Page 41 of Ruin

“Mmm, I- wait, what did you say?” She lurched upright and quickly hid her nudity with the covering, inadvertently pulling it off of Ruin. “Someone’s here?”

He rolled over onto his back with a low chuckle and tucked his hands behind his head. “I told you I called for backup. Hush is the backup.”

That was probably the single most provocative pose she’d ever seen. Saliva pooled in her mouth and that clench of arousal turned into a torrent thrumming in her veins. What was he saying? Something about being quiet?

Her gaze drifted over his thickly muscled arms to his broad, tattooed chest, down farther and farther until… A whimper slipped free.

He was still half-hard, his cock still outside its sheath. From the corner of her eye, she saw him grin, all sharp teeth and wicked promise.

“See somethin' you like, little bird?”

Gods, yes.

Lira flushed, tearing her gaze away. “I… we should get dressed.”

“Mmm.” Quick as a serpent strike, he sat up, lifted her smoothly off the bed, and planted her in his lap. “Or we could make Hush wait.”

His lips found her neck. Her head fell back of its own accord to give him better access. Okay, maybe they could?—

Beep, beep, beep.

She startled a little at the unexpected alert. “I don’t think your friend likes waiting.”

Ruin sighed against her skin, then pulled back with a rueful smile. “Fuckin’Drifters. Not a patient molecule in their bodies.”

Rather than set her down, he kept his hold on her as he climbed off the bed and only placed her on her feet after stealing a long, drugging kiss. Dazed and unsteady after that, she hurried to make herself presentable.

“Ready?”

“Mmhm. No, wait. Is he… kind?”

She trusted Ruin completely and knew he wouldn’t put her in danger by inviting a threat into their midst, but not being a threat and not being cruel were two entirely different things.

His expression softened, and he reached out to catch a lock of her hair, letting the strands glide between his fingertips. “Hush’s a good male. Loud an’ impatient. Disturbingly fond of hugs. But he isn’t callous.”

Releasing a breath, she nodded. Ruin pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then tapped something into his implant and turned just in time for the door to swish open.

Lira flipped up the hood of her cloak at the same moment that a tall, red-skinned figure burst through the doorway, moving so quickly she barely had time to register his presence before he collided with Ruin in a crushing embrace.

“Ruin!” the newcomer exclaimed. “My favorite best friend!”

Ruin sighed, expression a mix of amused exasperation and resignation. “I’m your only best friend.”

“That’s why you’re my favorite.” The male squeezed him tight enough to force a grunt out of him. “I missed you!”

“You're gonna break my ribs one of these days.”

“Tssh, nuh-uh! Well, not by accident, I wouldn’t.”

When the red-skinned male pulled away, she scanned him from head to toe with wide eyes, curious and more than a little intrigued by this boisterous person who claimed to be Ruin’s best friend.

Though his curling black horns gave the appearance of added height, he actually stood an inch or two shorter than Ruin and had more of a chiseled, rugged build.

His skin was a specific shade of crimson unique to Drifters, and covered in intricate black tattoos. Even the long tail swishing and flicking behind him was inked. Thick, jet black hair was cut, or maybe styled, in a roguishly mussed way that gave the appearance he’d just finished rolling in the sheets with someone.

Which… maybe he had.

Heavily pierced, pointed ears twitched a moment before he turned and leveled his gaze on her.

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