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I opened the door to his house, the familiar scent of leather and sandalwood greeting me like a warm embrace. I found Teo sprawled on the couch, his shirt unbuttoned halfway, revealing the sculpted and inked chest that always sent a shiver racing down my spine.
His tie hung loose around his neck, and his dark hair, normally so meticulously styled, fell in disarray across his forehead. The sight of him, all broad shoulders and raw masculinity, made it hard to remember why I was here.
He looked up at me and smiled. “Thank you for bringing my car back.”
“Were you watching me?” I asked.
“I mean,” he replied. “I was always going to put a detail on you, particularly if my capos are busy. I need to make sure you’re safe.”
I swallowed. “I didn’t notice.”
“Good. You weren’t supposed to,” he said, running a hand through his short hair.
“Long day?” I asked, toeing off my shoes and padding toward him. “Where’s Grayson?”
He rubbed at the stubble shadowing his jaw, eyes heavy-lidded but lighting up as he caught sight of me. “Home. He needed to get some rest. And yeah, you could say that,” he said, voice rough like gravel. “The Viper’s been making moves, and we’ve been playing catch-up. I’m bringing in some associates from out of the city—people I trust.”
“Good.” I perched on the edge of the coffee table, facing him. “We need all the help we can get.”
“Tell me about your day. Any progress with...?” His voice trailed off, not needing to finish the question. He knew I’d been digging for any scrap of information that might lead us to Sam. I appreciated that he was asking me for a report rather than brushing me off.
“Bits and pieces,” I replied, fiddling with my shirt. I hesitated, knowing there was something else I needed to tell him—something far more personal. My pulse quickened at the memory of Victor and Jace, their hands, their mouths, the heat of their bodies pressed against mine.
He had said I was allowed to use them as entertainment, but I was supposed to tell him first. He knew about Jace, but he didn’t know about Victor.
“Actually, there’s something else.” My voice wavered. “Victor and Jace—they and I had an...encounter.”
“Encounter?” Teo raised an eyebrow, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten and his honeygold eyes shining as he set his gaze on me.
“Intimate,” I clarified, watching closely for his reaction. “It just happened. It was intense, and..I know I should’ve told you before it happened but I, I don’t know. I’ve been getting so caught up in all of this. It’s making it difficult for me to think clearly and I...” I trailed off, searching for the right words and not finding a way to articulate anything.
“Intense how?” There was a flicker of something in his gaze, curiosity mixed with something darker. Primal.
“Physically overwhelming,” I said. “Jace was…”
He inched closer to me, his knees practically touching my body as he licked his lips. “You need to tell me everything,” he said. “I want to hear it all.”
Blood rushed to my cheeks as I looked into his eyes. “Jace fucked me,” I said. “Victor watched, but he, uh, kissed me. Touched me. Didn’t go further than that.”
Teo shifted, sitting up straighter, his fingers tapping a silent rhythm on his thigh. I fought to keep my gaze on his face rather than “And emotionally?”
“Confusing. Liberating, too, in a way I didn’t expect.” I took a deep breath, meeting his stare head-on. “I felt desired, I guess? In a way that felt weird and heady and intoxicating.”
“Who wouldn’t desire you?” he said, reaching forward and looping some hair behind my ear. I leaned into his touch. “You’re amazing. And that sounds like quite the experience.”
I shifted a little. “You aren’t angry?”
He shook his head. “No. Doesn’t change anything between us. You come home to me.”
He captured my lips in a soft kiss, then pulled away, his pupils expanding as he looked into my eyes. “Keep that in mind, sunshine,” Teo said, his tone firm but not unkind. “What you did—it’s part of who you are. Don’t hide from it. You’re a fire, and it’s okay to let that burn bright.”
“Sometimes, I’m scared it’ll burn everything down around me,” I confessed, my fingers now tracing the intricate patterns on the table.
“Let it burn,” he replied, his smile widening. “As long as you survive, it doesn’t make a difference to me. Now, come here andsit with me. We’ve got a lot to figure out, and I could use your insight.”
“Always,” I replied, getting off the coffee table and sitting next to him on the sofa as he wrapped an arm around me. I sighed as he brought me closer to him. “Sam would probably be making fun of me now if he was here. He would be like ‘bitch, you’re so lucky, why are you overthinking it’?”
Teo laughed. “No offense, but I can do a much better imitation of your brother than you can. And he would never say that.”
