Page 74 of Lawless in Leather

“Maybe we should give Raina and Mal some time to talk about this for a few minutes,” Lucas suggested.

Maggie stood. “Raina? Is that what you want?”

“I’m fine,” Raina said. “And yes, Malachi and I have a discussion to have.”

Alex was the last to leave. He closed the door softly. Raina half suspected that Maggie, Alex, and Lucas were standing outside the door eavesdropping. But even if they were, it didn’t change the fact that she and Mal had to talk about this.

“I’m not going to change my mind,” Mal said abruptly. “I want you to stay at my place. If you’re pissed at me, fine. I’ll stay somewhere else. But you’re going to be somewhere safe.”

“I am pissed at you,” Raina said. “But the living arrangements aren’t the main problem. The problem is you ambushing me. This is a relationship. At least I hope it’s a relationship and that means communication. Compromise. Remember compromise?”

“I’m not compromising on your safety,” he said.

She sighed and rubbed her neck. “And I think we’re firmly back in button-pushing territory for both of us. I don’t like being controlled and treated like property. You don’t like giving up control. This is a problem, Mal.”

“This isn’t exactly situation normal,” Mal said. “Once we catch whoever did this, then you can move back to your place. Everything will be fine.”

“Until the next time you want to be in charge,” Raina said. “Like in the next ten seconds when I tell you I’m still going to Madame R’s tonight unless you or the police can give me a concrete reason not to.”

She could practically hear his teeth grinding.

“I figured as much,” Mal said. “So go. I’ll talk to Luis and there will be extra security. There, that’s a compromise.”

It was. Much to her surprise. The squirmy stress knots in her stomach loosened a little. “Okay. Good.”

“That’s me giving a little,” Mal said. “So are you going to give a little, too?”

“You mean by staying with you?”

His brow lifted. “Yes. You and the giant cat somewhere nice and impenetrable until this is sorted out.”

“You know, most guys make an invitation to move in with them sound a little more romantic,” she muttered.

“And when I do that,” Mal said, “it will be romantic. But I didn’t think we were there yet. Are we?”

She shook her head. “No. Maybe we need to see if we can get through the next few days without driving each other crazy first.”

He grinned at her then. “Not much chance of that.”

“Not that kind of crazy.”

“I like that kind of crazy.”

“I know you do. You dark lords have sex on the brain.”

He snorted. “Maybe. But generic sex on the brain isn’t the same thing as very specific sex on the brain. With one specific person.”

His eyes had gone hot again and she felt her annoyance start to melt. “Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “That’s not fighting fair.”

His smile broadened. “Well, you know what they say. All’s fair in love and war.”

“I always hated that saying,” she muttered.

“Yeah, but you like me,” Mal said and pulled her in to kiss her.

Chapter Seventeen

“Did you find anything yet?” Mal stopped by the bank of monitors where the guys from the team were studying the security feeds for the last forty-eight hours, taking up point position next to Chen.

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