Page 20 of The Chief
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a packet of loose tobacco and opened the flap. Was heactuallyrolling a cigarette right now? I watched his strong, sure fingers roll the paper and dried leaves into a tight cylinder before he brought it to his mouth and licked the end to seal it. Placing the cigarette into his mouth, he took his time lighting it. Smoke billowed from his nose as he exhaled, like a dragon guarding his treasure.
That was me.
I was his treasure.
“Ticktock, Jynx,” he reminded me with a wicked grin.
“I’ll wait,” I replied, even though I hated the idea of spending another second wearing these clothes.
“Are you sure? This will be your last chance to get cleaned up before you’re brought in front of Finnan.”
I nibbled my bottom lip, indecision playing through me. Though I knew I would have to face Finnan eventually, I didn’t want to negotiate for my life while smelling and looking like death.
“Turn around,” I told him.
His amused smirk widened. “What?”
“Turn around. If you must stand there, at least turn around.”
“Why would I ever do you a favor?”
“Because you’re a decent human being?” I asked, already knowing he wasn’t. He was the Chief for the Mac Tíre Clan. He was dangerous. Hard. Unyielding … but he was also the only person who was possibly on my side right now. If you could count him not killing me already, as being on my side.
Keir’s laughter boomed and echoed against the tiles. “Believe me, Jynx, if you know what thoughts were running through my head, you wouldn’t think of me as decent.”
His eyes had darkened to midnight, his gaze hungry even though there was a hint of disgust tinging it too. Did he despise me, or was the loathing turned inward?
We stared at each other for a long minute until I finally broke our locked gaze. “So, will you turn around?”
He inhaled deeply, blowing out the smoke through his nose with a sigh. “No.”
No, he would not turn around.
No, we would not leave until I’d cleaned up.
No, I didn’t want to stay in these clothes that Grady had died on.
No, I didn’t have another choice.
With shaking hands, I reached for the top of my dress, sliding the first small silver button through the hole. Keir’s eyes lockedon my fingers as they worked down the front until my chest was bared to him from collarbone to stomach.
He then took another hit of his cigarette—the tip glowing red—and blew out a steady stream of smoke.
Biting my bottom lip, I pushed the material off one shoulder, then the other, his eyes flaring as the dress fell off my narrow hips. On instinct, my hand moved to the apex of my thighs, covering myself from his view. I was standing before him in only a bra and although I wasn’tcompletelynaked, I certainly felt as if I’d been stripped of more than my clothing.
Breathing through my mouth to keep my pulse from racing, I spun around and turned on the closest shower, before reaching around to unhook my bra. The lacy fabric fell to the tiles at my feet, and I kicked it away. With one arm wrapped around my breasts, I stepped under the spray. As soon as the water hit me, Keir let out a snort of derision, and I glared at him over my shoulder.
“What?!” I demanded, running a hand through my hair and soaking it. It was awkward with only one hand, but I managed.
“Why are you so shy with me, Jynx? We’ve?—”
“Fucked,” I said, interrupting him. “I know. That was different.”
“How was it different?”
“It was dark.”
“You were still naked,” he retorted.
