He acted like nothing happened, checking his watch, waiting for the rest of the class to amass in the courtyard before commending us and telling us, “Your final scores will be in our inbox tonight and the loser will be back tomorrow morning to collect Nerf darts.”
Fuck. I better not finish last… unless my men had more fun planned.
CHAPTER 22 - GABLE
Ilet out a whistle to get her attention. Her head snapped in my direction, and her smile brightened. I patted the seat of my ride, and she changed directions, coming to me, hips swaying, glossy curls bouncing, eyes shining in the morning sun.
She stopped in front of my1988 Triumph Bonneville, fingers worshipping the fresh paint job. “Nice ride. I didn’t know you were a biker.”
I bought the classic motorcycle two years ago when I scored a big job for the shifters, setting up protective wards on their territory’s boundary.
I dismounted and leaned on it, bringing her to my body, luxuriating in her soft curves, drowning in her perfume. “I don’t have any space for a car.”
The landlord gave the end four commercial properties, including mine, a parking space out back, and the fruit store’s truck took up most of the room.
She ran her fingers from my shoulder to my abdomen, and I wanted to strip off my shirt and leather jacket to feel her skin on mine. “Have I told you how sexy bikers are?” Her purr called my dick from hibernation.
“No. Tell me.” I collared her neck with my fingers, swiping my thumb along her delicate jaw.
“H.O.T.” She emphasized the word.
I tilted her head back, giving her my mouth, hers soft and submissive, molding into the curves of mine. I sucked her top lip into my mouth and massaged it between mine, my dick getting harder. He couldn’t get his mind off our hot encounter days ago in the Academy’s woods. I told him to forget it. Riding with a boner in jeans was excruciating and wasn’t happening.
“You smell good.” I traced the tip of my nose down the column of her neck, filtering the different scents my shifter senses detected. “Bergamot, peach, caramel, and amber undertones.”
She laughed and brushed her curls back. “How did you know the ingredients?”
I tapped my nose. “Good with flowers and herbs.”
The Brotherhood taught me to absorb every detail on missions—sights, sounds, scents—and feed it back to them for employment in their blackmail and assassination schemes.
I reached out to grab the spare helmet and my old riding jacket resting on my seat and gave it to her. “Put these on. We’re going for a ride. You ever been on a bike before?”
“No.” She worked her lips and grabbed the helmet, shifting it from palm to palm like a basketball.
I hated the restrictions on our lives enforced on us by the Brotherhood, the Academy, and her parents.
“You’re in for a treat.” Before we departed, I ran her through the safety protocol of the bike, ending on a warning to keep her leg out of the way of the exhaust to avoid burning herself.
“Where’s Mary?” Luna frowned. “She’s not alone, is she?”
I kissed my princess’ cheek to express my appreciation for asking and caring for my sister. “Inside with Castor.”
“The biker babysits?” Her fingers crawled up my stomach. “I thought you owed him.”
I did. A. Lot. The Jackals’ enforcer and I did favors for each other all the time in the spirit of professional courtesy. Though, hanging out with my sister bordered on more than that. Admiration of each other’s talents. Friendship, maybe. I bet he didn’t babysit just anyone when he had better things to do, like run the Jackals’ Wrath motorcycle club.
Castor worked for the Egyptian god, Thoth, the master of Magick, Writing, Science, and Reckoning. Well-versed in the light and dark arts, he was my go-to guy for anything magick-related. We had mutual respect for what the other did since I sought reckoning against the Dark Lord, and Castor punished fuckers who broke the cosmic laws. He helped me out from time to time, providing intel on my enemies’ whereabouts, letting me create chaos for their operations.
I clasped the side of my princess’ face and traced her rosy cheek. “Listen, I’m really grateful for what you’ve done for Mary. Your kindness has been instrumental in showing her that people can be kind and not want something from her.”
Every time Luna called me, she made time to chat with my sister, getting to know her, making her feel welcome, winning trust, and starting Mary’s first real friendship.
I wanted her to experience everything she missed out on while trapped in evil’s clutches, and that included friends, boyfriends, education, travel, and fun. I took her out for a ride a week back, and she loved the freedom of it.
“She’s sweet, and I like her.” My princess’ cheeks rounded with her smile.
“She likes you too.” I brought my mouth down to hers and kissed my gratitude into her soul. I didn’t want it to end, but we had to get going, because I agreed to meet another associateonce we were done. “Stop trying to seduce me and get on, Princess.” I hopped on first and she snorted.