Page 79 of Assassin's Game
Without a backward look, I moved around him and headed for the elevator. Eli stood not too far away, concern on his face, but I gave him a grim smile and a shake of my head even as I took his hand. I wasn’t discussing this, not with him, not with anyone. The hurt cut too deep, and warriors hid their wounds; they didn’t give in to them.
“Let’s go.”
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Chapter Thirty-Four
Eli —
Mikaela walked from the bathroom into my bedroom just as I finished my call. The T-shirt I’d given her hung halfway down her legs and did fantastic things for her braless breasts. One hand was raised as she worked a towel against the thick length of her hair, and her face was scrubbed clean, the soft olive skin glowing in the faint light from the lamp beside the couch I was sitting on. A quick glimpse of my face and she paused. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I held out my hand, needing her beside me, and she crossed to the couch. I got a flash of her bare hip and part of an ass cheek as she lowered herself onto the cushion. I shifted against my suddenly tight pants—and grinned when she cocked that sexy brow at me.
“So…” She cupped the ends of her hair in the towel and squeezed. “Everything is okay.”
Her words still held a hint of question, and I knew she wouldn’t leave it alone until I talked. “It is, yes. I was checking in with a friend of mine, making sure he hasn’t had any trouble.”
Mikaela did a final rub with the towel, then set it in her lap. Reaching to one side, she delved into the duffel bag she’d retrieved from Maris and pulled out a brush. “Were you expecting trouble?”
I reached for the brush, took it in my hand. “Turn around.”
A smile tugged at her lips, probably because my words were hoarse.Yes, you have the power to affect me, Beautiful.A lot, in fact.
I was more than comfortable with that. And with her knowing.
When she was settled, her back to me, I lifted a section of hair and started at the bottom, teasing the tangles out. “Just being extra cautious,” I said. “Abe’s not just a friend; he’s my business partner.”
“What kind of business?”
“A bar.”
Mikaela made a sound in her throat. Pausing to be certain I hadn’t pulled her hair, I breathed in the scent of her mixed with some shampoo I couldn’t identify, before continuing to brush. “We met a long time ago, back before either of us got our lives together. I guess some people would say, given what I am, that I never did get it together, but…” My shrug made me suddenly conscious of my lack of shirt and the close proximity between us. “We helped out each other. Given the depths X has gone to, to dig into our lives, I’m keeping a close eye on Abe to be sure he stays safe.”
“So you’ve got someone watching him,” she said, reading between the lines.
“Damn straight.” I leaned in to nuzzle her neck. “Just don’t let him know that.”
Mikaela laughed. We sat in silence for a while, the rhythm of the brush and our breathing the only sounds in the room. That and an occasional snore from Diesel where he lay in his bed, wedged into the corner between the bathroom wall and my entertainment center. It was the only place he would sleep, squeezed in so he was surrounded, knowing nothing would come at him. I glanced over, giving in to the need to be certain he was snoozing peacefully, then continued with my brushing.
Only when every section of Mikaela’s hair was straight and silky smooth did she tip her head back and sigh. “Where did you learn to do that?”
I set the brush at her hairline and drew it all the way back, a long, hard stroke I repeated over and over. “Brooke. She loves having her hair brushed. Thirty minutes and the girl’s putty in my hands.”
“She gave away our secret,” Mikaela murmured, an almost purr in her words. “I might need to chat with her about that.”
I chuckled as I leaned in, pressing a kiss against her shoulder. “I don’t think you should. I need all the tricks I can get.”
“Mmm.” She tipped her head to one side, granting me access to the smooth expanse of her neck. “I don’t think you do, Eli.”
“No?”
She leaned back, allowing me to take her weight. “Too many secrets and I’d be putty in your hands.”
I set the brush aside, found the hem of Mikaela’s shirt, and pushed until my palms met the bare skin of her smooth stomach. “I think you already are.”
Her back arched at my words, or maybe it was the approach of my hands as they traveled up her body. Either way, I answered the call. Cupping her breasts from underneath, I marveled at how right their weight felt in my hands. “Perfect.”
The sound Mikaela made didn’t agree. I pinched her nipples in retaliation. “Eli,” she gasped.
