Page 27

“That’s it. Fuck, Skylar. Fuck, I’m coming.” His whole body locks up, and suddenly, my mouth and throat are flooded with him. I swallow as much as I can, but it leaks from my mouth, spilling onto my lips and chin. It’s the single hottest moment of my life. Jericho’s fingers find my jaw, caressing lightly. I lean into his touch, still keeping his cock in my mouth. To think, a fucking porn star unraveling just from giving head. It’s insane, and yet, here I am. Floating. Happy and sated, despite my own arousal still evident in my pants.

Someone in the distance giggles. “Oh, shit. I think there are people fucking out here.”

Another person laughs. “Come on, let’s head back inside and dance.”

Loud music surrounds us for a brief moment before fading behind the door.

Jericho is still caressing my cheek reverently. “You’re so damn perfect, Sky. You’re nothing like him,” he whispers. His words are so soft, I wonder if I’m even meant to hear them. “It’s like you were made for me. What would you do if I tried to keep you?”

I’m still flying high, unable to speak. Just floating. I smile and close my eyes, leaning against his palm and hoping he can feel my answer. I would let you keep me.

I swear I hear one word whispered into the air between us.

Mine.

We work in quick, efficient silence, cleaning up as much as we can and sweeping the alley for any evidence. Jericho claims that his friend owns this club, and we don’t have to worry about the cameras because he already confirmed they were off.

Meanwhile, I assure him I crushed the remaining date rape pills and tell him we don’t need to worry about witnesses because I scanned the alley the moment I walked outside.

There’s something strange about working so well with another person who just helped you kill a man. I’m used to dealing with this darkness inside of me alone. It’s my fucked-up burden to bear while I avenge my sister and pray that no one else like her gets hurt. But as we finish moving the body behind the dumpster and getting rid of the evidence, I swear, Jericho’s eyes sparkle with something that looks like respect.

We walk back toward his car in silence, that easy-going camaraderie floating away on the wind, replaced with a heavy weight between us. I lean against his car and give him a small smile, trying to get us back to that moment.

Jericho watches me like a predator, blue eyes still dark with lust. His stare is hungry and primal. I almost wouldn’t be able to tell he just had an orgasm if I didn’t know I was the one who sucked him off. Licking my lips, I give him a sultry look and lean against the brick building. “I have a proposition for you,” I say.

He arches his brow in question before asking, “What type of proposition?”

I chuckle softly. “What, after all that, and you still don’t trust me?” I shake my head, batting my lashes innocently. “Handsome, you know I just watched you kill a man. Hell, we slid that blade over his neck together. I killed him just as much as you did. If that isn’t trust, I don’t know what is.” I pause, closing the distance between us and straightening the collar on his shirt. “Why don’t you hear me out? Then we can continue what we started back at your place.”

“All right,” he says hesitantly. “But you’ll tell me this proposition before I bring you home.”

I grin. “I’ve been in your house multiple times since escaping your poor excuse for knots. Are you really not going to bring me there now?”

He lets out an exasperated sigh. Dear lord, the man is extra handsome after a good kill and an intense orgasm.

“Fine,” I relent, walking ahead. “Let’s at least go to the pub down the street or something. I’m starving.”

“Can’t you just spit it out?”

I tsk. “No way, my handsome brute. This is something we should sit down and discuss over good food. Preferably with a nice bourbon or scotch.”

Ten minutes later, we’re sitting in a pub downtown, only two blocks away from where we murdered Charlie. The booth we chose is tucked into the corner and private enough for us to speak freely.

“Damn, I’m starving.” I scan the food options in front of me. “Want to split the two specialty burgers and fries?”

A small smile tilts Jericho’s lips before it quickly disappears. “You aren’t even bothered by what we just did,” he states, sipping from his fresh glass of whiskey.

I peer at him from over the menu, desperate to see that grin return to his face. “What… the blow job?” I tease.

Jericho chokes. “No! I meant before that. With Charlie. Obviously, I know this isn’t your first kill, but everyone reacts differently. Even my comrades, who were used to fighting in the war. But you don’t seem bothered at all.”

I shrug. “Not really. I feel pretty damn good about it, actually. He wasn’t a good man, Jericho. That bothers me more,” I confess. “He hurt men, women, and children. Fucking children. Not to mention, there are a few missing bodies where he’s concerned.”

He’s quiet for a moment, contemplating my words. It’s so freeing to tell someone else the thoughts in my head. I mean, sure, I have Hunter. But there’s something about Jericho that fuels my obsession. We’re similar. The way we banter, the way we flow. There’s something here that’s worth exploring.

I take a sip of my scotch. “Were you and Charlie planning to meet tonight? It seemed like the two of you knew each other.”

His eyes snap up to mine, and he shakes his head. “Definitely not. I don’t hang out with sexual predators.”