“You want me to come in?” Lefty asked.
“I think it’d be best. Then you can get informed and break the news to Pres.”
“You think she knows Gia is here?”
“I highly doubt she’s the kind of woman who leaves any loose ends, and there’s no reason
for her to pick New Mexico as her export place of choice.”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.” Lefty glanced over at the small body buried beneath the covers beside him. She’d passed out almost the moment her head hit the pillow. “I’m on my way in.”
“Alright, I’m going to get more coffee.” He disconnected.
Kid probably never went to sleep. Clue got like that when he was looking for something.
Lefty squinted at the illuminated screen. Seven-thirty. He forced himself out of bed and headed for the shower. Gia had tossed and turned all night, mumbling in her sleep. He did his best not to disturb her, but it’d been impossible to sleep or lay there idly while she fought her way through her own personal hell. He spent the majority of the night telling her she wasn’t there anymore and waking her up from the worst of it. She’d probably never remember. Every time she glanced at him with a glossed over gaze, she’d been out of it.
The hot water massaged his stiff limbs and chased away the weariness making his eyes burn.
He leaned his head under the spray, marveling at their duality. He knew what it was to flee for your life from the only home you’d ever known. The memory of smoke, bits of stone and fleshy bits he never examined too closely came back to him. He could smell the acrid scent of burning, taste the ash that coated his tongue and obscured his vision. The sounds of screams and panic sounded in his ears. He’d barely escaped the country with his life.
Thank God for Dueling Devils. The rawest shit he’d carried out for them was far better than the bleak life he would’ve faced without them. Finishing his shower, he dressed quickly and sank down on the edge of the bed. “G…Gia.” He kept a reasonable distance, afraid to startle her.
“Mhmm.” Her lids fluttered open. In the moments between sleep and wakefulness, she
seemed to relax and became adorable. Her hair had gone curly and frizzed slightly around her slender face and a sleepy smile curled her lips up.
There was an openness in her expression he rarely saw. He bit back a moan and pushed
away thoughts of climbing back in bed with her and sliding into her warmth. “I got to run to the clubhouse.”
She blinked. “What? Do I need to leave and get dressed?”
She’d never say it out loud, but he could see the fear in her eyes. “No¸ stay here, relax. If there’s a problem, you have my number.”
Her hands clutched the sheets to her chest. She gave a curt nod.
Good, get that fire of yours back. “When I get home, I’ll take your mind off all of this and see if you’re ready to admit who you belong to.”
Her eyes flashed at him. “I belong to myself.”
“There’s that sharp tongue I love to feel wrapped around my dick.”
She rolled her eyes, but a small smile appeared on her lips.
Mission accomplished. “Give me that mouth of yours, baby. I’m not leaving until I taste you one more time.”
She tilted her head and peered while giving him a side glance.
Damn, I live for this push and pull between us. She gave as good as she got and kept him on his toes. It wasn’t a surprise he got hooked on her. After all this time, he finally
found his vice.
At least it wasn’t whiskey like the old man. “I think you like it when I take things from you, Gia.
That’s why you push me away, because you know, not only am I going to come for you and
wear you down, I’m going to do it roughly.” He slid his hand across the sheets and gripped her right thigh. “You like it that way, don’t you?” He squeezed her soft flesh and moved up to the crease where her thigh met her hip. “A little out of control, skating the line between pleasure and pain.” He traced the sensitive area with his fingertip.