Never Kiss a Bad Boy (34 page)

Water flicked onto my sleeve, staining it from blue to black. “Sorry,” Marina winced, though her lips were too curled to be sorry.

Narrowing my eyes, I showed her the edge of my teeth. “It's fine, just an accident.” Dipping my forearms into the warm suds, I casually splashed her back. The wetness soaked onto the front of her shirt, glinting off her enticing cleavage.

Jumping back, Marina gawked at me. Her arms were up, soap dripping onto the floor. Then, with a slow burn of wickedness, she flipped the glass in her hand and emptied the cup over my chest.

I saw it coming, didn't dodge. Standing there, I looked down at the soaked cloth. With patience, I lifted my gaze back to her. Though I was staring her down with building energy, the threat of revenge, Marina didn't sway.

If anything, she beamed and stood taller.

“You did that on purpose,” I observed.

“Oh, most definitely.”

My hands were free, then they were full of her wrists. I'd moved quick, trapping her tight. She twitched, a mixture of fear and something else—something far more alluring—dancing in her dark eyes.

It was a wonder she didn't drop the glass. I pried it free, then snatched her arm up once more.

Marina was pinned against the sink, water making parts of her shirt sheer. Those windows exposed the bits of her I'd seen naked. As if it were the first time, she got my cock beyond stiff with desire.

She wound me up so easily. I couldn't let her know.

The more time I spent with her, the more she cracked my calm mask. The more she cracked it, the more desperately I fought to rebuild the protection. Each time, it became weaker.

Breathing deeply, causing her breasts to rise, she looked up at me. “You're as fast as ever.”

Through her wrists, I felt the hammering of her pulse. “And you're as brave as ever.”

Her tongue ran over her plump bottom lip. It became glossy, I could see myself in it. “Nothing to be brave about,” she said. “You
let
me soak you. I assumed you wanted to play.”

My smile smoothed into a neutral line. Not only had she noticed, she'd called me out on it.

One step, and our bodies were touching. A droplet slid down the curve of her throat. I
felt
her swallow, saw her neck vibrate. Nothing was more addicting than making Marina react.

This was the danger, this was what I had to keep myself aware of.

She was infecting my lifeblood.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, darting her stare from mine, to my lips, then back again.

My nails inched up her forearms, grazed the sensitive pits of her inner-elbows. What
was
I doing? “I don't know yet,” I admitted, taking a slow breath in. My lungs flooded with her spicy scent, my skull throbbing. “Do you want me to stop?”

Her hands made fists, testing me; my muscles were bunched. I didn't budge.

The smile was gone from her angelic face. She smelled like sin, and I was ready to commit a new one. “Earlier today,
you
were keen on stopping
me
,” she said.

That got me smirking. “And you argued so hard. So, I take it you want me to keep going.” Bending low, I blew across the tiny hairs on her temple. Her shudder had my cock shoving against the front of my pants angrily.

She rocked into me, then tried to pull away. Had my excitement scared her? “Wait,” she hushed. Her eyes flashed to me, then around the room. “What about Kite?”

“I can call him in, if you want.” My lips breezed just above her skin, the presence all she could feel. I wanted her—fuck, did I want her. But first, I wanted her to crave me more.

Marina tightened, an elastic at its limit. “I... but the bar.” It was a weak excuse.

My attention wandered over her, inscribing the shape of her parted lips, the hooded draping of her eyelashes. Her heart was fluttering faster than a butterfly in a net.

Bending into her curves, my erection nuzzled her thigh. Her tiny sound was encouraging, but still, I did nothing beyond watching her. The subtle way she pushed her jaw at me made her need for my lips obvious.

I itched to close the gap. She was drawing me in, a black hole that challenged my strength. Kissing her would be so simple, so exquisite.

Music blasted through the speakers in the bar, startling us both. The way her breasts rose with her jump, I almost gave up winning our private game.

Almost ducked in to taste her.

“Sorry!” Kite shouted from the back. The music faded to a reasonable level. “I was trying to liven it up in here!”

Detaching from Marina, I briefly clutched her chin. “It's fine!” I called back, grinning down at her devilishly. My thumb pushed onto her lips, touched her bottom teeth... and then I stepped away. Her fury was tangible. “Good call on the music,” I said, glancing at Kite as he appeared.

He nodded, stretching with a yawn. “It'll help, I was getting sleepy going over all that paperwork.” His attention moved, finding Marina the way each of us always did. Her presence was hard to ignore. “What happened to you two?”

Shaking off her daze, she wiped at her wet shirt. “Nothing,” she said, grabbing a towel. “Just dropped a glass in the sink.”

Folding his arms behind his head, Kite lifted an eyebrow. “Huh. Alright.” If he had any doubt, he didn't show it. His grin bloomed wide. “Ever think about helping us boost sales by hosting a wet T-shirt contest?”

In a blur, she chucked the towel at him. Kite ducked away, laughing. “Very funny,” she said, eyes sparkling. She glanced at me, then turned away.

Our moment was over with.

By the afternoon, we'd gotten the place sparkling. The shipment of new beer kegs arrived, and Kite and I rolled them into the basement to arrange along the walls. Marina helped, too, even though we didn't need it.

Leaning on the barrels, I pulled out my phone and checked for calls.

“Anything?” Marina asked, knowing I hadn't had a single ring all day.

Shaking my head, I tucked the device in my pocket. “No. I'm guessing it'll be up to us to bartend for the evening.”

Defeat pulled her features low. I knew what she was thinking, and it made my heart swell.

Marina wanted me to fulfill my promise, for us to take her aside and shower her with the attention I'd stolen from her this morning.

The waiting had made her passion boil. I was sure by now she was frustrated, almost angry. A powder keg ready to burst.

Kite cracked his back. “I can do it. Or we can take turns.”

“That'll have to do,” I said, cocking my head at Marina. “It'll fly by fast. Don't worry.”

She shrugged as casually as she could. “I'm not worried. I could use a drink, and having you guys serve me will be a blast.”

Her lies were so very transparent.

“Besides,” she went on, swaying towards the stairs. Her walk drew me towards the exciting curve of her perfect ass. “It's not as if I had a better idea on how to spend my time today. Right?”

“No,” I agreed, covertly adjusting my growing hard-on. “I'm sure none of us did.”

With the knowing glance she cast my way...

I wondered how convincing my act was anymore.

Marina

––––––––

I
was burning up inside. It didn't matter how much whiskey I drank, or how I tried to bury my presence in the thumping music of the evening. No matter what I did to distract myself, my unsatisfied desires were pricking me like needles.

Fucking Jacob, how could he work me up like that?

Sighing, I sipped more of my drink and spun on the stool. The bar was packed, and both Kite
and
Jacob had ended up serving customers. Together, they dipped and darted and moved like dancers with bottles in their hands.

It was actually fun to watch, kind of sexy. Jacob looked handsome and refined in his usual attire, and Kite had that roguish thing going on, hair intentionally messy.

They were living temptation.

I really hated it.

What I hated more was how many girls were thrusting themselves at Kite.

I'd never spent much time at their bar. There was no reason to. But now, sitting there as a woman giggled and tried to give Kite a deep view down her cleavage, I scowled.

I was pulled from my muddled thoughts by a new presence. “Hey there,” the pale, too-blonde man said. He was perched beside me, all teeth and sly eyes. One look said he was trolling for an easy lay.

Giving him a tight smile, I crossed my legs. His gaze shot there, not even subtle.

“No thanks,” I said.

“Sorry?”

“No thanks,” I repeated, arching my brows. “I'm not interested.”

His face twisted, the false politeness melting away. “Fuck you, who said
I
was interested?” His tone was getting louder, fists balling by his sides.

If I didn't know better, this man was about to hit me.

“Get out of here,” I said firmly. “I'm not on the market.” In my hand, I weighed my whiskey glass. If I had to defend myself from a crazy drunkard, I was going to be ready.

He started to lean my way, eyes wild, lips pulling back over his gums.

Reaching over the bar, Kite shoved himself between me and the man. “Hey!” he said loudly, pulling the attention of every nearby customer. “There a problem here?”

My pursuer looked sufficiently shocked. Eyeing Kite, then me, he grimaced. “No problem, man. Just telling this bitch I'm not into her.”

Heat started to crawl up my spine. I had half a word on my tongue, but Kite ended everything. In a blur, he jumped the bar, curling his fingers in the guy's shirt and thrusting him easily towards to the door.

“Hey! Whoa whoa whoa!” Blondie shouted, arms wind-milling.

Kite grunted, people parted in his wake, and my visitor was tossed outside in a smooth flex of shoulders and forearms. Kite was strong, I knew that quite well.

The room had gone close to quiet, all eyes on the scene. Dusting his palms off, Kite smiled wide. “Stay the fuck out, we have enough assholes in here already.”

There was a moment of tension—people waiting to see what the blonde man would do. Was he going to leave, or get up and fight back?

Without another word, the stranger was gone; his tail between his legs.

Everyone went back to drinking and talking, a tornado of noise that ate up everything. I was left sitting there, battling pleasure and shock over Kite's sudden show of protectiveness.

That man... it wasn't the first time he'd stepped in when someone else had gotten flirty.

He was possessive, never allowing anyone in my bubble.

No one but Jacob.

I watched them both, finishing my whiskey in one big swallow. The burn was good, I followed it down into my guts and hid myself there. It was brief, but I needed any escape I could get.

**** 

T
he air was sharp, it dried out my lungs and shriveled the inside of my nose. It was good and clean and perfect for my needs.

It had grown close to closing time, but my endurance had failed me. I wasn't one for bar crowds. Before this, I'd lived a simple life in my tiny apartment, inching one day into the next and never straying out of my comfort zone.

I wanted my skull to stop stretching with each new note of music or shrill, drunken scream. Too much whiskey flowed through my veins. Leaning in the alley, I looked over the pair of fancy cars that belonged to Kite and Jacob.

Silver and sunset, as different as their personalities.

My breath danced in the deep blue sky. Thanks to the city's light pollution, no stars lived there. Sliding to the ground, I put my chin on my knees and sighed. Why had I spent so much time here tonight? I could have easily ridden the Metro back home.

Home,
I mused.
When did I start thinking about it that way?

They'd forced me to move in with them so they could keep an eye on me. But the intense surveillance and hovering had faded with time. Almost as if they'd begun to trust me.

On that icy ground, an idea struck me.

I could get up, and just walk away
. It was a startling thought, one that made me stiffen.

I have the photo of my killer. And I know where Kite keeps his gun
.

If I wanted to, I could really do it. I could take control, I...

I don't need them to get my revenge.

I can set them free of me.

A comet crash-landed in my chest. This was the thought that had been growing; this weird, spiky thing that I'd ignored.

I don't want to put them in danger anymore.

My hair stood on end, my skin sensitive in the cold.
No, stop!
This feeling, this raw sensation of love, it was going to ruin everything. I needed to shake it off.

But I... couldn't.

It was impossible.

Laughing cynically, I covered my eyes.
I want to save them from me.
There was only one way to do that.
Give them the letter. Now, before something happens to me, or to them.

If I was killed, the bank would be notified of my death, the safety deposit box handed over to someone—it didn't matter who, the result would be the same. Whoever had that letter would hand it to the police. Then the cops would know that Kite and Jacob were hitmen. Any investigation was bound to fuck them over.

Could I really have that on my conscience?

Nearby, the backdoor of the Corner Velvet peeled open. “Here you are,” Kite said. Stepping out, he looked side to side, then shut the door. “You okay?”

“Just getting some air,” I lied, making myself smile. Would he read the guilt that was etched over my face?

His eyes were clean, thoughtful. Turning, he slid down to sit beside me. Our shoulders almost touched, and I was too aware of the distance. “Jacob is closing up, we'll leave soon.”

Nodding, I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Alright.” Hesitating, I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. “Hey. Thanks for earlier.”

Flashing his teeth, Kite shrugged. “What, chucking that guy out? Nah, he was being a giant dick. It was nothing.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Still, thanks anyway. I—” Stopping myself, I gathered my thoughts. “It was nice of you to step in, is all.”