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Rueben gave me a broad smile, lighting up his entire face, his beard moving with the action. It felt like I’d just won the lottery with how beautiful it was.
“Holy shit!” Porter exclaimed, looking at the big man in question. “That’s it. We’re keeping you now, Raven. I hope you don’t mind four smelly dudes because you won’t be able to shake us.”
I giggled again, my face flushing with his words. It had been a long time since someone had shocked me with their proclamations, making me feel wanted in an entirely new way.
“Hmm, I bet I could shake you if I wanted,” I teased, tapping my finger against my lips.
Phoenix slapped his brother against the stomach. “Shut up, bro. She’ll take that as a challenge. I’ll never underestimate your skills ever again, Silent Blade.” He motioned like he was bowing with his hands, making everything in me tingle with delight.
“Just for that, you get a reward.” I moved over, pulling his arm until he crouched down. I kissed his smooth cheek, giggling as his eyes widened in surprise, his hand touching where my lips had just been. “Now, you three stay here so I can change.”
“No fair! I want a reward,” Porter mumbled, making me laugh even more.
I slipped through the adjoining door, leaving it open a smidge so I could still hear them. I wasn’t convinced someone hadn’t been in my room yet, which left me on high alert until I could confirm it was clear. So, I took a few seconds to orient myself to the room, the TV casting shadows around it as it flashed.
Everything looked in place, but my sixth sense told me something was off. Pulling out a spray from my belt, I tiptoed across the floor toward the bathroom, the only room I couldn’t see from here. The door was open, the long mirror reflecting the images from the TV as they bounced around. A shift in the mirror’s background caught my attention, and I ducked just in time to avoid the knife now lodged into the wood.
The next few seconds happened quickly as they readjusted, jumping over the bed to strike me. I picked up the nearest thing, throwing it into their path as I leaped on the bed out of their way. They stumbled into the dresser, so I quickly grabbed the hotel binder and tossed it at the adjoining door, shutting it completely. I didn’t want this person to know they were there, or worse, for them to charge in here and get killed.
Hopping off the bed, my attacker and I watched one another as we circled the area and waited for one of us to strike.
“Who sent you?” I asked, despite already having a good guess. When they didn’t answer, I took a different approach. “It’s nice to see you again, Steel Strike. What’s it been, three years since the last Assassin get-together? Who’s on that committee? We should message them and see what the holdup is.”
“You always did talk too much, Peppermint—”
“It’s the Silent Blade, thank you very much!”
Steel Strike laughed, not taking their eyes off me. “Funny, since you never shut up.”
Rolling my eyes, I dove, tired of the standoff. The longer I took, the higher the likelihood one of the guys would come to investigate, and I would not let them get hurt.
I swiped Steel Strike off her feet, rolling back to my position a second later. Steel Strike growled, charging me now that I’d pissed her off. I jumped over the chair, tossing napkins at her face to distort her view. I spotted the bottle I’d dropped by the bed and jumped up to grab it.
Steel Strike grabbed my ankle, turning me around as they pounced on me, holding my arms down. “If you wanted to make out, all you had to do was ask,” I said, my fingers wrapping around my bottle.
Steel Strike sneered, her head moving to slam into mine, but I got my bottle between us, squirting it in her face. She screamed instead of passing out, so I looked down in confusion, realizing I’d grabbed the wrong one. Instead of the knockout spray, I’d grabbed the dirty bombing spray—part instant laxative, part chlorine. It was not a pleasant combination.
Wincing, I watched as she scrambled back, kicking me in the side as she tried to find her way to the door, her stomach already cramping as she held it. I rolled off the bed, standing and tripping over something we’d thrown, cursing as my ankle twisted in my boots. Giving up trying to help her, I watched as she fumbled for the handle. Her face was bright red, the chemical burns already taking effect.
“Honest mistake!” I hollered, waving at her back.
“This isn’t over!” she screeched, slamming the door as she ran, probably to find a toilet.
Choking on a laugh, I fell back to the floor, the high of a good fight filling me as I lay there. Banging on the inner door reminded me of what I’d been up to before the showdown. Sitting up, I pulled myself to my feet and gingerly pressed down on my ankle, wincing when it pulsed with pain. Hopping over to the door, I opened it, giving my best innocent look.
The twins stared at me, their eyes wide as they assessed me and tried to peer into the room. “What’s up?” I asked. “Miss me already?”
“Rueben said he saw someone leaving your room, their face all red and holding their stomach. We were just concerned?” Phoenix said, the last part coming out as more of a question as his eyes scanned me.
My heart warmed at their concern for my safety. It wasn’t that my fellow Belladonnas didn’t care, but we all knew each other could handle shit, so you didn’t worry in the same way.
“I’m fine. Just a tussle with my nemesis. I’ll only be a second.” I stopped, realizing what Steel Strike being in my hotel room meant. “Crash Bandicoot! My cover’s blown.” I rubbed my temple, the night catching up to me with each new event.
“It’s settled then. You’ll come and stay with us until you figure out your next move,” Porter said, not even hesitating.
“What?” I asked, being the one not to understand this time. Porter gave me that smile that said I was being cute, pushing the door open and walking into my room like he owned it.
“We’ll help pack. Put us to work, Cutie-pie!”
