Blood Deep (Blackthorn Book 4) (31 page)

He turned side-on to face her, his hand relinquishing the handle. ‘There’s no need.’

But there was every need. She was on the cusp of potentially getting out. On the cusp of saving the lycan kids. Maybe even on the cusp of doing something about the pending disaster. There was
no way
she was sitting there doing nothing.

She grabbed her cardigan from the bedpost and tugged it on.

‘There’s every need if Pummel is to know you’re doing your job properly,’ she said, reaching for and clutching the handle, the proximity of his body burning through hers again. ‘If he’s to see you’re the effective prison guard he hired you to be. He told you not to let me out of your sight.’

‘You’ll do as you’re told,’ he said, wrapping his hand over hers on the handle, preventing her from opening the door.

She looked him square in the eyes. ‘We both already know I can have trouble with that.’

‘And if anyone sees you looking at me like you were on that bed just now, they’re going to know it. And we’re screwed.’

He
had
noticed. She squashed the sense of awkwardness that lingered inside. But if he wanted to play it cool, then she was more than capable of doing exactly the same.

Despite his grip on her hand, she turned the handle with relative ease, reminding him of what he was dealing with. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ she said with a small shrug. She tugged open the door. ‘I only saw how
you
were looking at
me
.’

He could have slammed it shut again. They could have had a small, albeit silent battle, but instead he let her go.

But only to cross the threshold.

He caught her hip, pressed his body against her back as he closed the door behind them. ‘Then maybe we both need to watch ourselves. This is going to require teamwork, Jessie.
Real
teamwork.’

The trust might not have fully been there yet, but wanting to spend more time with him was. And she’d make sure she enjoyed whatever she had left of it.

She glanced over her shoulder. ‘I’m more than capable. Are you?’

J
essie led
the way down the stairs, Eden remaining a silent force behind her.

The lounge was quiet, most now at the other end of the row. Pummel seemingly had taken himself to his room, as he’d said he was going to. Homer had disappeared too, along with Chemist – both no doubt having headed out to start asking questions. Tatum was nowhere to be seen either. Dice sat in the room alone, some girl on her knees between his, distracting him enough for him not to be bothered to acknowledge Eden with anything more than a quick glance as he and Jessie passed by the doorway.

It was still a risk when Eden placed his hand back on her hip though, before sliding it down her behind.

‘A little risky,’ she whispered, reaching back to catch his hand as she cast a wary glance over her shoulder and up the stairs as she led the way down the hall to the kitchen.

Everything inside her tightened as he interlaced his fingers with hers behind her back, squeezing lightly.

‘You think?’ he asked, his tone edged with playfulness again as he released her hand to tap

her on her behind as they stepped across the threshold.

Jessie leaned back against the worktop as he brushed past her, his nonchalance as thrilling as his unexpected touch had been.

As he switched the kettle on, she glanced ahead at the larder. The temptation to offload everything was immense. But if what he said about his niece was true, if the compassion she’d seen in his eyes as he’d talked of her was as real as it had felt, he’d undoubtedly want them freed. And he wouldn’t understand her resistance, not without her revealing the whole truth. And she trusted no one with the whole truth – not even Eden.

Maintaining the shroud of silence, he stretched, flexing both arms behind his head before rolling his shoulders, exposing his taut midriff – a midriff where the wound she had tended to was now nothing more than a faint scar. A faint scar that reminded her how far they had come in such a short time.

He glanced across at her, a glimmer of a smile gracing his lips as he caught her looking.

She dropped her gaze to the floor, let her hair mask her face to conceal her reciprocal smile. When she looked back, he’d braced both arms on the worktop, was watching the steam seep from the spout into the cool pre-dawn air.

‘How long before Pummel’s moving around again?’ he asked.

‘A couple of hours maybe.’

‘That’s a lot of time to kill.’

And longer than she’d intended leaving the youngsters without the food and water she’d planned to take them. She glanced back at the larder. Now she just needed to focus on making sure Eden got that necklace so she could offer them more than temporary comforts.

He retrieved two mugs from the top cupboard, giving her another flash of his stomach, his low-slung jeans again – that belt he had used to restrain her on the bed.

Her heart skipped a beat at the recollection. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, the brush of cotton against the inside of her thighs drawing her attention there more than she needed. She folded her arms, the air chilling the gap of bare flesh between her mid-thigh socks and her dress more than usual, the drop in temperature particularly noticeable.

Searching the cupboards, bringing him another step closer, he found the coffee and the powdered milk in the cupboard to her immediate left. He emptied a spoonful of each into both mugs as the kettle clicked.

‘I hope you realise what you’ve taken on.’

‘With the task?’ He looked into her eyes. ‘Or with you?’

‘Both.’

He braced his arms either side of her thighs. ‘You need to extend a little more faith. Where’s the food kept around here?’

She could have directed him to the larder – allowed him to see the trapdoor. She could have directed him to some of the other cupboards. Instead she turned in his arms to open the cupboard directly behind her.

He didn’t move, his hands remaining braced either side of her. She knew he was looking at anything but the contents of the cupboard. She knew he had picked up on her taunt.

She sent a cautious glance at the ajar door. They’d have no time to do anything. Wouldn’t dare risk doing anything. And that’s what made it even more exciting.

She’d still have to remain alert, as challenging as it was with his hard body pressed against hers, his erection, she could feel against her behind, already stirring.

She flattened her palms on the counter, lifted herself onto tiptoes, purposefully brushing her behind up his length as she feigned a further search of the cupboard.

She heard the taut intake of his breath. She saw the slight whitening of his knuckles as his fingers tensed on the worktop beside hers. And she smiled to herself.

He wrapped his hand over the edge of the cupboard door she was holding, giving her a flash of those numbers as he closed it. Those numbers that no longer felt threatening.

‘The way I look at you, huh?’ he said, picking up from the conversation where they’d left off before coming downstairs.

‘Don’t think I haven’t noticed.’

‘You should be trying to deflect it.’

‘Why?’

His hands were on her hips a second later. He pressed her a little tighter against the worktop, before slowly gathering the back of her dress into his fingers. ‘We’ve both got a job to do,’ he reminded her. ‘A deal to maintain.’ He bunched her dress over her behind, exposing her underwear to him.

She could feel him lean back to look at what he had uncovered, despite his lower body remaining locked against hers.

Her heart fluttered. ‘Every job has perks.’

He pressed his knee between her thighs before sliding both palms down into the back of her knickers, grasping the bare flesh of her behind and squeezing as he pressed his lips to her ear. ‘You’re a real temptress when you want to be, aren’t you?’

‘Clearly,’ she said. ‘Or maybe you’re just an easy catch.’

She felt him smile against her ear. He released one hand from her behind to take hold of her hand, guiding it back, holding it over his now rock-hard erection. ‘Clearly.’

She glanced warily back at the ajar door.

‘Do you hear well?’

She nodded. ‘I have
very
adept hearing.’

‘Good,’ he whispered, sliding his free hand down over the curve of her behind to between her legs.

Her heart jolted at the feel of his fingers against her sex again, a sweep of perspiration washing over her as she glanced warily back at the door.

He skilfully prized the bottom drawer open with his foot, giving her a ledge as he used his knee to guide her foot up onto it, kicking her other foot over another couple of inches with a nudge of his.

He let go of the hand he’d guided to his crotch to gently cup her throat again. ‘Then keep watching,’ he whispered against her ear.

She bit back a breath as he used two fingers pressed together to coat her sex with her own arousal, using the natural lubrication to ease his entry as he slid his middle finger inside her.

She closed her eyes.

‘Okay,’ she said breathily, opening her eyes only to look warily back down the hall again, ‘this is pushing it.’

‘You started it.’

She gasped, shuddered, jolted, as this time he pushed two fingers inside her.

She squeezed her hand over his erection. Dared to slide her hand down further to cup him.

His grip on her throat tightened a little, his fingers plunging deep enough for her to grit her teeth, to close her eyes again to indulge in the sensation.

‘
And
you knew I’d respond,’ he added. ‘I warned you about playing sex games with me.’

‘I haven’t even started.’

‘Me neither. So tell me, if I came in your mouth, would you swallow?’

Her heart leapt. Her sex clenched. Wet heat pooled in her abdomen, his fingers slicker on their slow withdrawal before re-entering her again. ‘Would you want me to?’

‘Would
you
want to?’

She closed her eyes, before opening them warily on the door again. ‘Yes.’

‘We need to take this somewhere,’ he said softly against her ear. ‘What’s behind that door?’

‘What door?’

‘The one you’ve been glancing at ever since we got down here.’

Her heart pounded a little faster. ‘I haven’t.’

‘You’re lying,’ he pushed his fingers a little deeper. ‘What’s in there, Jess? Maybe I should take a look.’

She heard footsteps. Flinched. Thrust Eden away from her with a curt knock of her behind against him.

Luckily he took the hint. He responded quickly, taking up his coffee, stepping over to the table behind him.

Jessie tugged her knickers back up over her behind. Pushed her hair back from her face. Took a steady breath and reached for her coffee too.

He kicked a gap between the chairs so he could ease up onto the table to sit facing her. He lifted the mug to his lips, his bicep extended distractingly as it always did within the boundary of his T-shirt sleeve. He rested a foot on each chair just in time for Dice to walk in.

He glanced at Eden, then at Jessie, neither of them daring to look at each other until his back was to them on his way across to the fridge.

Frustration coursed through her veins at the interruption – a frustration that was equally evident in Eden from his clenched jaw as he looked across at Dice.

Then he met her gaze, sending a jolt through her heart and between her legs again as he sent her a furtive wink.

‘She behaving herself?’ Dice asked, turning back around with two beers in his hand.

‘I’m managing to keep her in line,’ Eden declared with a smile in his eyes that Jessie had come to know too well by now.

Dice smiled too, despite clearly not being in on
their
secret.

She lifted her coffee to her lips to conceal her own smile.

Dice looked across at her, his gaze lingering on her chest, down to her legs. He glanced back at Eden, sharing another conspiratorial smile.

Only Jessie had seen that
look
from Eden before too – right before he ploughed his blade into Travis’s groin. A look of possessiveness that caressed her with an unfamiliar warmth of belonging. She wasn’t even sure Eden knew he was doing it but, if that was the case, it forged an even deeper pang in her heart.

‘
Y
ou did right
,’ Dice said, flicking off the lids before handing Eden a beer, ignoring the coffee he still held, ‘getting in with Pummel.’ He held his own bottle up towards Eden by way of a toast.

Eden complied. Clinking glasses with the con, he knocked back a mouthful. Back on task, he hoped Pummel would make an appearance before too long. Then somehow he had to get the information out of him.

‘You think so?’

‘I know so. It’s a good sign he’s left you in charge of Jessie. I reckon I can persuade him to let you in on other ventures too. I’ve got this special little business,’ he said, leaning forward conspiratorially. ‘One Pummel lets me handle on my own – a pool hall and bar a couple of miles from here. The place has gone to shit without Len, not making any profit.’ He took another mouthful. ‘He used to run the place.’

‘What happened to him?’

‘The business was already on the slide so me and Chemist went around to have words. It was supposed to be a warning beating.’ He shrugged. ‘We got a bit overexcited. You know how it is.’

Eden took a slow and steady sip from his beer, his gaze not leaving Dice’s over the top of his bottle. In the corner of his eye, he saw Jessie shift with discomfort, reminding him that she would have spent most nights listening in on conversations like this.

The con sniffed. ‘It’s about letting them know who’s in charge, see. You slack off on one and soon they’re all expecting it. And everyone knows you can’t run an empire that way.’

‘So who runs the place now?’

‘His wife and his sister. Or
trying
to. Like I said, the business is shit.’

‘Can’t be easy running a place around here – a couple of women on their own.’

Dice laughed. ‘Don’t let Tatum hear you say that. She’ll leave you castrated and bleeding out from every artery for making those kinds of sexist remarks. Her businesses are amongst the most successful around here next to Pummel’s. Yeah, we’re leading the world on women’s lib here in Blackthorn, treating them as equal as we treat men. Unfortunately, those two women relied too much on Len looking out for them. Now we’ve got punters taking advantage, waltzing out without paying and that kind of thing.’

‘Pummel lets that happen?’

‘He keeps intervention aside for the more lucrative businesses.’

‘Then why doesn’t he shut the place down?’

‘He’s not
completely
heartless. He knows those women have got nowhere else to go, not unless they want to move out of the south and get sired by some vampire scum – and no doubt get separated in the process. Besides,’ Dice said, with a shrug, ‘like I said, it’s my business now and there are other ways they can pay their protection rates.’ He lifted his bottle to his lips, his smirk churning Eden’s stomach. ‘Which means free entertainment for me.’ He knocked back a mouthful. ‘And you too if you want in. I think we’re alike me and you,’ he added, pointing the bottle at Eden.

Nothing fucking alike
, Eden spat out in his head whilst he offered Dice a smile.

‘You can come with me next time I collect if you want.’ Dice leaned forward, licked his teeth before grinning. ‘They’re both
real
willing, you know. I barely ever hear a peep out of the one – Josie. That’s the sister. Tanya kicks up a fuss sometimes but it’s all part of the game. Which type do you prefer – the willing or the fighters? I’ll let you have picks.’ He raised his eyebrows, nodding with encouragement as if he were doing him a huge favour.

How Eden didn’t draw back his fist and smack him clean in the nose, spreading it halfway across his face, he had no idea. ‘We’ll see when we get there, shall we?’ He knocked back another bitter mouthful.

Dice frowned. ‘Yeah, well, don’t let me take you there if you’re not up for it. I don’t want to be feeling awkward about it, do you know what I’m saying? But I’m telling you, Reece, you
want
to be in on this. One day, we’re not just going to rule the south. Our time is coming. One day we’re going to rule this entire fucking district. The authorities don’t give a shit. They’ll just keep shipping in us cons until we outnumber those third species, and then they’re not going to stand a chance. Fucking deterrent?’ He exhaled off a terse laugh. ‘Being sent here isn’t a fucking deterrent. It’s all part of Pummel’s strategy. He’s got plans. Big plans. We’re going to take out the third species big guns, the likes of your Kane Malloys, Caleb Dehains and Jask Taos, those who
think
they rule this place, and then those of us who are
entitled
–
us
fucking humans – will stake our claim. Stake being the operative word.’ Dice laughed at his own joke, the already disturbing glint in his eyes glimmering. But then his expression was sombre again.