Page 43 of Leo, My Partner

If I thought I was just falling for him, I was wrong. I’ve fucking fallen, hard. It could be how well he treats me. It could be how he listens to my babbling and rambling without complaint, giving me his undivided attention. It could also be because he tapped into some part of me that I didn’t know existed and helped it flourish. Honestly, I don’t give a fuck what it was, but something made me fall, and I’m there gratefully. I’m not sure if he can feel the same—since he says he can’t feel love—but that doesn’t matter. My feelings for him don’t have to be reciprocated.

I glance over at him, taking in his beautiful face. His dimples pop when he smirks at me, and I think I fall a little more in love with his angelic features. He looks like he could be the boy next door. He has everyone fooled, but he chose to show me the real Leo. That’s as good as love to me.

“I don’t know about perfect. But I’m trying to be enough for you.”

“Does it mean that much to you?”

He sighs, but nods nonetheless. “It does. It’s so strange because I’ve never wanted to be anything to anyone besides their Grim Reaper. But with you? I want to be so much more. You’re mine, Ty. And I’m not letting you go. Ever.”

I should be afraid of that little declaration, but it just deepens my feelings. He’s claiming me. That’s enough, even if he can’t tell me he loves me. Saying I’m his is the same.

A few hours later, we pull onto the hidden driveway that leads up to Leo’s secluded house, and I smile. “This place is pretty but creepy.”

“I don’t come here often. I promise my condo looks much better. But the seclusion will work in our favor.”

“How so?”

“To teach you. I can show you how to use a variety of different weapons, guns mostly, and no neighbors will hear the sound.”

I’ve never shot a gun before. Never thought about it. But it would be smart to learn. I probably won’t be able to stab every person I want to kill. It would be helpful to learn different ways to put people in the ground. “I want to learn how to handle a gun. How many do you have?”

When we step inside, Leo pulls me to his bedroom and shows me a large safe in his closet. He opens it, and I see just how many guns he has. There are many different kinds, from guns small enough to fit unseen in my hands to handguns so big, they’d probably knock me off my feet. There’s even one that has a big drum hanging from it that looks especially deadly.

“We can get started tomorrow. First we bake, then we shoot. Sound like a deal?” Leo asks.

Smiling, I nod as I continue to look at all the guns. “Deal.”

CHAPTER 15

LEO

The next morning, I wake up to an empty bed. I sit up and stretch, smiling when I hear Ty moving around the kitchen. We have more baking to do so we can take everything to June.

I wonder what Ty’s plans are for a bakery. Clearly the building he went to late that night is out, since it’s a crime scene—though not an official one. He could always work with me at the coffee shop, but I’m sure he wants his own space.

An idea starts to formulate in my head, but I have to get with June to see if it’s something we can do, since technically Ray’s belongs to him. Before he died, I convinced Ray to only put the business in June’s name in case I had to flee.

I slide on a pair of sweatpants, go to the bathroom, and brush my teeth before I step out of the room. Ty is in the kitchen, elbows deep in some dough. Flour is on his cheeks and some in his hair—he’s never looked so gorgeous.

He peers up at me and smiles before going back to his kneading. Watching his deft hands as he manipulates the dough has me wondering what they would feel like gripping my ass as I ease into him.

I’ve only had Ty from behind, but now, I want to see his face. How his eyes widen when I sink into him, how he clutches at my back when I bottom out, how his lips meet mine as he kisses me messily.

“Good morning, baby.” He glances up at me quickly to greet me. “Sleep well?”

“Yep.”

I walk over to him, standing behind him as he continues to knead the dough. I think he’s making croissants. He told me he wanted to take some with the cookies and cupcakes instead of making Danishes. Doesn’t matter. He’s right where I want him—leaning over the counter so I can have my way with him.

“What’s up?” He looks over his shoulder at me.

I angle toward him, wrapping my arm around his waist as I kiss his neck. He smells good, like vanilla and pine. The aroma of the woods agrees with him.

Since he smells of vanilla—his body wash—he’s already taken a shower. I’ll question later why none of that woke me, since I’m generally a light sleeper. For now, I’ll get on to what I want to do.

My knees hit the floor as I drop down behind him, hooking my thumbs into his pants. Ty tries to turn, but I hold fast to his hips. “No, don’t move. Keep working on your dough, kotenok.”

Ty shudders, his back going rigid. “Leo…”

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