I glanced at Lucius, who was watching me. Our gazes met. Clashed. The intensity in his eyes was disconcerting. Confusing. “We better get back, too,” I said.
He latched onto my arm, stopping me from movement. “Can you handle this?” he asked roughly. “Once we leave this room, there’ll be no going back.”
Was he doubting me again? “I can handle it,Hunter. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“These are dangerous people.” He stiffened, but slowly, slowly relaxed and surprised me by saying, “The other day, I told you I had a mother. She raised me the first ten years of my life. She was a drug addict and a whore, but she loved me in her own way. I think she was glad when Social Services took me away.”
I couldn’t open my mouth to save my life. I was riveted by his words. Why he was telling me this now, I didn’t know.
“I was given to a nice, conservative family, but I was already street-hard and used to doing whatever I wanted, so that didn’t last long.”
When he paused, I gulped and finally found my voice. “What happened to you?”
“I was sent to a sadistic couple who liked to rent out their foster children.”
A cold sweat broke over my skin at the implication of his words. I should have let the subject drop. Knowing about him, about his past, wasn’t necessary and might actually harm my resolve to resist him. To dislike him. I should have let it drop, yes, but I didn’t. I had to know. “Rent out?”
His shoulders lifted in a rigid shrug. “The first time they gave me to a man, I was scared and ashamed. Have you ever been raped, Eden?”
My eyes wide, I shook my head no.
“It’s a thousand times worse than anything you’ve ever heard about it, and it’s what’s going to happen to you if something goes wrong.”
“I can protect myself,” I said shakily.
“I thought so, too. But the second time I was sold, I tried to fight. I was strong for my age, and I’d been in a lot of fights. He had me pinned to the ground in minutes, as if my struggles meant nothing. I’d never felt so helpless in my life.”
“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. I’d had a childhood of privilege. Yes, I’d seen my parents murdered, but nothing had been done to me physically. I’d known love and safety. “So very sorry.”
“The third time, I went into a rage. Before I could be subdued, I stabbed the f**king pedophile in the stomach. He died, and I spent the next seven years locked away.”
“But you were a child.”
He shrugged again. “I was due to spend three more years inside, but Michael stumbled upon my case and got me out. I didn’t tell you that for sympathy, so wipe that look off your face. I told you because I want you to realize those are the type of people we’re dealing with here. They don’t care about anything except pleasure and money. They’ll rape you, sell you without blinking an eye, and we’re about to gift-wrap you and hand you to them.”
I straightened my shoulders, fortified my determination. “If I don’t do this, no one will. People will continue to be bought and sold, slaves to their masters. Ihave to do this. I, at least, know what to expect. I know how to defend myself. They don’t.”
He didn’t speak for a moment. Just watched me, studied me. I don’t know what I expected from him, but what he did wasn’t it. Without warning, he jerked me into his chest, and his lips came crashing down on mine.
I didn’t think to resist. Couldn’t. He’d been hurt so long ago, and there was a deep need inside me to soothe that pain. To make it go away, to wrap him up in total safety. His tongue thrust and battled. Mine thrust and battled, as well, each of us craving something from the other. Something we shouldn’t.
His strong, strong arms wound around me, slithered up and down my back before cupping my butt and lifting me up until I cradled his erection. “You excite me,” he growled. He didn’t seem happy with the knowledge.
“Yeah, well, you excite me too.” I definitely wasn’t happy with the knowledge. “You also infuriate me.”
He licked the seam of my lips. “You dropped me to my knees today, and that’s something no one else has done.”
“You deserved it.” I nipped at his jaw.
“Yeah, I deserved it.” He paused, pulled away from me. “You’re a better agent than I gave you credit for.”
The unexpected praise shocked me. Thrilled me.Rocked me. My heart actually skipped a beat. “Th-thank you,” I stuttered.
He drew in a deep, shuddering breath. The beams of light that couched his face gave him a menacing yet angelic ambiance. Conflicting, like the man himself. “All right, then. Now that that’s settled, let’s go buy your ticket into hell.”
We traveled through the tunnel again and back into Jonathan’s room. I needed that time to get myself under control. To stop thinking about Lucius and his kiss, Lucius and his praise, Lucius and his past, and to concentrate on the mission.
He led me through a back way. We soon reentered the party undetected and became part of the laughing crowd. Like a dream, smoke wafted around us. “This dance is mine,” he said.
His strong, callused fingers wrapped around my wrist as his rough, husky voice shivered along my spine. Without waiting for my reply, Lucius dragged me onto the dance floor.
Back in character, I cast a helpless look over my shoulder, searching for Claudia or Jonathan. I didn’t see either of them.
Soft, lulling music hummed from strategically placed speakers that were hidden in the walls. Lucius wound his arms tightly around me, and I fought the urge to sink completely into him and continue our kiss, picking up where it left off.
I gave him my complete attention, trying to appear fearful and furious. Meanwhile, my body thrummed with the pleasure of his heat and pine scent. If only he hadn’t praised my abilities…
In the light, I saw that his dark hair framed around his chiseled face, and his faux-brown eyes glowed with…what? I couldn’t read the emotion there, only the extreme intensity. My fingers itched to trace the fake scar that slashed down his temple. My mouth watered for another taste of him. The small tastes he’d already given me weren’t enough. Not nearly enough.
The music began to fade from my ears, and the people around me vanished from my vision. The gray suit Lucius wore fit him to perfection, molding itself over each and every one of his muscles. Though his eyes were now brown, his lashes were the same: long, black, and spiky.