Ruler (Wolves of Royal Paynes #2) - Kiki Burrelli Page 0,68

be disrespectful of the dead; I just didn't know the right term here.

She wasn't cremated, not exactly.

"Jazz calls it ashploded." Faust answered my unasked question. "It's a good a name as any at the moment. And they'll gather as much as they can, bag it, and put it with the rest of the evidence until we can find a better answer."

"Do you think she has relatives? Athena Harod, I mean?"

Faust's lips stretched thin across his face. "Maybe. I'll check."

I sighed, surprised at how much worry that sigh took with it. I knew she'd tried to kill my pack. She'd tried to take me somewhere that would've been a thousand times worse than the tower. But she was dead now. She couldn't hurt anyone, and nobody deserved to spend the rest of eternity with their remains stashed in a stranger's closet. If her next of kin wanted to put her in a closet, they could.

Faust laughed. "Did you mean to say that all out loud?"

I had? "No. But it's how I feel." I waited for my cheeks to burn with embarrassment, but it didn't come. I looked around at the bright light, noticing for the first time we were in the bathroom. And my shirt was off.

Faust watched my face. "A shower, remember?"

I did remember him saying something about that while carrying me up the stairs. Diesel and Knox had stayed behind to clean up while Faust, me, and the twins were sent upstairs. I'd smirked when Knox had yelled that he didn't want to see us until we were showered and rested—like those were arduous things and not just proof that he cared.

"Good, I want a shower." I reached for my pants, but my fingers touched skin. "You're a pants ninja."

"I've been called worse," Faust said with a laugh. He quickly shucked off his clothes and turned on the shower, testing the temperature with his hand. "You were so brave today, Storri." Faust kissed my shoulder. "You must be exhausted."

I yawned, too tired to muster my usual timidity. "Being brave is tiring." Faust led me inside the shower, and I moaned at the warm water against my skin. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right.

"All that adrenaline." He reached under my arms to grab the bar soap and a wash rag. He rubbed them together in front of my body, working up a thick lather.

I slumped back, barely holding my own weight as he massaged my front. Silky smooth hands rubbed across my chest, teasing each nipple. He worked steadily downward. I hissed when his palms pressed into my hips, moving in a circular motion that made my joints feel like jelly. That was, until it clicked in my foggy lizard brain how very close his hands were to my dick.

My body came to life with such startling strength that for half a second, I couldn't breathe around it. When I was able, I sucked in a warm, wet lungful of steam and let it out in a shuddering pant. Faust's lips pressed against my shoulder. "Does this feel good, kitten?"

"Mhm," I mewled, sounding more like the animal than the man.

"Do you want me to massage anywhere else?"

I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut to keep from coming before Faust even touched the part of me that ached.

"Where?" The word danced over my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

"Lower." I bit my lip. "Please."

"Since you asked so nicely," Faust crooned. His hands started moving again, massaging in deep circles. The motion made my stiff dick spin. It brushed over Faust's knuckles but never hard enough for it to really feel like something.

I didn't want the ghost of a touch. I wanted a firm grip that made my balls clench while he wrung me dry. Going slow had been what I'd needed, but it wasn't what I wanted anymore. I didn't have to imagine only parts of this man; I could concentrate on all of him. His heart, his passion, his strength, and his tenderness. I was ready, fully and truly, without caveat.

Which was why I barked out a pitiful cry of frustration the moment Faust's hands passed over my dick to massage my thighs.

"What's wrong? You said you wanted me lower." His lips curled in a smile that I craned my neck around to stare at.

"Too low."

Faust smirked before capturing my mouth in a sideways kiss. His palms rose a fraction up my skin. And stopped.

I growled low in my throat. It wasn't as impressive as Faust's growl, but I