the inside, and she liked what she saw. He knew she’d never turn away from him again. They were bonded by the act that they just shared together.
And he knew that she had a taste for it.
She would want to do it again.
That could be arranged.
“What happens after we leave?” she asked him. “Together,” she quickly added.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll find out,” he said. “I’m sure your grandmother will be happy to know that Alfred Carino is dead. That’s all she wanted. You were just the messenger. And I’m sure there will be another powerful person that wronged her at some point in time, and she’ll want him dead too. I can help you with that. And you can help me with my work.”
“You don’t need anyone’s help.”
“That’s true,” he chuckled. “I don’t. But it can be lonely, and it doesn’t hurt to make things more interesting, does it? Perhaps it would be nice to make this job fun, at least for now.”
She nodded, her idea of fun beginning to change, and he got to his feet, pulling her up by her elbows.
He held her by the arms and stared down at her.
“It’s nice to see to again, Ginger Jones,” he said to her. “This might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
She snorted. “If by friendship you mean fucking and killing, then yeah.”
Oh, and he knew he’d be falling in love with her, too.
In time, he could hope she’d feel the same.
He put his hand at the back of her neck, holding her in place, and kissed her hard and rough, their mouths both tentative and hungry, a kiss he’d dreamed of for a long time. A kiss that promised many more.
“Time to clean up,” he told her after he pulled away, using his thumb to smooth away a patch of blood on her cheek. “You ready, Little Red?”
“As I’ll ever be, Big Bad Wolf.”
If you enjoyed this steamy tale, don’t miss One Hot Italian Summer, “a delicious slow burn” by Karina Halle.
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The Ugly Duckling
CJ Roberts
1
Constantine Mansion, 2020
Bishop’s Landing, New York
For the first time in a long time, Amaya is genuinely afraid; it’s exciting and novel.
“Your invitation please,” says the Nine of Hearts. He’s decked out in the style of the Queen’s Court from Alice in Wonderland.
Amaya doesn’t have an invitation. She lacks all the prerequisites of someone suited to attending a masquerade hosted by the Constantine family. For starters, she has a soul. She also makes less than forty thousand dollars a year and isn’t the CEO of her own multi-billion-dollar corporation. VV knows all this, she’s sure. Amaya is also certain that gaining entry to the exclusive party is only one of several tests her angel of death has set out for her.
“I’m here with Noelle,” she says to the Nine. Amaya makes it a point to tug at the hem of her short and revealing costume. Black fishnets and a black feathered corset dress are more Halloween than masquerade, but it was the best she could do on short notice.
The email she’d received had been vague on details, but Amaya was able to put it together from the referenced news articles. Tinsley Constantine’s debut masquerade is the perfect hunting ground for the Vagina Vigilante. There were at least a dozen suspected child molesters in there, not to mention the rapists; her preferred prey. Something in her heart feels warm at the thought of VV having such confidence in her abilities.
“I see,” says the Nine.
Amaya tries not to shrink beneath his speculative gaze. The costume is rented, and it shows. “What?” she asks. “You never heard of The Ugly Duckling?” To be honest, she didn’t think it looked that bad until she showed up and saw all the other costumes. She was never going to find anything suitable at a rental store. It’s a blessing that her outfit came with an exotic headdress of black feathers and an extended orange bill to guarantee her anonymity.
“My apologies, I meant no offense. I’ll have someone escort you to Miss Noelle.” The Nine of Hearts takes a step closer. His white-gloved hand rests on her bare shoulder. He caresses her with his thumb. “How old are you, sweetheart?”
“Old enough,” Amaya says. Her time turning tricks has taught her how to spot trash. She’s four feet and eleven inches of dark brown skin and long curly hair with small breasts; she knows what