Jinx (23 page)

“And you’re going to be there tomorrow?”

I nodded. “I want to see this thing through to the end. I want to see Hangman and Prism get carted off to prison.”

“Then I’m coming too,” Debonair said. “After all, I’m the reason you’re in this mess.”

“It’s not your fault. Just my own bad luck, bad sense of timing.”

Debonair took off his mask, and Devlin stared into my eyes. “Is that what you think meeting me, spending time with me, has been? A run of bad luck?”

“Of course not! I’ve enjoyed our time together.”

Loved it, actually
. But I couldn’t say that to him. It would just make things harder in the end.

Before I could stop him, Devlin pulled me into his lap and kissed me. I found myself responding, despite my promise to keep my distance.

“Let me love you, Bella. Please. Just for tonight,” he murmured against my mouth.

I couldn’t look away from the need in his eyes, the desire, the passion. Couldn’t pretend they weren’t there. Those same emotions filled me too. I’d almost died half a dozen times the past few days. I might die tomorrow night, despite the Fearless Five’s assurances that everything would go smoothly.

Suddenly, I didn’t want to pass up this chance, not when there were so many things that could go wrong. There would be time to be sensible later. There would be time to say goodbye to Devlin later.

Much, much later.

I climbed off his lap and got to my feet. Disappointment shimmered in his eyes. He thought I was going to tell him to leave again. I wasn’t. Not tonight, anyway.

I wasn’t bold and daring by nature, not like Fiona and Carmen were. But tonight, I felt like I could do anything. Try anything. Dare anything. Part of me felt like I had to. Just this once.

So I unzipped the back of the dress, peeled it down my arms, and let it crumple to the floor. Most of Fiona’s gowns were so form-fitting you couldn’t really wear anything under them, except for a bit of perfume. I stepped out of the ruined fabric and kicked it aside, along with my broken shoes. I stood there before him, naked, except for the angel charm around my throat and the silver bracelet dangling from my wrist.

“Stand up,” I commanded.

He did as I asked. I moved toward him, careful not to actually touch his body. If I did that, I’d be a goner. So, I reached around his chest, drinking in the smell of roses that emanated from him, and unzipped the back of his costume. I tugged the leather down his arms and threw it aside. Next, I undid his boots. Devlin stepped out of them. Finally, I came to his pants. I undid the zipper, slowly, slowly, slowly, then pulled down the tight fabric.

I moved my lips along his shaft, just brushing it with the softest, slightest touch. He stiffened and reached for me, but I evaded his grasp and finished lowering his pants. Devlin stepped out of those as well, and I drank in the sight of his naked form. He truly was a beautiful man. Toned. Muscled. And exquisitely hard just where he should be. And he was all mine. At least for tonight.

I stood up and pushed him back until his legs hit the sofa, and he sat down. I put my knees on either side of his legs, straddling him. I rested my hands on his shoulders, the only part of my body actually touching his.

“Do you want me, Devlin?” I asked, teasing him even more.

“You . . . know . . . that I . . . do,” he rasped, his fingers clenching the edge of the cushions.

His eyes locked with mine. The passion shimmering in the blue depths almost frightened me, but I was too far gone to care. And I wanted him just as badly as he wanted me. Maybe even more.

“Then love me, Devlin Debonair Dash. Now,” I whispered and lowered my lips to his.

I didn’t have to tell him twice. I’d pushed him to the edge of his control. His tongue plunged into my mouth, hard and demanding. His hands were everywhere. My face. My hair. Breasts. Stomach. Thighs. In seconds, we were both hot and ready and eager.

Debonair popped a condom into the room and covered himself. I immediately rose up on my knees again and sank down onto his stiff shaft. I slowly began to move, sliding up and down on the hard length, riding him. His groans and cries of pleasure mixed with my own. I increased my pace, increased my rhythm, taking him a little farther in every single time.

“Bella!” he cried out my name.

I threw my head back, rose up a final time, and sank back down to the hilt of him.

The world exploded as we came together.

I slumped over his body, spent and euphoric. He nuzzled my neck, pressing sweet, soft kisses to the hollow of my throat.

“Thank you for that,” he said.

“What?”

“Seducing me.”

I leaned back and cradled his face in my hands. “Well, I learned from a master.”

He shook his head. “No, you’ve far exceeded anything I’ve ever dreamed of. I love you, Bella.”

I bit my lip and didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I couldn’t tell him I loved him. It would only hurt that much more to let him go in the end. To walk away and never look back. Devlin’s eyes grew sad when I didn’t return his sentiment, but he smiled anyway.

“So what do you want to do now?” I asked, my eyes straying to the bed. It wouldn’t be quite as much fun as the water bed, but it would definitely do.

An impish light appeared in his eyes. “You’ve had your turn, but I haven’t even gotten started yet, Bella.”

POP!

Suddenly, our positions were reversed. I lay on my back on the sofa, while Debonair knelt on the floor beside me. He eased my thighs apart and lowered his mouth to my molten core. I arched up off the sofa, burying my fingers in his hair.

POP!

We stood against the wall. His mouth was on my breast, his teeth scraping my hard, aching nipple. His fingers dove inside me, stroking, teasing, caressing. My head spun round and round as desire overcame me once again.

POP!

We lay on the floor, side by side. Devlin traced lazy circles around my breast with one hand, while the other explored my wet, aching folds.

“That’s . . . not . . . fair . . . using your . . . superpowers,” I gasped.

“But it sure is fun, isn’t it?”

He continued his ministrations. I panted as sensation after sensation filled every part of my body. Pleasure. Pressure. I wanted him again. And again. And again.

Now.

POP!

We landed in the bed. I drew him down to me, and Devlin covered my body with his. As he slid into me, I found my release.

And so did he.

27

I awoke the next morning wrapped in Devlin’s arms. It was a good place to be. Warm, safe, secure. I stared at him, watching him sleep. The early morning light streaming through the windows highlighted the sharp planes of his face. His bruises had faded to mere shadows, and the shallow cuts had sewn themselves shut overnight. Devlin must have had a bit of regeneration in him. Most superheroes and ubervillains did. It helped in their line of work.

Devlin must have felt me staring at him, because his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, he looked confused, as if he couldn’t quite remember where he was or what had happened. Then, his eyes cleared, and he smiled.

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” I whispered.

“Hey there, yourself.” Devlin leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

We lay there kissing for a long while, before I eased away and sat up.

“How about some breakfast?” I asked, sliding out of bed and pulling on a thick terrycloth robe with black-and-white angels embroidered on it.

Devlin sat up. The cotton sheet fell away, exposing his chest. I eyed him, thinking maybe breakfast would be better in bed.

“I’m going to go,” he said, not quite looking at me. “I think it’s for the best right now.”

“Oh. All right.”

Part of me was disappointed. But part of me understood why he was leaving. He’d told me that he loved me, and I hadn’t responded. I’d hurt his feelings, but I didn’t have any choice. Not if I wanted to hang on to what was left of my sanity. But still another part of me longed to say the words back to him. Because they were true.

I was in love with Devlin Debonair Dash. And I didn’t want to be. I wasn’t going to be a superhero’s girlfriend. I’d already spent too much of my life patching up my superhero grandfather and father and brother. I didn’t want to do that anymore. Didn’t want to sit up nights worrying about whether Devlin was going to come home or not. I wouldn’t put myself through that. Not even for him.

Because if he died, it would break my heart all over again.

But I didn’t want him to leave. Not yet. Not like this. So I did the only thing I could. I let the robe fall from my body and climbed back into bed. Devlin stared at me like I was Eve offering him a ripe, juicy apple. Maybe I was. I couldn’t tell Devlin that I loved him, but I could show him. In my own way.

“Are you sure you have to go?” I asked, tugging the sheet down off his wonderful body.

“Bella—” he said in a warning tone.

“Hmm?” I asked, lowering my mouth to his stiffening shaft. “What were you saying? Something about going home, I believe.”

“I think I can stay . . . a little longer,” he said, pulling me closer.

“Good,” I murmured before covering him with my mouth once again.

After another round of passion, we lay in bed, cuddled close together. We didn’t talk about last night or today or tomorrow. We just were, tangled together in easy silence. I closed my eyes and listened to Devlin’s heart
thump-thump-thump
under my ear. If I’d had the power to stop time, I would have used it to preserve this single, precious, perfect moment.

Finally, though, Devlin put on his costume, promising to meet me at the museum reopening tonight. I told him the Fearless Five would have everything under control, but he insisted on being there. Just in case. His concern only made me love him that much more, and I bit my tongue to keep from telling him. Devlin pressed a kiss to my wrist and popped away.

After he left, I stayed in bed, huddled in the warm spot we’d created together. My eyes drifted over the clouds and cherubs frolicking on the ceiling, but I didn’t really see the blue-and-white paintings.

I was too busy wondering if I was doing the right thing.

Maybe . . . maybe I was wrong about us not being together. Maybe Devlin and I could make it work. Maybe there was a chance for us, mask and leather and all. I loved him so much. There had to be some way we could make it work. There just had to be.

But try as I might, I couldn’t think of what it could be.

Still, I went downstairs to the kitchen more cheerful and hopeful than I’d been in weeks. Bobby sat at the kitchen table, eating scrambled eggs with cheese and mustard, and reading the latest editions of the
Exposé
and the
Chronicle
.

“Someone looks happy this morning,” Bobby said.

I couldn’t stop the blush that crept up my cheeks, so I concentrated on pouring some juice without spilling it. “I had a nice time last night with my date.”

“Ah, yes, your date.” Bobby smiled and stuck his face back behind the newspaper, saving me from any more embarrassment.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. I turned to the door, puzzled by who else could be in the house this early in the morning. Grace Caleb appeared. Her loose silver hair flowed around her shoulders, and she looked just as rumpled and satisfied as me. I froze, my glass of orange juice halfway to my lips.

Grace sashayed over to Bobby and gave him a long, lingering kiss like I wasn’t even in the room.

“Ahem.”

She kept right on kissing him.

“Ahem!”

The two of them broke apart.

“Hello, Grace,” I said, finally taking a sip of my orange juice. The pulpy liquid tasted sweet and wet in my parched mouth.

“Hello, Bella. Did you sleep well?”

I flashed back to last night. I hadn’t gotten much sleep at all, not with Devlin popping us into a variety of interesting positions. But I didn’t feel tired. Not in the least.

“Oh, yes. And you?”

Grace shot Bobby a naughty grin. “Wonderful. The best sleep I’ve had in a long, long time.”

Grandfather gave her a slow wink. I sat there and tried really, really hard to pretend that sleep was all she was talking about.

Bobby had made enough eggs for the three of us, and we relaxed around the table making small talk. After we’d finished, Grace announced she had to leave. Bobby pouted a bit, then walked her back to the
guest room
where she’d spent the night. They didn’t reappear for an hour.

Since Grandfather was otherwise engaged, I drove out to Sublime to check in with the Fearless Five and plot how things would work at the museum tonight. Carmen, Sam, Chief Newman, Henry, Lulu, and I met in the library, just like always. For once, I didn’t mind being part of the superheroes’ inner circle.

“Everything’s in place,” Carmen said. “We dropped off the sapphire at the museum this morning and watched while they put it back on display. It’s in the same spot as before, except with much more security.”

“What do you mean,
more security
?” I asked.

Henry pulled up a schematic on his computer monitor. “Instead of the glass case the museum uses for precious items, we substituted one of our own. If the ubervillains do manage to steal the sapphire, they’ll have a hard time getting to it.”

I thought of Prism’s laserama. “Even with her laser gun?”

“The glass isn’t foolproof,” Henry admitted. “Nothing ever is.”

“Which is where the tracking device comes in,” Lulu said. “Henry and the chief sprayed the sapphire with a clear paint that has a radioactive signature. So, even if Prism and Hangman somehow manage to steal the sapphire, escape, and get it out of the case, we’ll still be able to track them down.”

“It sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” I chimed in, admiring their thoroughness.

Carmen picked up one of her Rubik’s Cubes and started playing with it. “I’m still worried,” she confessed, twisting the rows of colors back and forth in her hands. “I don’t like the fact the museum is reopening with so much fanfare. You don’t think the ubervillains will attack then, do you?”

Sam shook his head. “I wouldn’t think so. Too many people around. More than likely they’ll try to steal the stone after the museum closes. It’ll be easier then. At least, they’ll think so.”

Carmen kept pacing. Sam grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap. He took the puzzle from her fingers and put it down on the table.

“Don’t worry,” he said, gathering her close to him. “Nothing bad is going to happen. We’ve planned this all too well, and we’ll be there to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Okay?”

Carmen stared into his eyes, then pressed a kiss to his lips. “Okay.”

Seeing the two of them be so gentle, so tender with each other reminded me of Devlin and how much I’d come to love him. Carmen and Sam had overcome incredible odds to be together. Why couldn’t Devlin and I?

We could, I decided. We would. One way or another.

I left Sublime and went home to get ready for the reopening. Bobby had left a note in the kitchen, saying he and Grace were having dinner before going to the museum. I just smiled and shook my head. I was glad Grandfather had found someone to make him happy again. He’d been alone too long. We both had.

I picked out another one of Fiona’s gowns to wear, this one a deep, dark green that accentuated the bronze color of my hair, skin, and eyes. It was made of a soft jersey material with lots of give, although the fabric still clung to my body. I twirled in front of the mirror, pleased by the effect and not the least bit self-conscious about my hips and thighs. Well, not as much as usual.

First the scarlet dress, now this one. Seducing Devlin, planning to do the same again tonight. I was ignoring my rules right and left. Not to mention my innate good taste. The next thing you knew, I’d be wearing sequins, feathers, and zebra stripes. All at once.

Maybe being around Debonair had affected me more than I’d realized. I didn’t know, but I liked the feeling. I added my angel charm to the outfit, along with Jasper’s bomb bracelet.

Since Prism had toasted my Benz, I called a taxi and reached the museum a little after eight. Things were already in full swing. A banner stretched over the front steps said GRAND REOPENING! COME AND JOIN THE FUN! WHIMSICAL WONDERS LIVES ON!

I entered the museum and headed for the new wing. The last time I’d seen it, the area had been full of plaster and sweaty construction guys. Now, everything looked just the same as it always did. Immaculate marble walls. Vivid paintings. Unusual statues. And the Star Sapphire sitting in the middle of the grand hall, casting its cool blue light on everything.

I worked my way through the chattering crowd, looking for one particular face. I spotted all the usual bigwigs, including Berkley Brighton and Joanne James. I even saw Jasper chatting up a woman in a corner. I waved to the bomber. His eyes landed on my bracelet, and he smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. I froze in midwave and carefully lowered my hand. I kept forgetting just how deadly my pretty bracelet was. I was just glad I hadn’t had to use Jasper’s creation. And if things went well tonight, I could return it to him. Maybe he’d even give Lulu some of her money back.

“Hello, beautiful. Are you here alone?” a sexy voice murmured in my ear.

I smiled and turned to find Devlin standing behind me. He looked marvelous in a black tux and his silver glasses. How could I have ever thought him awkward and clumsy and shy? I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Oh, no. I’m afraid I have a very hot date tonight,” I teased.

“Maybe you’d like to go home with me instead.”

I looked him up and down. “Maybe. But you’ll have to give me a good reason to.”

Devlin put his lips against my ear again. “How about a repeat performance of last night?”

I smiled. “That sounds like a good enough reason for me.”

“I’m glad.”

Devlin held out his hand, and I tucked my arm in his. The two of us wandered through the room, talking to everyone we knew. I spotted the members of the Fearless Five in among the crowd. Carmen, Sam, Henry, Lulu, Chief Newman. They’d come to the reopening tonight just in case there was the slightest hint of trouble.

More than a few eyes landed on Devlin and me, and whispers followed us around the room. We’d be the talk of the society scene by morning, as were all the new couples who hooked up in public. But I didn’t care what other people thought. I loved Devlin. Now all I had to do was figure out a way to make it work between us.

Berkley and Joanne stood in the middle of the room next to the Star Sapphire, the center of attention just like always. Devlin and I strolled over to them. Hannah Harmon hovered nearby. She murmured pleasantries to the people she was talking to, but her eyes were firmly fixed on the sapphire.

“Bella! How lovely to see you again!” Joanne said, presenting her cheek for the usual air kiss.

I obliged her. “You too, Joanne. Berkley.”

The older billionaire nodded at me.

My eyes went to the sapphire resting on its pedestal. The glass case didn’t look any different from the one it had been under before, but I trusted the Fearless Five. Henry and Lulu knew exactly what to do when it came to gadgets—especially those designed to stop ubervillains.

By midnight I was ready for the event to end, so I could head to the security room with the Fearless Five and wait for Prism and Hangman to show up and try to steal the gem. Then, this nightmare would be over, and I could get on with my life—hopefully with Devlin.

My power flared, the first time it had acted up all day, and my feet turned of their own volition toward the sapphire. Berkley and Joanne stood next to the gem, talking with Hannah. A man in a wheelchair sat next to them, his back to me. Something about the hard set of Joanne’s lips and the way she clutched Berkley’s hand bothered me. She almost looked worried, and Joanne James never worried about anything.

“What’s wrong?” Devlin asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, moving toward the sapphire.

Across the room, I saw Carmen do the same, drawn by the same bad feeling.

“I said no, Hannah.” Berkley Brighton’s baritone reverberated through the room. “I have no interest in what you’re proposing.”

“But, Berkley, think of all the power we could have,” Hannah wheedled. “The money, the position, the influence.”

Berkley’s hand tightened around Joanne’s. “I happen to be very happy with my current situation—professionally and personally. I’m sorry.”

All conversation stopped. Hannah’s eyes flicked around. Everyone had heard Berkley turn her down. They all stared at her, mouths slightly agape. Then, the whispers began. A few people snickered with amusement. Something red and angry sparked in the depths of her eyes at the soft sound.