Page 83 of Queen Of WildCards

Hedidn’t turn around to answer me, but his stiff shoulders and the little roll of his head he did to pop his neck said it all. “Fuckingmiserable.”

Imoved slowly into the room and took a seat at the table, flipping through the intel and notesI’djotted down during the little bit of investigative workI’dmanaged to finish today. “Theyalways are.”

Acepeered in my direction out of the corner of his eye, his hands still busy scrubbing at several plates and a skillet half-submerged in the dishwater he’d run. “Anythingeventful happen whileIwas out?”

Ishrugged pointedly, lazily tipping my chair back on two legs. “Nota whole lot.GotMallorya cellphone, did some recon, stuck my nose to the ground–andIdid manage to get a lead today, butIdon’t think we’re going to like where it goes.”

Aceshut off the water and tugged the towel off his shoulder, wiping his hands dry as he turned to face me. “Andwhere exactly does that lead point to?”

“Idon’t know yet, but it’s not good.”

Ifilled him in on whatI’ddragged out of my younger informants, the ones who listened well and managed to make themselves invisible in the sneakiest of places, pausing to throw in some suspicions here and there that really got me wondering.

Ace’ssigh permeated the air, like heavy creme in a soup that doesn’t quite want to blend with the base stock. “Sowhat you’re telling me is they may not even beourenemy, they most likely are after theKings, and they assumed we’d wipe them off the board for them.”

“It’sa working theory,”Idrawled, rising from my seat with a groan. “ButIcould use a shower unless you wanna talk more about it.Notmuch we can do untilBlackJackgets back and can run his magic online.”

“He’son his way, ironically enough,”Acegrumbled, “shouldn’t be long.”

“Fantastic, when he gets here, page my ass.”

Imarched out of the room and up the stairs, prepared to flop face-first on my bed with a flourish untilIflipped open the door and spotted a very adorable doc with a very adorable smile waiting for me with a book open in her lap and one of my shirts draped over her shoulders.

“Youlook like you’re enjoying yourself,”Iremarked dryly, peeling off my shirt asImoved toward the bed.Itstarted a new pile on the floor by the bathroom door, which made me realize she’d cleaned my room. “Oh, shit, doc, you didn’t have to tidy up for me.”

Herlithe shoulders lifted, wrinkling the band logo on the front of her shirt. “Iwas bored.Acetook my phone, something about ‘Ican’t be trusted’or some shit.”

Ifrowned at the door, determined to march back out there and retrieve it for her.Hehad no right to take it, especially since this was allegedly an equal playing field here.Acemight be the brains, the organizer, but he was outnumbered, and in his absence, our democracy had worked quite well.

I’dbe damned ifI’dgo back to a dictatorship.

“We’llsee about that–”

Sheshot off the bed and had my arm in a death grip beforeIcould reach the door. “Now, now, let’s not be hasty.Idon’t want you to start anything withAceon my behalf the second he returns.”Sheeyed my naked chest with a fair amount of appreciation and a little bit of lust. “Youplanning to take a shower?”

Ismiled down at her,Aceand the phone forgotten–just like she wanted,Iassumed. “Iwas.”

Herlashes fluttered low. “MaybeIcould . . .”Herfingers trailed down my pecs, over a taut nipple, tracing the lines of my abs, until she reached my waistband. “MaybeIcould join you.”

“Baby, all you have to do is ask, and you shall receive.”Herhands went around my neck asIhoisted her in my arms like she weighed nothing, her legs wrapped around my waist as she rocked against me. “Youdirty, too?”

Mallorytossed her head back and laughed, and fuck all if it wasn’t the most amazing thingI’dever seen in my life.Shehadn’t laughed like that since she joined us, andIwould take the feel of it crawling over my skin like a lover’s caress to my fucking eternal grave in hell.

“I’malways dirty when you’re around,Cass.”

Fuck.

Thisgirl was the only one on the planet who could bring me to heel with nothing more than my name, andIhoped she never realized how much power she held over me orI’dbe done for.

“Well, let’s go be dirty together.”

* * *

Exactlyone showerand two rounds of amazing shower sex later,I’dmanaged to roust up a clean outfit and get the both of us presentable.Bythe time we wandered out of my room, the others had rounded up and returned to the home base.AceandSpadestood in the kitchen, chatting about an upcoming fight he thought he was well enough to enter, andBlackJackwas predictably sprawled on a nearby couch, soaking up all the chatter without contributing in the least.

Somethings never changed.

ItuggedMalloryinto the commons by her arm and slingshotted her inBlackJack’sdirection, knowing damn well she’d make herself comfortable on the couch, curled up against him.

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