Page 95 of Lethal Vengeance
I raise my eyebrows at the extravagance.
He follows my gaze. “In England, a lot of bedrooms have fireplaces. While it’s much warmer here, it reminds me of home.”
“It’s a lot nicer than a television,” I assure him. Sexy, too.
We leave his room and take four steps to the one next to it. He holds up a finger to his lips and opens the door. I peek in and see a race car toddler bed with a dark-haired little boy tucked into it, clutching his stuffed animal. On the floor next to the bed is an oval rug with a race car track on it. A toy box sits against the wall next to a glider.
My heart aches when I look at him. He’s an orphan. I don’t know what Armando told him about his parents. I’ll have to find a way to ask, but Gabriel did call him tío and not papá.
As much as it would kill me, maybe it would be better for him to have a home where they have no knowledge of his tumultuous background and can give him a normal life.
I draw back to the hallway. “My room?”
Sterling takes me down a short hallway to a guest bedroom.
I walk into the room and look around. “This is wonderful. Thank you. Not just for me, but for everything you bought for Gabriel, too.” I peek around the corner and find a bathroom. Another door leads to a walk-in closet.
He’s leaning against the doorframe, watching me. “We can decorate it however you want.”
“There’s no need,” I say, bewildered by the frown on his face. “It’s a beautiful room.” Does he think I don’t like it? The walls are painted a light grey. White curtains and a fluffy white comforter give it a fresh feeling. Everything is neutral and calm.
For some reason, he seems upset. “When you’re ready, we’ll talk about it. Raider put your stuff in the closet.” He bends down and kisses me. “Get some sleep, Quinn. I’m glad you’re here with us.” The door closes behind him.
Like the previous night, I slip off my shoes and fall into bed. The sigh that escapes is long and heartfelt. I thought the bed last night was comfortable, but this one is like lying on a cloud.
Surely after sixteen hours in the car, I’ll be able to sleep. Four thousand, three thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, three thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight… Sleep pulls me under, but when the whispering starts, my gritty eyes fly open.
Maybe a hot shower will help.
The rain head in the shower is a nice surprise, and I stand under it for a while, letting the water cascade over me. Feeling a ton better, I step out and reach for one of the ridiculously fluffy towels hanging on the rack.
I don’t bother wiping off the mirror. The sight of my face is something to be avoided because it will only stir up things I want to forget. There’s a comb in the drawer, but it’s not made for thick hair like mine, so it takes a while to get the tangles out. Once it’s gliding through smoothly, I hitch up the towel and open the door.
Sterling said Raider put my bag in the closet. A movement in the corner startles me. Swiveling, I see a man sitting in a chair, and my heart drops out of my chest. My right hand instinctively reaches for the knife that’s no longer there.
“Cruz! You scared the hell out of me,” I exclaim, when his face becomes clear. “What are you doing in here?” No wonder he was so successful in his missions. He could have killed me without anyone being the wiser, including me.
“Wondering why you’re up and showering at almost three a.m.”
“I couldn’t sleep. Decided to take a shower.” I hitch the towel up and watch his eyes follow the movement.
That would be one way to exhaust my body, I muse.
He glides silently over to me. “Would you like me to stay with you?”
“To sleep?”
His eyes fill with heat. “Your choice.”
It takes a millisecond for me to drop the towel. “Stay.”
We both reach for each other at the same time. Wanting to even the odds, I grab his t-shirt and pull it up and over his head. My hands map the contours of his body, while my lips trail across his chest, placing kisses all over.
“I’ve wanted to do this every day since the last time we were together.” I can admit now that I’m not worried about dying.
He grunts. Lean hands hover over my body. “You’re covered in so many bruises, I’m afraid to touch you.” The rasp in his voice tells me he’s bothered by all the damage he sees.
I grab his hands in mine and place them on my breasts, then reach up and drag his head down to reach mine. “Kiss me. I won’t break.”
