“You should take out your contact lens. You might scratch up your eyeball if you sleep with it in.”
I reached up and pulled off the mask. “Why did you hang out at fantasy clubs?”
He brushed a tress away from my face. “Immortals get bored easily.”
“Am I boring?”
He bent over until his lips touched mine. “Far from it.”
I turned my head away. “I’m not in the mood. I’ve never been so turned off from sex.”
“Something I said?”
“No. I just don’t get the whole domination thing.”
An enigmatic look crossed his expression.
When the room began to spin, I reached between the two beds and switched off the lamp. My tattoo illuminated the dark like a night-light, allowing me to see Christian perfectly.
“This comforter sure is soft,” I said after a wide yawn. “Not like most hotels.”
“I had them unwrap a new one from the supply room.”
I chuckled softly. “Why?”
“I have exceptional vision. I could see stains on that bedding that would make you shudder. I’ll not have you sleeping on filth.”
“Since when are you a germophobe? I seem to recall you having sex with a random woman on top of a table in a bar.”
He straightened his back. “Now that was entirely different.”
“How so?”
“Well, for one, you can wipe down wood. It’s not like these linens that have been collecting waste for years. Secondly, in case you haven’t noticed, I prefer to stand.”
That was true.
“Too bad you can’t stay with me on this mission,” I said.
“And why’s that?”
“Just look at that big picture window over there. We could open the curtains all the way, even flip on the lights. Imagine all the eyes watching us. My breasts smashed against the glass as you pound me from behind.”
He put his hand over my mouth. “That’ll be enough of that.”
I smiled and rested my hand on his lap. “I’m good at this job. I think I found my calling.”
He furrowed his brow. “As a dominatrix?”
“No. I meant working as a bartender. I grew up in a bar; it’s like second nature.”
Christian tilted his head. “And dominating men isn’t?”
I squeezed his thigh until I heard a light gasp. “Men and women were lined up at my station, and they liked me ordering them around.”
“Are you trying to get yourself fired from an undercover job?”
“You didn’t see the way they were talking to me. Sometimes you gotta stand your ground. I know Viktor wants me to play a role, but I’ll never be a doormat for any amount of money. My father used to always call me an alpha cat as a joke. He didn’t like the word bossy. Said it was one of those negative labels that people put on strong women. My attitude doesn’t get me in trouble in the club. I got more tips in that short amount of time than I did the entire night.”
“’Tis a shame I missed it.”
I slid my hand farther up his thigh. “If you’re good, I’ll let you watch me.”
“You’re a naughty girl, Miss Black.”
“But that’s what you like, isn’t it?”
“Aye.”
“Good. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
He licked his bottom lip. “Aye.”
I squeezed his thigh and rolled away from him. I needed to get some shut-eye and shake the Sensor-induced fever. “Good night, Poe.”
His lips were suddenly next to my ear. “Good night, Precious. I’ll be watching.”
Christian waited until Raven fell asleep before slipping out. He watched the rhythmic pattern of her breathing, listened to the soft beat of her fierce heart, and fantasized about killing every man who touched her. He couldn’t help the compulsive thoughts. They festered. Christian had spent decades learning patience through his job as a guard. He had mastered control and exercised ruthless behavior only when warranted. But with Raven, that old side of him was reemerging. The one that predated his years as a guard, back when he served Lenore.
Viktor had forbidden him from staying with Raven. On undercover assignments, one couldn’t be too careful, and his constant presence would pose a security threat. But Viktor didn’t mention anything about guarding Raven on her walk home. While Christian couldn’t go into the club, he could at least see that she got home safely. As long as he kept his distance and didn’t interfere, he didn’t see the harm.
Christian fired up his Ducati and rode home in the early light of day. He delighted in the sharp turns, the speed, and the wind in his hair. It was more thrilling at night on a dark road with the headlamps off. Now that