Page 84 of Reaper & Ruin
“Oh, so it’s just for her benefit that you touch me?” I shot back, letting my fingers skim down the hard lines of his stomachuntil I wrapped my hand firmly around his cock, using the soap like lube, so my hand slid without effort.
He laughed softly, but it warmed me more than the water ever could. “I play with you because I want to. Because you are my toy, and you’re a pretty one at that,” he said, his hand trailing down to grip my hip, pulling me against him until he could get a firm grip on me, mimicking my movements.
“Is that why you killed that mediocre gangster outside?” I smirked as I leaned up to kiss him again, nipping lightly at his bottom lip. “Because you don’t let people hurt your toys.”
He nodded his head, his laughter fading into a quiet exhale as his other hand slid to the small of my back, holding me steady as his lips found mine again. The kiss deepened, slower now, and I melted into it, letting him guide me, letting myself forget—for just a moment—everything waiting for us outside the bathroom.
I had no idea how long we stayed there. Skin wrinkling. Hands getting faster. Rougher. But we kept going until our kisses were a frenzy of tongues and moans escaped far louder than was probably sensible. Not that we cared. Especially Atlas, judging from the noises he made when he came apart in my hand, and I his. The evidence of our ridiculousness quickly washing down the drain.
We pulled apart, both of us breathing a little heavier now, the water still pouring down around us. His hand lingered on my hip, his thumb brushing absently against my skin as if he wasn’t ready to let go. I didn’t want him to either, but we couldn’t stay in here forever. We needed to figure out what Danika wanted to do, and then hurry up and leave.
We had to return to our girl before she missed us too much.
With a soft sigh, I pressed one last kiss to his jaw and stepped back, reaching for the tap to shut off the water. The sudden absence of heat left my skin prickling, and I grabbed a towel from the rack, tossing one to him as I started dryingoff. Atlas made quick work of it, his movements efficient, like everything he did.
I pulled on my clothes, running my fingers through my wet hair as I watched him dress. There was something quietly reassuring about the way he moved—calm, steady, like no matter what was coming, he’d be ready for it. It made me feel confident once more.
Like he was only here for fun, and the second he grew bored, he would take us home again.
When he finished, he turned to me, with that same faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get ourselves out of here.”
Chapter Twenty Eight, Siblings
The door creaked open a few hours after our shower, the sound grating against the silence of the room. Danika stepped inside. Her presence sucked the air out of the space like a sudden drop in pressure, her sharp gaze darting between Gio and me as if she was already ten moves ahead of us.
“Get up,” she said flatly, her voice cold and measured. “Both of you. Let’s go.”
Gio pushed himself up off the bed first, his movements stiff, his posture bristling with defiance. He was trying to hold on to the scraps of control he didn’t have, the tension in his jaw and shoulders giving him away. I stayed seated for a moment longer, watching Danika as she stood near the door, one hand on her hip, the other resting loosely by her side. Her stance was relaxed, but there was an edge to it, a kind of coiled energy that promised violence if we stepped out of line.
Something had pissed her off, and I wondered what.
I stood slowly, keeping my movements casual. There was no point in making her think I was going to try anything—not yet, anyway. Her inky eyes flicked to me, lingering for half a second too long, like she was daring me to test her patience.
I didn’t.
Danika turned on her heel, her boots clicking softly against the floor as she strode down the dimly lit hallway. The wood-paneled walls creaked faintly with every shift of weight, and the faint smell of stale coffee lingered in the air.
Gio followed her without a word, and I fell into step behind him, my eyes scanning the hall as we moved.
When we reached the lounge, Danika stepped aside and gestured for us to enter.
“Sit,” she said simply, her tone leaving no room for argument as she waved at the set of couches and not the ridiculous podiums she’d set up.
Danika sank onto the couch, sprawling back with ease. With her legs crossed at the knee, her arms rested lazily along the back of the couch. But there was nothing casual about the way she watched us, her dark gaze sharp and calculating, like she was dissecting us piece by piece.
She gestured to the chairs across from her. “I said, sit.”
Gio hesitated for half a beat, then moved to the seat on the left. He sank into it stiffly, his body still radiating tension. I took the chair beside him, lowering myself slowly and leaning back just enough to appear relaxed without letting my guard down.
She let the silence stretch, her eyes flicking between us as if she was enjoying the weight of our unease. She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees, and clasped her hands together.
“Here’s the deal,” she said, her voice low but cutting. “I no longer have time for my grand finale. So we’re going to do this rapid-fire style.”
“What does that entail?” I asked.
“You’re going to answer one question and do one task. That’s it.”
“And if we do?” Gio asked, his tone edged with suspicion.
