Page 27 of A Sky of Storms
“Yup, anything for my starfish,” he replied happily, leading the way up the stairs.
When we got to the room, I opened the door and he emptied his goods onto his bed, patting the space beside him. “Let’s watch a movie on the Acadameet app while we eat. And then I can give you a massage if you like, get allllll that tension out.”
I laughed, shaking my head at how comfortable it felt to be around this weirdo in such a short amount of time. “Movie, yes, massage, maybe.”
He removed his shirt, lay out on the bed and fluffed his long blond hair like an actual mermaid. All he needed was the flipping tail. “Are you sure? I’m very good with my hands.”
There was no denying that. I bit my lip, running my eyes over his chiselled abs. He’d surprised me today, which was new for me. I’d surprised myself. Obviously, it wasn’t a good idea to get close him, but I certainly wouldn’t mind continuing what we’d started. Not one bit. His eyes simmered as he watched me rummage through my bag, a small smile curving his lips up as if he knew what I was thinking.
“I’m going to have a shower first. And before you ask, no, you can’t join me. Once a day is enough.” I laughed, watching his mouth snap shut as he flashed me the puppy dog eyes.
“Once a day?” he asked hopefully, then folded his arms behind his head, looking like a king as he grinned. “Once a day,” I heard him whisper to himself, almost like a prayer.
I smiled as I padded into the shower and sighed when the water kissed my skin and washed away the blood and dirt from Victoria’s little attack. The heat worked into my sore muscles, taking away some of the aches and the tension behind my eyes.
Today had been a royal shitshow of a day. Probably the first of many to come, but at least I’d found some positives. I hung my head beneath the stream, thinking of the hot as heck man on the other side of the bathroom wall, and the promise of his hands touching me in all the best places.
Down girl. I’d already done things I shouldn’t have. A quick blowjob in the bathroom was harmless enough, but I had to keep my guard up, especially when these trials could bring anything. Having fun with Zane—or any of the other delectable guys I had my eye on—was only likely to bring trouble. I sighed. No. No more touching for today.
There was no rule about fantasising though…
Yesterdayhadbeenthegift that kept on giving. First, I’d hacked into the closed security system and had a look around. I wasn’t able to make changes yet, but I could at least see what I was up against. It would take time to rifle through the codes to open doors and turn off cameras and alarms, but I wasn’t so much in the dark anymore.
Second, I’d gotten a front row seat to not one but two Auger fights, and they had been glorious. There was nothing better than watching spoilt brats get their asses handed to them. Those Auger girls had some seriously bad blood and I could only hope that I got to be there when one finally killed the other.
If I haven’t managed to break into the vault before the first trial starts in another week, I may just get the chance.
I turned a corner, bumping into a Potential with dark skin and brown eyes. Noah, if my memory served me correctly. “Shit, sorry,” he said quietly.
“Watch where you’re fucking going,” I snapped. Everyone kept bumping into me in this place, like it was some kind of joke I wasn’t in on.
“Yeah…” he mumbled with his gaze focused on something in the distance. I squinted in the same direction, spotting Mark Leroy’s bulky form stalking after a group of Potentials.
The slimy bastard looked at his cuff and hurriedly passed them, but not before groping one on the ass as he went. Mark had made an appearance in Damascon Hollow a few months back, but I hadn’t seen him since. Lots of rich boys came to DH to gamble their credits, and Mark was no exception to the rule. The guy thought he was entitled to every woman and had assaulted a few dancers one too many times, getting him blacklisted from many of the DH strip clubs. He was always popping up acting as if he owned the place and wanting to dance with the gangs like it was some rite of fucking passage. The blondie wouldn’t last a day with the Drakes, and if Cormac didn’t eat him alive, then I damn well would.
As leader of the Drakes, Cormac didn’t take new recruits often. He liked training them from a young age—said it made them more pliable and trustworthy—which I supposed was why he took me in when he did. Those good-for-nothing people who’d brought me into this shitty world had left me to rot in Damascon Hollow when I was just a few years old. I hadn’t asked to be born, hadn’t asked for anything at all, and they’d given me up like I was little more than trash. They’d shown me what people were capable of that day. Cruel, heartless, careless creatures. I never bothered to try and be anything different. Ace Warner didn’t have a heart. I was ruthless, and that’s the way I liked it. No one could hurt you if you never let them in.
Cormac was the closest thing I had to a father, but he would never be that. Would probably beat me half to death if I ever suggested it. We worked better keeping things strictly business, and if I played my cards right, I’d one day be running it.
But first, I had to deal with this job he’d given me. I glanced at Noah with interest, watching the way his eyes narrowed as he gazed after Mark.
“You two aren’t friends then?” I asked.
“Best buddies.”
I chuckled. Noah’s family were the leaders of the Verdant Plateau and their reputation for living firmly on the moral high ground was well known throughout Terrulia. Cormac had tried making deals between them and the Drakes before—unsuccessfully. They stuck to their metaphorical guns.
“I see you’ve made a tonne of friends. Quite the socialite,” he said, looking me up and down.
I shrugged. “Friendships here are a waste of time.”
“Never thought I’d find myself agreeing with a Drake,” Noah said with a shake of his head.
“Stranger fucking things have happened.”
I strode away, heading towards the training arena in the miniature DH for another so-called lesson in physical combat. In my opinion, it was less of a lesson and more of an opportunity for Master Nolan to watch the Potentials beat the shit out of each other. There were no rules and the boulder of a guy, Kayden, took advantage of that.
“Today we are going to up the odds!” Nolan shouted, starting the lesson. “Two on one. Let’s see which of you can come out on top when the odds are against you. Consider this a game of cat and mouse. You will be allocated a city area and for two of you, your job is to catch and secure the mouse.”
