Page 19 of Riordan's Revenge

I spoke before he could. “I know you’re thinking about leaving. Please don’t.”

“Because you’ll be down one highly efficient guard?”

I toed the floor. “Sure.”

His dark eyebrows merged. “I call bullshit.”

“What? It’s one of my reasons.”

“Say something had happened after you’d knocked me out, if Bronson had followed your car and run you off the road. How would I have protected you?”

Well, fuck. “You would have wanted to?”

He gave me a look. It wasn’t hatred. It brought a smile to my face.

I couldn’t contain a little hop. “You’re right. It was thoughtless and impulsive and you’ll let me make it up to ye. I did some research last night that helped me work out that my feelings for ye probably aren’t real. I figured I’m responding to the attraction alone and making it more.”

Something flared in his eyes.

I hitched my breath, fascinated. “You’re attracted to me, too, right?”

The interest sank into a moody glower. In his hand was a water bottle from a pack someone had brought to the table. He popped the cap and took a drink.

“Is that yes?” I summoned every nerve I possessed. “Because I had an idea. To say I’m sorry, how about an apology blow job?”

Riordan choked and spun away, coughing and sputtering.

“What? Ye let Moniqua and ye don’t even like her. I don’t know how and want to learn.”

Tyler exited the great hall. “I’m doing my best not to listen, but the open door is doing nothing to conceal your voices.” He stalked between us then paused to touch a finger to my shoulder. He made a hissing sound. “On fire, kid.”

To Riordan, he added, “You’d better be good to her or a whole army of protective big brothers are ready and waiting to roll in on you.”

He walked away, whistling.

Wincing hard, I shot Riordan an apologetic glance then pounced after Tyler. “Before ye go, there’s something I wanted to ask.”

“Hell no. I don’t want to hear.” He took off down the corridor.

I chased him. “Get your mind out of the gutter. It’s about something else. A woman I need tracking down.”

Tyler stopped. Swung around. The fright left him, and professional seriousness with a deadly edge replaced it. “Is she in trouble?”

I peered back. Riordan was far enough away not to hear me, but I still pitched my voice low. “She’s dead now, so not anymore. It’s my mother I’ve been trying to hunt down. More specifically, anyone who knew her.”

“She was a sex worker.”

Not a question, but I indicated yes.

“Text me what you know. But get upstairs first and hole up in the safety of your rooms.” The blond bear gave me a wolfish grin. “Have fun.”

I padded back to Riordan who’d recovered himself but refused to meet my eye. He followed me upstairs, and with every step I climbed, the more my body warmed. My offer had been a serious one. Banging him could solve multiple problems, my obsession being only one of them.

At the end of the hall, we reached my door. I took the key from my pocket and slid it into the lock, sensing Riordan close behind me. So much that if I just tipped my head back, it would hit his chest.

Momentarily, I shut my eyes, caught up in the tension of how near he was. Then his hand enclosed mine. Helped me turn the key in the lock.

A touch of his skin quickened my pulse.

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