Page 78 of The Hunted
The idea of verbalizing what she wanted made her nervous. Mari had respected what she wanted, but there had been that off-putting look—the one people gave you when they were trying and failing to have an open mind. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to get the words right for Santino to understand.
“Silva,” he whispered, pulling back. “I want you to write it down so you don’t forget anything or get too nervous to say it to me. Now go.” He tapped her on her ass again and left her alone.
She looked over her shoulder to watch him walk back toward the bed. She bit her bottom lip. He had a cute tush.
Cute tush? Who am I?
She shook herself, trying to clear her mind. She was heading down a dangerous road with him. She had been since they ran into each other at the coffee shop. They hadn’t decided what they were going to be or whether this was just two people who were fucking occasionally.
Or maybe something more.
She needed to keep her wits about her. She didn’t like it when Mari eventually pulled away and didn’t like who she became either. At some point they needed to figure things out because she wouldn’t let Santino put her in the same position Mari did.
ChapterThirty-One
Santino pulled up as close to the coffee shop as he could. The other end of the block had been cornered off with caution tape and police barricades. He could still see the news cameras eager to get a glimpse of the body underneath the white sheet.
The Reaper had struck again. Or so he was led to believe. Martin had only notified him there had been another body. Nothing else had been found. If this was the Reaper, there should have been a message left for him. It was the rules to the game they were playing—see who would catch whom first.
“That’s a lot of cops.” Silva whistled in the passenger seat of his car. She had on leggings and one of his hoodies. Her hair was thrown up in a bun and to his utter delight, she wore glasses.
It shouldn’t have surprised him, some people who had heterochromia had poor eyesight. But every time they’d run into each other she was always bare face. Seeing her with her glasses on made him want to kiss her until he couldn’t breathe. Every time he was around her it was like he learned something new, and it made him want to keep her close.
“You know you could have dropped me off by my house or I could have stayed at the other café.” She put her phone down. She’d been typing on it since she got in the car—something about needing to get her writing in for her job. The drive had been peaceful, neither one of them eager to fill the silence. She’d been wrapped up in her work while he’d been mentally wrapped up in his.
Someone had been in the gym with them last night. It was why he’d all but scooped her up and taken her to his apartment. He didn’t like that someone had been able to sneak up on him. He hated it even more that they had gotten a glimpse of Silva in a way only meant for him.
And now a body was found by the cafe where we first met.
Was this the message from the Reaper? Were they telling Santino they knew about Silva and she wouldn’t be safe?
“Actually, you probably should have dropped me off at work.” She chewed on her thumb, her gaze ping-ponged around her. “Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here? I don’t want to get you in trouble.” Her eyes narrowed. He followed her line of sight to see Amra talking to a local officer. “Or hear any shit about it.”
Santino fought the smile he felt forming on his lips. He loved that she had sharp claws she tended to flash when it came to Amra. The possessiveness she felt for him only made him just as possessive of her. He didn’t want to share her with anyone.
“You’re fine. They called me when I was with you.” He shrugged. “You’re not at the scene.” He leaned over, grabbing onto her thigh. He smiled, loving the way her legs opened to give him better access to her.
“Besides,” he leaned forward, letting his lips touch hers, “I’m not done with you yet, princess.” He nipped at her bottom lip, his cock already stirring when she whimpered, and curled her fingers into his shirt. He could still feel her pussy clenching around him, and he wanted to dive back into her.
“I really like fucking you,” he murmured against her.
Her laughter slipped beneath his skin, making him hot and his heart drop. “Why do you always say that, like you’re surprised?” She pulled back but kept her fingers in his shirt. “It feels like you didn’t expect to feel the way you do about me. Should I take that as a compliment or be offended?”
“A compliment.” He didn’t even hesitate. “Relationships in all their forms have been more of something I did because it was expected of me not because I wanted it. With you?”
Santino moved his hand from her thigh to grip her neck. He could still feel his hunger to take her life. It was just as potent as his hunger to kiss her and keep her. He’d never been on opposite ends of things when it came to the people he kept around him. They either served a purpose or made his list.
But with her, it was like there was a part of her that spoke to both the man and the killer in him.
“With you, it’s something I want. It’s not a performance.”
“Oh, Santino.” Her eyes widened before she softened under his touch.
“I still love the way you say my name.” He kissed her forehead before pulling away. The faster he got to work, the faster he got back to her, and the faster he dealt with the Reaper. “Stay in the car and work on your job stuff. If you have time, also write down what I asked you before we left my house.”
He slipped out of the truck, knowing if he didn’t go now he’d never leave. But as soon as his feet hit the pavement he wanted to get back in and drive to his cabin and lock Silva away from all of this. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing. His eyes did a quick sweep of the area, looking for anyone seemingly out of place and watching him.
But no one was there, lurking and watching the chaos a dead body on a main street was causing. No one paid him any mind, except for Amra whose narrowed eyes bounced between him and Silva. He looked over his shoulder and choked on a laugh when he saw she had flipped Amra off.
