Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1)(28)
Author: J. Lynn

Ren’s grin was like dark chocolate, smooth and rich. "Not yet."

Chapter Eight

The rest of our shift was pretty uneventful compared to what happened at the start of it. I tried not thinking about that poor woman and the innocent man, the life that was lost in a matter of minutes, the life that would be lost, and all the other lives that would be impacted. Not thinking about it, as callous as that sounded¸ was the only way we could continue hunting. And I tried not to think about the tension-filled moment Ren and I had shared or the absolutely stupid question I had asked or his mysterious response. That was the only way I could still walk beside him without wanting to pitch myself in front of a moving vehicle.

We found three fae—normal fae—during our patrol. As much as it killed me to stand aside and let Ren handle them since I’d been ordered to not engage, I was already tired of arguing, at least for the night. Both of us would be off on Sunday, and I was thinking by Monday I’d be able to fight without risking much damage to the stitches.

When it was time for our shift to end at one, I wasn’t entirely surprised when he attempted to escort me home. "I’m going to get a cab," I told him. "It’s too far of a walk, even in the day."

Standing on the corner of Canal and Royal, he cocked his head to the side. "True."

I really had no idea how to part ways from this point, and I felt like I could give a class on awkward. I could see the cab coming and I glanced at Ren. "Well, I guess I’ll . . . see you on Monday then?"

A slight smile appeared. "Sure."

My eyes narrowed as the cab pulled up to the curb. Opening the back door, I stopped. "Where are you staying?"

"I’m renting a place over in the warehouse district."

I was relieved to hear he wasn’t sleeping on the streets. Not knowing what else to say, I waved goodbye and climbed into the cab. I gave the driver my address, and not a minute afterward, my cell dinged.

I pulled it out of my back pocket, noticing that it was from a number I didn’t recognize, and all it said was thank you.

Curious, I typed back who is this?

The response was immediate. Ren

Oh. I’d forgotten he’d seen my number in the file and honestly hadn’t considered that he saved it even though he said he’d called me. I hadn’t even checked to see if he had, so I did just then. There was a missed call Friday night from the same number. I typed back what are you thanking me for?

No response came by the time I made it to my apartment, but I saved his number, and it was a little weird entering his name when I realized I didn’t know what his last name was.

UPS must’ve been to my house after I’d left, and I stopped to pick up two boxes. Carrying them inside, I placed them on the chair just inside the door.

Tink was in the kitchen when I walked in, nibbling on a praline that was the size of a pizza compared to him. "Hey! You’re back. And you didn’t get shot." Lowering a chunk of candy that he held, he frowned up at me as I dropped my keys on the counter beside him. "You weren’t shot again, right?"

"No."

He raised the piece of candy as if he was toasting me then shoved it in his mouth. How he stayed in shape was beyond me. Jumping to his bare feet, he placed his hands on his narrow hips. "You know what I’ve been thinking?"

"Yeah?" I yawned, reaching up and tugging out the bobby pins.

"That guy that was in here last night?" He picked up the pin I’d placed on the counter and twirled it like a baton as he marched back and forth. "I think you want to get it on with him."

"Uh. What?" Moving my fingers through my hair, I eased the knots of curls. "What in the world makes you think that?"

"You left the house with him even after he obviously broke in. I’m telling you what, you females are freaks. Guys break in and you all swoon like B&E is a desirable trait," he ranted, still twirling the hot pink pin. "Females of my kind? If you did that they’d eat you for dinner. And not in the fun way. They’d start off by eating the man parts." He grabbed his junk as if I needed a visual aid. "And then they’d—"

"Okay. I get it. First off, I don’t think breaking into my apartment is something to swoon about. I don’t think most girls do. Secondly, Ren didn’t break in, because someone," I pointed at him, "left the French doors unlocked."

His eyes widened. "I did no such thing."

I arched a brow.

"Okay. I might’ve done that, but he climbed a wall to get in, and that’s kind of . . . well, that’s actually kind of impressive." He lifted the pin, shaking it at me. "I bet that means he could pick you up and—"

"Oh my God, Tink, really? He’s a member of the Order. He’s new to the area. And he’s apparently impatient and didn’t want to wait for me to return his call. Does that mean we’re going to get naked and pretend to make babies? No." An odd sense of disappointment washed over me, and I pushed the sensation away. "So not going to happen. And I’m not talking about sex with you."

The pin clattered when he dropped it on the counter, and he rose into the air so I was eye level with his bronze chest. "Let’s talk about sex."

"No." Rolling my eyes, I walked away.

"Sex is good!"

"Shut up, Tink."

"Sex is fun!" he continued to shout.

I shook my head. "The only thing you’re having sex with is inanimate objects, so what do you know?"

He ignored me. "Sex is best when it’s one on one!"

Stopping in the hall, I turned to where he was doing a pelvic thrust. "Isn’t that a George Michael song?"

"Maybe. But he was wrong. I like to think sex is best when it’s like three on three or something. Seems more adventurous."

"Whatever. Goodnight, Tink."

I closed the door as he broke out in a Salt-n-Pepa song. "You’re living in the wrong decade, Tink!" I yelled through the door then giggled when it sounded like he kicked it and went into a fit of curse words. 

After getting ready for bed, it took a while for me to get to the point where I could doze off, and when I finally did sleep, I dreamed I wasn’t alone in the bed, that there was a hard male body pressing against the length of mine. Hands were everywhere, touching me softly, caressing me in places that were far too intimate, and in ways that I had little experience with.  I heard my name, the voice sounding familiar, and I thought I caught a glimpse of deep brown waves, but I couldn’t be sure, and I was too lost in the dream to really pay attention or care. My lips were kissed. My body was kissed in the way I was touched, and I could feel silky hair between my fingers as I grasped his head, holding him to me, guiding his mouth to where I wanted—