Page 7 of The Deity of Death

She drops back down, and her breasts bounce with the motion.

My legs turn to jelly, and I nearly fall to my ass. She’s a virgin? Fuck. My fist clenches ever tighter against my palm until I feel nails digging into my flesh.

Steady on, Malik. The world is your oyster if you keep your head.

“But I think you should see Dad to bed. I want to go for a walk.” Melina starts walking to the door before I have a chance to react to any of it.

“I’d prefer seeing you both off.” I’m playing coy, but we both know where the night is headed.

No way in hell I’m passing up this opportunity.

“Then you’ll have to come find me, won’t you?” she insists.

“Melina?” Henry grumbles from his chair. He’s trying to get up but struggling at every step. I make my way over to him. “Have a good night. I love you.”

“I love you too, Dad. Now, go get some rest,” she orders, and Henry agrees with a flimsy nod of his head.

I help the drunken fool out of his chair and turn my head back to where Melina was a moment ago, but she’s gone.

The hunt is on.

Like Nasir with Omar, I pull Henry’s arm over my shoulder. He’s a small man with a small frame, and I’m basically carrying him at this point.

“I like you,” he says as his free hand collides with my chest. It isn’t a hard slap but more one of fond if not drunken, affection.

“Mr. Remington, I’d advise you to hold your tongue. You don’t know who’s listening.” Had it not been for my sudden interest in Melina, this would’ve been a dream come true. Intoxicated and trusting, I’d be able to bleed Henry dry for all the secrets he hason offer. Secrets the boss is counting on to twist this deal in his favor.

A fun night aside, this was always business.

“Understood,” Henry says. “And for the love of God, dear boy, call me Henry. You’ve done enough to deserve that much.”

“Sure thing, Henry.”

Omar’s men still line the hall leading back to the elevator. However, sprinkled among the guards are a few of my own elite forces. Allies and soldiers I met during my time in the military. I filtered them in over the years to give myself an edge if anything ever went sour between Omar and me.

As we pass them, three men break away from their doors and join my escort of Henry Remington. Like Omar, I rarely move without my own protection, only I prefer to be more subtle about it.

Henry heeds my warning, but it doesn’t stop him from mumbling nonsense the whole way back to his room. Had it been intelligible, I may have paid more attention to him. But the ramblings of a drunk man are often pointless at best.

We get him to his room, and I see to it that he’s in bed safe and sound.

“Malik, before you go,” Henry says, but his voice is clear now as if touching the pillow wiped away the night of boozing behind him.

By the way he struggles to kick his shoes off, I know it can’t be true.

“Yes, Henry?” I stop at the door to listen.

“I don’t care if you’ve lied through your teeth tonight, I know the game we play.” Another moment of clarity. “But hold true to one promise you’ve made, alright?’

“And which one’s that?”

“Take care of my daughter. Melina’s young, ambitious, but she’s naive. I don’t want her getting hurt by all this.” It warms my heart, as it had the first time we met, to see a father’s love shine so bright.

“You have my word. Melina will be my main priority.” I leave without another word. I will protect her, of this, he can be reassured, but I’ll do it with her wrapped around my cock.

6

MELINA

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