Page 23 of Tease

I nodded and looked down at her neat handwriting.

Good morning, Arlo.

Please don’t worry about sleeping late. One of your men arrived this morning to watch over Mamá. She’s been busy with him. Verona and Sofia went to work with their guards. We’re all perfectly safe. I spoke to my boss this morning and told him I had a family situation to deal with. He told me to take the day off. He’s pretty decent like that. I decided to use the time to watch over you and make sure you got enough rest. I know yesterday was exhausting, so I’m going to take care of you today. I hope you’ll let me.

Tua preziosa, Rina.

My eyes met hers when I’d finished reading. What had I done to deserve her?

“Rina…”

Before I had a chance to say another word, she plucked the notebook from my fingers, tossed it aside, and kissed me. Her fingers dug into my hair as her body pressed against mine. I swear she was going to undo me at this rate. I groaned in her mouth, my hand slipping under her hoodie and t-shirt to touch her bare skin. Seeing her splayed out for me last night made every fucking dream I’d ever had about this woman pale in comparison. I wanted her again. Wanted her hot little body pressed against mine as she cried out in ecstasy.

Just when I thought Rina would run her hands down my chest, she pulled back and gave me a rather wicked smile. I watched her lick her lip and run her thumb over mine.

“L-l-later,” she said in a husky voice.

She was off me the next second, picking up her notebook on the way and scrambling down the ladder. It took a second for my brain to catch up with what she’d said. That girl was going to make me wait to have her again, just as I’d made her wait yesterday. I shook my head and smiled. Running my fingers through my hair, I let out a sigh. She had me there.

I looked over at her as she planted a pile of clothes at the end of the bed for me. Martina had insisted on doing my laundry even though I’d told her it wasn’t necessary. I could tell it was freshly washed clothes by the way she’d folded them.

“Thank you.”

Rina gave me a wink, then flipped up the hood of her jumper and walked over to the window, staring out at the rain again.

“Arlo.”

“Yeah?”

I shifted, reaching out to grab a hold of the clothes.

“D-d-did you get w-what you needed f-from those m-men?”

I froze. While I had told Rina I’d tortured the men who’d tried to take her last night, I hadn’t planned on informing her of anything else.

“Yes, and no.”

“W-what d-does that mean?”

“Rina, you know I can’t talk about it.”

She turned and gave me a frown.

“They t-tried to t-take me. It involves me.”

My shoulders slumped. She had a point.

“They gave us a name. It only led us to a dead-end, so it wasn’t entirely helpful. And you don’t have to worry about them coming after you again.”

Rina nodded.

“Y-y-you killed them.”

She said it so matter of fact like it didn’t bother her in the slightest. I should never have underestimated this girl. It was becoming very clear to me Rina was tougher than she looked. Not that I ever thought she was weak. Far from it. It just never occurred to me she could be hiding so much behind her shy exterior.

“Yes.”

“W-what w-was the name?”

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