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Pushing back the covers, a constellation of aging bruises graces my thighs, and when I lift my shirt to see my stomach, there’s more of the same, just bigger, thanks to Titan’s swift right foot that seemed rather fond of my midsection. To be honest, I’m surprised I only have one broken rib. I expected much worse.
And the bandage on my left side, presumably from the gouge caused by the fence, I can only blame on myself.
I should probably ask for a mirror to see my face, but with how well I’m handling all of this, I decide it’s best to wait. My jaw is sore, my eyes still burn—I assume from being swollen—and I can feel a scabbed-over cut at my hairline. Whatever is there, I’ll let my imagination conjure an image, likely nowhere near as bad as reality.
Luca walks out of the closet dressed only in loose grey cotton pants and I can’t take my eyes off him. The deep V at his waist has my eyes drawing further south and my tongue darting out. The desire to explore his body rips through me, causing an ache between my legs that I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to sate. I’m under no assumptions that he’s going to touch me however I might need until I no longer look like death.
Still, that doesn’t mean my mind can’t conjure images of our previous encounters, the way his tongue works its way down my body before lapping at my clit as if it was the last source of nourishment in existence.
Before I can work myself up too much, I squash my inner desire as best I can, then attempt to turn my body toward him, but even that small movement makes me wince.
Yeah, we’re at least a couple days from sexy time.
His hard stare turns on me. “If you keep looking at me like you were and you’re not careful, I’ll be sleeping on the couch.”
That’s a threat I’m going to heed.
“Then, come closer so I don’t have to move,” I say, hoping he’s still in the mindset of not denying me. I intend to take full advantage of it while I can, to the point that doesn’t have him sleeping anywhere besides next to me.
He slides into the bed, his lower half under the comforter, and moves until he can wrap his arm around me. My head leans against his side. “I hate to push you, but I need to ask about where you were. We thought we had a lead with a bank account number, but that turned out to be a dead end.”
Ah, no wonder he was pissy when he walked back in.
I start to recount what I remember of the house and its surroundings, but I'm only able to utter a few words before a knock at the door interrupts us. Justine’s voice filters through the room.
“Well, if you would have told me the moment she woke up, I wouldn’t have to barge in.”
Even though I can’t see them from the bedroom, I picture Jaxon’s annoyed expression and Justine’s determined stride, which makes me smile again.
I reach for Luca’s hand and squeeze. “Don’t tell her to go away, please.”
“She’s lucky you like her,” he grumbles in reply and surprises me when he stays in bed.
Justine knocks on the door frame. “Everyone decent?”
“No,” Luca replies curtly. When I give him a glare, he adds, “You said not to tell her to go away. Not that I had to be nice.”
He makes a point. Before I can amend, Justine and Jaxon walk in, the latter with an apologetic look on his face. “I tried to stop her.”
“Clearly, not very hard,” Luca says, then moves his hard stare to Justine. “Today is the exception. Don’t ever come into my room again without permission. Do you understand?”
Justine is at least smart enough to nod without the cocky grin I’m sure she’s holding back. “Understood.”
Jaxon glances between Luca and me. “Did you get the location?”
“She was just telling me when we were rudely interrupted.” Luca looks down at me. “What do you remember, Raven?”
“There’s a residential area beyond the golf course behind the light rail stop,” I say, then frown. “I didn’t see any street names, but if I have a map, I might be able to get close. I do know that the house was at the end of a cul-de-sac with a white porch and a massive hydrangea bush on the left that I hid under.”
Jaxon is handing me his phone before I’m even finished speaking, and the golf course is in view. Using two fingers, I zoom in and out while moving the map around. Damn it. With how dark it was when I left and how freaked the fuck out I was…none of this looks familiar, but still, I keep trying.
Then, I remember the yard I escaped through. They didn’t have a fence at that house, but most of the others did. Except the harder I concentrate on the screen, the more my head pounds. I hand the phone to Luca. “Find a house without a fence in a cul-de-sac that backs against the golf course,” I tell him, closing my eyes and leaning back against the pillow.
“Are you okay?” he asks with an edge to his voice.
“It’s just the screen. I’ll be fine.”
I feel the bed dip next to me. “I read up about concussions. You’re not supposed to watch TV or be on the phone much for a while,” Justine says, then grabs my hand. “You’re really okay, though?”
