "Gunner."
And I like him. Like hell I would say that out loud to Reaper of all people.
Of all these men, Gunner was the one I considered most like a friend. He was all smiles and lightheartedness, a pleasant distraction from his broody cohorts. His presence was like the sun's warmth, and not just because he was golden and gorgeous. If anyone else tried teaching me to not drown, I probably would not have been as calm. I was really sad to find out he'd be gone for several weeks. Not that I didn't enjoy being around Reaper or Jandro, butfriendwas not the first word that came to mind when I thought of them.
"He's a flirt," I said in response to Reaper's statement. "I'm sure he acts the way he does around all women, but I do consider him a friend."
"A friend," he repeated. "Nothing more?"
I looked up at him to find his gaze on Hades' antics once again. "Are you trying to insinuate something?"
