Sharp pain radiated from my backside and served as a brutal reminder of everything that had occurred in the last few hours. My head was aching something fierce, taking me back to the days when I would hit the bottle heavily after swimming in self-pity.
I had no desire to get out of bed, but this was not my house, nor anywhere I wanted to be caught lazing around. With that in mind, I sat up stiffly and smoothed a hand over my loosened ponytail, casting a cursory glance towards the right wall.
It was made entirely of glass, creating a view I wouldn’t have minded waking up to every day under different circumstances. From this vantage point and what I’d been able to see upon our arrival, it didn’t seem as if Judas had any neighbors. The only thing surrounding his house was a sea of green grass and a few palm trees. Those told me we were south.
The room itself was furnished with simple yet visibly expensive furniture. It had the same jewel-toned color scheme as the rest of the house, with a softer almost feminine touch. It wasn’t how I would’ve pictured Judas’ room if I ever gave a damn enough to imagine it.
There was a baroque loveseat a few feet away from a gorgeously tiled fireplace. A large slightly curved television was mounted above it. I knew that had to be strictly for decorative purposes. I’d never seen Judas sit down and watch TV. His kind of entertainment was too illegal to be televised. I wondered how much time he spent here.
Wasn’t it just last night Audrey mentioned that he was engaged? Where the hell was his fiancé? I didn’t know the first thing about her. I’d talked myself out of going down that rabbit hole to spare my feelings and my mental health.
Maybe it was a political type thing in the fucked-up world of crime Judas hailed from. Obscenely rich people married their children off in the name of power all the time. Whatever the case may be, I had much bigger problems to deal with than Judas’ upcoming nuptials.
Just as I slid from the bed the bedroom door swung open and Judas walked in. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
His hair was damp from a recent shower, making it look even darker than usual. He’d changed into a quarter-sleeved black button-down and slacks but looked no less intense than he had in a suit.
Without his arms being fully covered I could see he’d added far more ink to his body than the darkly shaded rose I’d spotted on his hand. He had an intricate sleeve on his right arm, more defined and artistic than when we’d been in high school.
“Good morning.” His husky voice wrapped my body in an uncomfortable warmth. “No need to stare so hard. You can touch me whenever you want.”
“Thanks but playing with biohazardous trash isn’t all that appealing.”
He threw his head back and laughed.
The sound shocked me into a momentary lapse of silence. Of course, he was a human being so it wasn’t like he couldn’t laugh but it had always been rare for him to do so openly and carefree.
It was painful to stand and witness.
I couldn’t recall the last time I’d been able to do the same. When his piercing gaze returned to me there was a slight smile lingering on his full lips.
“I forgot how fun this is.”
“Is that what you’re calling ruining my life these days? Things must be rough for you if this is all you’ve got for enjoyment.”
“It hurts that you think so lowly of me, principessa. Occasionally I kill and make people suffer too. I find that just as enjoyable. Almost as much as watching you come.”
“Watched. Years ago, may I add.”
“There are some things you never forget no matter how much time has gone by. You should know that better than anyone.”
“Like the fact you still don’t know how to knock?” I questioned, purposely changing the subject. The last conversation I wanted to have with this man was about us fucking back in the day.
“Do you ask for permission before entering your room?”
“I don’t typically let strangers sleep in my bed, Judas.”
He slipped his hands into his pockets and regarded me with a bemused expression. “Right, I forgot how well you knew Diego.”
His dry sarcasm wasn’t appreciated. I crossed my arms and stared at him. “What’s the real reason I’m here? What do you want from me now?”
“Truthfully?”
“No, why don’t you pick up where we left off and lie to me some more?”
“I’ve never lied to you.”
I laughed incredulously, shaking my head. “That right there was a lie.”
“The day you walked away from me I promised I would come for you, don’t act surprised that I did.”
“And what now, Judas? Am I supposed to be overjoyed to see you after everything you’ve done? Should I pretend you didn’t just fuck my life up again?”