Page 111 of Poisoned Promise
I spend the next hour debriefing Bree on everything we learned, or didn’t learn, and she agrees to put eyes on the empty places we visited and will report any movement to me.
She then assures me that while Caterina is rampaging through the city, I’ve only lost two clubs and one counterfeit house so all in all, not too bad.
I find Dove after the meeting in my bedroom, sitting on the edge of my bed.
“Hey,” I say softly as I walk in, Scotch bottle in hand. “I was planning on drinking myself into a stupor so that I could sleep without dreaming.” Holding the bottle up, I shake it until the liquid sloshes inside. “Wanna join me?”
She pulls her legs up onto my bed and sits cross-legged, then nods and smiles tiredly. “I’d love to.”
Three drinks later, she leans heavily against my shoulder and sighs. “Do you remember when we met at that stadium? My father was there for some kind of deal and he was so convinced that someone was going to try and kill him at the last pitch or whatever, so he paid off the entire section and filled them with people from our organization?”
My brow wrinkles as I raise my next drink to my lips. “Uhm… oh! When you made me be the mascot so we could meet?”
Her eyes widen in delight and her smile blooms. “Yes!” Light laughter escapes past that smile. “Oh my god, you were the most adorable bear I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“That suit was hot as fuck. I could barely breathe. Do you have any idea how much any of the others would shit on me if they learned I had to become a mascot, dance and all, just to see you?”
Her giggling is infectious as she drains her glass and I can’t help but grin at her. “I know,” she giggles. “But it was so worth it.Maybe I have a thing for mascots, I’m not sure. But that was some of the best sex I’d ever had.”
“Unlike every other time with me?” I tease softly.
Dove shoves her shoulder into me. “Hey! I didn’t mean it like that!”
“I don’t know, it sounded that way to me.” Sighing dramatically, I force a pout. “Maybe you really like mascots and I was just the chump along for the ride.”
“That’s not true! You shut your face right now!” Her giggles are the sweetest music to my ears, even mixed with the indignation of my accusation and she prods hard at my chest. “Take that back!”
“Nope. Can’t deny the truth.”
“Take it back!”
“Nope.”
“Felix!”
“Dove!”
“Take it back! I never meant it like that! Take it back, take it back, take it back!” She chants between pokes and prods all over my chest until she falls into my lap, laughing until she can’t catch her breath.
It’s the most beautiful sound in the world. The first time I’ve heard her laugh in fifteen years.
“Maybe your memory is fuzzy,” I tease, lightly cupping her chin while mindful of her bruises. “I bet you’ve forgotten just howgood my cock is and that’s why you think of the mascot and not me.”
Dove’s eyes run all over my face before settling on my lips, then she licks her lower lip and meets my eyes. “Maybe I have.”
With alcohol warming my veins and exhaustion simmering in the back of my mind, nothing sounds better than sinking as deep as I can into Dove and staying there.
“Care for a crash course to remind you?” My voice drops low and I bring Dove’s face within an inch of mine. “Nothing like a fresh experience to unlock the memories.”
“Shut up and kiss me,” Dove demands breathlessly, resting both her hands on my shoulders.
I do just that.
Our mouths collide while I wrap my arms around her body and bring her close against my chest, mindful of where I’m placing my hands due to the healing wounds on her back.
Each hungry, messy kiss makes it difficult to focus and I’m soon lost in the frantic press of her lips against mine.
She leans back only to remove her t-shirt and toss it behind her, then she’s back against me and kissing me hard.
