Page 92 of Claimed
I set my glass on the counter and stalk to her. She backs up. My snarl is dark. Frustrated. I grab her face in my hands and kiss her hard. Though she stiffens, her scent fills my nose in a glorious mix of my spice and her sweetness.
“Never run from me, angel,” I breathe against her mouth as I pull back. “For I will follow.”
Her eyes flutter open and the amber rings of her irises are hot. Confused.
And god help me, the confusion is what makes my gut clench and my chest ache. I kiss her again. Softer. Needing her flavor. Craving it.
There is a not so gentle cough.
My shoulders tighten. Onyx grips my hands where I still hold her. She licks my lip and pulls away, leaving my cock jumping in my jeans.
Nisha beams at her and holds out a hand. “Nisha Rawlins.”
Onyx’s own smile is not as broad and more cautious. But she takes her hand solidly. “Onyx.”
“Just one name?” Nisha asks. “Like Beyoncé? Or Cher?”
Onyx chuckles. “Something like that, yeah.”
“I can dig it.” Nisha points. “The little golden doll next to Gage is Amoret Knyt. The Louisiana Ambassador to the Sith.”
Amoret waves brightly as Gage rubs her bare arm. In a pretty summer dress, Amoret is indeed almost doll like. Feminine and sweet. Onyx nods.
“I’m Lilah Marks,” Lilah steps up before Nisha can say anything. “Um, I know we have really shitty timing, but Nisha said you fell ill and we wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Onyx watches her. Her chin starts to tilt, the stubborn angle ready to shut down any potential for pain. I slip behind her, drawing her back against my chest as my hands tease along her waist. Lilah’s eyes gleam.
But it is not from jealousy or anger. Nor regret.
There is a happiness in her eyes. A happiness for me.
Onyx exhales and interlocks her fingers in mine, keeping me tight to her. “It’s nice to meet you,” she says softly.
Lilah laughs. “Oh honey, I can see that’s a lie without hearing your heartbeat.” Onyx stiffens. Lilah softens the laughter and offers her a cautious smile “But I saw the way Caine looked at you when you walked out of that room, and I can promise he has never looked at me that way.”
A small tension leaves Onyx’s frame. She nods. I know there is a wealth of things hovering on her wicked tongue, but she doesn’t say any of them.
Lilah glances at me as she moves away and winks.
Rolling my eyes, I bury my face in Onyx’s dark mane and breathe her scent. There is no hiding what she does to my body as she leans back into me. So I casually rub back and forth over her plump ass as a reminder.
Her core tightens, and I hide my smile in her hair.
“There is another good thing about you ladies showing up,” Ruin says. “We may need some unfamiliar eyes to help ferret out where Helios is hiding the damn Brightex cases.” He lifts his arm as Lilah nears, and she curls into his side, her hand splayed on his chest.
I wait for the jealousy. The anger.
But it seems dulled now. Far away.
Nisha rubs her hands together. “Undercover work. Sweet.” Tanner growls and she swats his knee. “Oh stop, you great big house cat. We can help. And we will. Any way we can.”
Amoret nods. “Those drugs cannot make it to the streets, let alone whatever horror Helios has planned for them.”
“How familiar are the Fae with Helios?” Ruin asks her.
She shudders. “Helios personally? Not so much. But his son has visited the White Tower many times. Along with one of their business partners. The son is … not terrible. But the other?” Gage tightens his hold on her as she cringes. “He enjoys hurting women,” she finishes.
Nisha snarls and her mouth fills with long white teeth. “I hate assholes like that.” Tanner massages the back of her neck and nods, his eyes pewter with anger.
