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We bucked and thrashed against each other, each one trying to bring as much pleasure, as much feeling, as possible to the other. Our rhythm built and built until we reached that ultimate peak, our hoarse cries drowned out by the steady hiss of the hot water around us.
Chapter Thirty-One
After we finished in the shower, we wrapped ourselves in thick, terrycloth robes and headed into the kitchen. I made Owen sit while I cooked us an enormous breakfast. Spicy southwestern omelets, light-as-air blueberry pancakes, thick slabs of Canadian bacon, a sweet, mango-strawberry-kiwi fruit punch. Everything was done to perfection and tasted even better than it looked.
"And you cook too," Owen murmured, staring at the platters on the table. "Is there anything you don't do, Gin?"
"I don't know," I replied in a teasing tone. "Ask me, and we'll see. "
His violet eyes darkened with heat.
We sat there in companionable silence for several minutes eating breakfast and enjoying each other's company. After we finished our first round of food, Owen looked at me.
"You want to tell me about it?" he asked in a quiet tone. "I've already seen the version on the early morning news. Quite a display you put on up there on the mountaintop. "
"That's me," I said in a wry voice. "A real showwoman. "
I told him everything. The problems Roslyn Phillips had been having with Elliot Slater, the giant threatening to kill Roslyn's family unless she came to him, my rush to save her. The only thing I changed was the ending, taking credit for killing Slater instead of laying that at Roslyn's feet. The vamp had been through enough already.
Owen sat there, chewing his pancakes, and listening to my bloody tale. "So is it over then?" he asked. "Are you back to being retired now?"
I looked at Owen, with his rumpled black hair and solid chest peeking out of the gap in his white robe. It would be so easy to lie to him. To say of course it was over now. That I was going to spend the rest of my days slinging barbecue down at the Pork Pit. But my lie wouldn't last long. Owen had his own sources of information, just like Finn did. The next time I took out someone in Mab's organization and left my spider rune calling card, Owen would hear about it sooner or later. But more important than that was the simple fact that I didn't want there to be any lies between us.
"No," I said. "It's not over. It's just getting started. I'm going after Mab. Her whole organization, all her flunkies, all the officials and cops she's got in her pocket. And when I've chipped away enough of her protective shell, then I'm going after her. "
Owen stared at me. "And why do you want to do all that, Gin? Why would you risk yourself like that? What did Mab do to you?"
I drew in a deep breath. "The bitch murdered my family. Among other things. "
I didn't say anything else. Didn't give Owen the details of my family's murder or who I really was or the fact that Mab had her sights set on killing Bria for magic that she didn't even have. I just wasn't ready to reveal that much of myself to him. Not now, maybe not ever. If Owen even gave me that kind of chance. If he even gave us that kind of chance.
I drew in another breath and readied myself for the rest of my speech. Because as enjoyable as our time together in the shower had been, great sex wasn't enough for me to put Owen in danger-not the kind of danger that Mab Monroe presented.
"This morning was wonderful," I said. "But given what I did last night, given what I plan to do in the coming weeks, if you don't want things to go any further between us, I'll understand, Owen. Going after Mab and her organization will be dangerous, not only for me but for the people I care about as well. Because if Mab finds out who I am before I want her to, she'll come after everyone I know with everything she's got. I know you have Eva to think about. Believe me, I know how important sisters can be, how important Eva is to you. I'll understand if you don't want to take the risk. "
Owen stared at me for several seconds, his eyes dark in his strong face. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm a big boy, Gin. I can take care of myself. Eva too. I've been doing it most of my adult life. Besides," his mouth twisted. "Your family isn't the only one that Mab killed. "
A pain I was all too familiar with filled his face. I reached over and put my hand on top of his. "Oh, Owen. I'm so sorry. How did it happen?"
He shrugged. "My father was a gambler. He got in too deep to a bookie who worked for Mab. My father was a big, strong guy. The bookie was scared of him, so he called in Mab for reinforcement. She torched our house with the four of us in it to send a message to the bookie's other customers to pay up-or else. Eva and I got out. Our parents didn't. "
Owen lapsed into silence, lost in his fiery memories of the past. We just sat there, my hand on top of Owen's larger one. We didn't say anything for almost a minute.
"So whatever you want to do, however you want to fight Mab Monroe, I'm with you," Owen finally said in a low voice. "Because the bitch killed my parents too. But mainly because I'm falling for you, Gin. I know what you do, what kind of violence you're capable of. But also, I know what kind of woman you are. "
His words startled me more than anything had in a long time. "And what kind of woman would that be?"
Owen stared at me. "Someone who's passionate and full of life. Someone who's funny and smart. But mostly, someone who'll do whatever the fuck it takes to protect the people she cares about. That's what I like about you, Gin. That's what I admire about you. That's what draws me to you. " His mouth quirked up in a smile. "Well, that and the knives. Did I ever mention that I think weapons are sexy?"
A warm, soft feeling blossomed in my chest, a little tingle of possibilities, of what could be between Owen and me-something far greater than I'd ever dreamed of.
At his suggestive tone, I arched an eyebrow, got up, and sat down in his lap. "Weapons are sexy, huh?" I whispered, my lips just touching his. "Care to frisk me to see if I'm carrying any right now?"
Owen's eyes glittered with violet desire. "I'd love to. "
A minute later, Eva Grayson walked into the kitchen in her flannel pajamas to find Owen and me still kissing-among other more prurient things. She immediately clapped her hand over her eyes and started backing out of the kitchen.
"Oops! Owen, sorry, I didn't realize that you had an overnight guest-" Eva peered through her fingers at me. "Wait a minute. Gin? Is that you?"
