Page 40 of PortCity Killers

If he did, he didn’t show it, which didn’t surprise me, but disappointed me all the same. His responding stance was smug, one of a man who was used to being taken in by women. I steadfastly decided that I fucking hated it, no matter what the blush to my cheeks said.

“I’m Aedyn,” he said, pausing, as if waiting for my reaction, but the name wasn’t familiar to me. “This is typically the part where one might introduce themselves, as well.”

I shrugged my shoulders heavily with a raised brow. If the man wanted me to talk, he’d have to give me something a little more interesting. Unfortunately for him, it seemed I had filled my bullshit quota for the next few days.

We might not ever know what I would have said because the noise of the front door unlocking clanged through the apartment. Bryce took one look at our stances, and he was walking to me. He didn’t rush, ignoring Aedyn as he stopped in front of me.

He coaxed me towards the room, his voice low as he dipped down towards my ear, “Are you okay?”

I nodded, my fingers clenching and unclenching on his stomach as I gripped his shirt.

I wanted nothing more than to cling to his skin, to grab hold of him and not let go until the bruises on my brain were smoothed out and my chest stopped feeling like someone had used it for hammer practice.

“I just want to shower.”

And cry. And cum next to him until my brain is mush and I can’t think of anything else.

He pulled my face up to his, making me raise up to my tip toes as he slid his tongue across the seam of my lips. Heat flooded me, too much to bear, as I strained to reach him. The metal of his piercing was cool against our tongues clashing.

My hands gripped in his hair, the strands wild and windswept away from his square jaw. My back was pressed against the wall, as Bryce crowded my body with his. The kiss was hot, deliberate, and so achingly slow that I thought I would melt into a puddle at his feet.

“Soon.” He pulled away from me, one hand beside my head on the wall as he threw out over his shoulder, “What are you doing here, boss?”

I stiffened, but Bryce ignored me.

“I thought I would come see how my top enforcer was holding up in the wake of hisfriend’ssituation.”

“As you can see, everything is taken care of. Thanks for the concern.” Bryce’s voice was hard, cold in a way that I had never heard before.

I shivered, despite the heat of him and the jacket that still clung heavy on me, but I couldn’t tell if my shiver was from his unfriendly tone or because of the context of it.

I looked behind him to Aedyn, hisboss,wondering how far up the food chain either of them really went.

“Now, now, Nox, you’re not going to introduce me to your lovely friend here? I quite like the way she greeted you. I might like to be herfriend, too.” He gave me a conspiratorial wink as if I was in on the fucking joke.

My eyes shifted to Bryce, waiting for his answer, but he was pushing off the wall, arms crossed against his chest as he stood in front of me—a god of war, ready to strike Aedyn down. I touched the small of his back, until he was looking at me, standing off to his side.

“Get your things,” he grumbled. “Get a shower. I’ll get us something to eat.”

I looked at Aedyn, who just smiled at me, hands in his pockets like he had nowhere else to be before turning into the room.

I shuffled through the drawers silently, listening carefully for the men to say something; anything, but they remained tight-lipped and tense until I was in the bathroom.

I locked the door, but stayed with my ear pressed to the edge, straining to listen. Nothing came from the kitchen that I could tell, but Bryce also likely knew I would try to eavesdrop so I turned the shower on, creeping to the door again.

When nothing still could be heard I gave up with a huff and slipped into the water.

I stayed there until my skin was pink and numb from the hot water pounding down on me. I smelled like salt and lime, Bryce’s body wash slicking off of me in soapy rivulets.

I toweled down, wishing I could open the door or air dry instead of attempting to mop at my now sweaty skin which was becoming increasingly stickier with the trapped air.

I slipped on a pair of high waisted sleep shorts and one of Bryce’s old bar shirts cuddling the scent of him around me like a blanket.

When my hair was as well maintained as I could manage with my hands shaking the way they were, I put it in a bun, forgoing brushing it for now.

I found Bryce on the couch; his arms slung across the back. Before I could get to him though he turned to me, his eyes narrowing on my ratty hair, “Get your stuff.”

I looked up to Aedyn, who was leaning his foot against the wall, hands still in his pockets. When I didn’t move Bryce nearly growled at me to get going. My jaw clenched, but I moved back to the bathroom, gathering my products and brush.

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