Page 73 of Deathless
“I’m...actually okay, yeah,” she assured him. “Even better than when you checked on me hours ago. I’m just ready to wipe these crazy bitches off the planet.” Her smile at him was earnest, if a little wobbly. “I promise I’ll work with Malik on how traumatic this was after we’re done. But I have a job to do first.”
“We all do,” I piped up. “Every person here has a score to settle with this cult. We’re not just taking back our own lives,” I squeezed around Hudson’s forearm, “but the future.”
“That’s right.” Torr held his fist out for a pound, which I gave. “But before we do that...” His arms re-wrapped around Rori, his mouth going to her ear. “Santos and I have a surprise for you upstairs.”
“Oh, really?” She grinned, arching subtly to lean against him. “What kind of surprise?”
“One we’re pretty sure you’ll like.”
“Hmm.” Rori’s gaze slid to me and Hudson, eyes sparking with delight. “How would you feel if these two joined us?”
“Joined? You?” I choked out in disbelief.
“You two can watch and just play with each other,” Rori added quickly. “See how it feels to be part of a bigger group. If it’s not your thing, you can leave. We won’t be offended.”
“Baby steps,” Torr added with a nod, as if they had already discussed it. “I’m good with it. I’m sure Santos would be too.”
My voice was lost with awe, excitement, nervousness, disbelief at what was being offered, a whole mix of emotions. So I was grateful when Hudson answered.
“Yeah, I think we’d be open to that.” He kissed my neck, one hand sliding into the top of my shirt. “But you have to use your words, Dev,” he chided playfully.
Finally, I found my voice. “Yes, we’ll join you.”
25
RORI
Ipaced on the landing outside my closed bedroom door. Torr and Santos were on the other side of that slab of wood. Torr said he had to, “Get Santos ready,” and proceeded to shut the door in my face. That was almost twenty minutes ago.
“This better be fucking good,” I grumbled impatiently. I had been excited, my fantasies playing out all kinds of delicious foreplay scenes in my head. But as time stretched on, I was beginning to feel seriously blue-balled.
Devin and Hudson waited with me, the two of them adorably wrapped up in each other. While my boots wore a hole in the floor, they kissed, embraced, and spoke softly to each other. At times, I could feel Devin’s eyes on me, maybe even Hudson’s too.
Once we were all in that bedroom, some touching might happen between me and one of them. But I didn’t want to get between them out here. It would be their choice if they wanted me involved.
“How much longer?” I yelled through the door.
“Couple more minutes!” Torr called back.
“I bet it’s food,” Hudson said confidently. “He’s laying Santos out on the bed and covering him in whipped cream and cherries that you can eat off him.”
“I hate cherries, so he better not,” I muttered.
“What? How can you hate cherries?” Devin demanded.
“’Cause they’re gross!”
Finally, the door creaked ajar and a grinning Torr poked his head through. “Ready for your surprise?”
“Man, what do you think?” I was brimming with so much anticipation, I couldn’t even think of a proper smartass answer to that question. I just wedged my body through the gap, forcing Torr back as I stepped inside.
I was solely focused on the bed, which turned out to be empty and neatly made. But the moment I turned, my jaw fell open. “Oh. My. God...”
Santos was sitting in a chair, wearing nothing but boxer shorts. Or rather, he wastiedto the chair. This wasn’t a quick-and-dirty tie-up job, though. The only way to describe the ropework wasstunning.A work of art.
An intricate pattern of ties and knots held Santos in place, from his ankles and calves being held to the chair legs, to the harness-like structure stretched over his chest and torso.
“Hey paloma,” he said in a soft voice that was vulnerable, almost shy, but full of want.
