Page 70 of Ravage
I close my eyes and groan softly at the thundering beat of a headache and the way I still feel buzzed. I roll slowly and then use my hands to push myself off of the couch to stand. I grab my knives and stumble to her door, deciding I’d rather ride this out in my bed with blackout shades so I can sleep for another eight hours. I check the time on my phone and it confirms we’d only gone to sleep a couple hours ago after filling each other in on our pasts. Or what Portia remembers of hers, at least.
I promised to help her figure all of that out once Gifted Enterprise has been destroyed.
The door to my apartment falls open beneath my weight when I try to lean on it after entering my code, and I nearly fall on my face. If I reach the ground, I’ll likely park it there until at least the drunkenness has subsided. I drop my knives and phone on the kitchen counter and blindly make my way to my room in the dark.
“Is this some pathetic walk of shame that I’m witnessing?”
My soul jolts out of my body, and I crash back into the counter so hard that I know my back will bruise. “Fuck!”
“If I’d known you were out doing exactly that, I wouldn’t have wasted my time waiting for you. I didn’t realize that had a higher priority than taking down your enemies. If so, then I shouldn’t have worried.”
I don’t know what’s worse. The arrogant and venomous filth coming out of Aiden’s mouth or the smooth cadence of his voice that would make me believe he’s trying to seduce me if I was dumb enough to ignore what he’s actually saying.
I straighten and find Aiden sitting back on the couch so he has a perfect view of the door. He has one ankle resting across his knee, and his fingers are clasped together, resting on top.
For the first time since I’ve seen him in this city, he’s not in a suit. Instead, he looks almost human, wearing gray sweatpants and a black V-neck shirt that reveals a glimpse of his chest.
“Then get the fuck out! I didn’t invite you over.”
He shifts forward to lean on his knees. “Were you doing that? Fucking someone?”
My mouth drops open at the gall of this man. Then it closes when a thought occurs to me. “Are you jealous?”
He scoffs and stands. “Of course not. I’m trying to gauge your level of commitment to getting in our way or if you’re…distracted.” Aiden slowly moves around the coffee table. I watch his every step but can’t find it in myself to move away as he closes the distance between us. Moving away from him would be like admitting defeat. It would show him weakness.
I hold my ground as his feet nearly brush against mine when he finally stops. “I didn’t realize I played such a big factor in your plans. Am I screwing them up that well?” I smile at that, and he counters with a frown.
“You are slowing us down. I have to believe that’s intentional.” One of his hands grasps the counter on one side of me and my heart rate spikes as the smell of cinnamon hits me. “If you cared about taking down GE like you say, you wouldn’t have time for meeting people. Unless…” He grips my face. “Unless you’re working for them and just pop in enough to interrupt or distract us.”
I shove at him so he releases the counter, and I get a breath of non-cinnamon-scented air again. “I’m confused. Am I too distracted fucking other men to take down GE, or am I working for them and me having a personal life is somehow distracting you?”
His face gets in mine like he thinks he can intimidate me.
He can, by the way.
We’re almost pressed up against each other now. My nipples harden, and I’m grateful I have pasties on in this skimpy romper to stop them from poking into him and giving away my body’s betraying reaction to him.
“I’m only going to ask you this one last time. Are you working for them?” he asks softly, his eyes searching mine for the answer.
It shouldn’t sting that he might actually believe it. That they all might, except for Jackson. They wouldn’t if they knew the truth. If they knew what GE did to me, what he did to me after Vera’s death. And what I did to protect them.
Tell them.
I freeze when the thought occurs.
No.
I’ll never tell anyone what Gordon made me do in that year with him.
“No,” I breathe.
Aiden watches my lips when I answer, then brings his gaze back to mine. His long fingers trail up the side of my face, pushing my hair aside. He leans in close, his lips hovering over mine, and my breath catches.
Is he going to kiss me?
Do I want him to?
He was my first kiss, and I’ve compared every kiss since then to his. That’s one memory that has never faded in the years that have passed. My body arches into his on reflex, as if it’s seeking that same heat, the same rush as that first kiss.
