Page 24 of Blood & Lace
"This is not my life," I muttered to myself. "It can't be."
Once more, I really considered the fact that I might be in hell.
"Okay, I'll be here."
Lucero raised his hand high, and I was nearly taken out of my seat. I stood up and continued to press on it. When he hung up, I sighed.
"Bleeding out aside," I said. "I just need you to sign the papers, Lucero. Let's make this easier on ourselves and?—"
"No," he said flatly.
I blinked. "No?"
Lucero shrugged. "No. Marriage is everything to me. I won't give you up."
The man was going to cause me to have high blood pressure. He had to be the most frustrating person that I had ever met in my life. I tapped my foot impatiently.
"Well, now what?" I huffed. "You can't keep stalking me, and I can't keep dealing with you. So, we need to reach some kind of arrangement."
"You could move in with me," he said. "I live in the main family home, but if you want, we could get a place of our own." He waved his uninjured hand. "Or I can move in here."
I blinked. "What do you think an arrangement is?" I pinched the bridge of my nose. Trying to reason with him was impossible. It was like his head was in a cloud and I couldn't reach him. "Listen, just sign the damn papers already! This can be over in two seconds if you just?—"
Lucero picked me up and slammed me onto the table. The wind left my lungs, and I gasped as I tried to draw in a breath. Lucero hovered over me.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that so hard. I forget how strong I am, you know?" He traced my face with his fingers. "But I really don't wanna hear you talk like that anymore. If this is over, I have nothing left to live for. You are my reason for existing and breathing, Onyx. Just you."
Lucero's lips pressed against mine and my eyes flew open wide. In the middle of the kiss, I was finally able to draw in abreath. We pulled apart, and I coughed so hard my throat hurt. I touched my mouth as Lucero took up residence between my thighs. My body twitched as I felt his cock pressed against my body.
If that thing ever went in me, I'm pretty sure I would die.
"Lucero," I said slowly. "I'm going to try one more time to be reasonable. I don't want to be married. And this has nothing to do with you. I don't want to be married toanyone.I'm not a good man, and I do not plan on being one either." I frowned. "I'm sorry, but this was never supposed to happen. You were just a mark. Now I need to return to my life, and you need to return to yours."
He stared at me for what felt like ages. Lucero planted his hand beside my head and he leaned down over me. He was so big that his body completely covered mine. I sucked in a breath. My first instinct was to run, but even as I tried to scoot backward, he grabbed my hip with his injured hand, and dragged me back down the table.
"Give me a chance," Lucero begged. "Besides, I want to know who tried to put a hit out on me. You could help me figure it out, right? I know you could."
I blinked at him. "I don't know about all that. It's not like I'm a detective," I muttered as my heart hammered away in my chest. "I'm a killer, Lucero."
"Yeah, but you research your targets. I know you do. I've been studying you for years. You never just go after someone, it's like you become exactly what they need you to be and then you take them out. I know you could figure this out."
How the hell had we gotten to this point? My door crashed open and Summers and Lee had guns drawn on us. I stared at them and rolled my eyes.
"Goddamn it, now you want to come do your job?"
"No offense, but this crazy asshole keeps putting us in hospitals," Summers said.
"Yeah, we don't get paid enough for this shit," Lee muttered.
I waved a hand. "Get out. I got this."
"Are you sure?" Lee asked.
"Hey, my husband said get out," Lucero growled, his voice more beast than man. "So get the fuck out before I break your head against the wall."
My cock should not have jumped. Nope. But as I looked up at Lucero, I wondered how good he would look with a collar and leash around his neck like some feral werewolf under my control. His eyes slid to me and he smiled.
"They should listen to you," he said. "You don't need them anyway. I can keep you safe."
