When he flicked her clit, Sloane bowed. “Come on, you’re not going to torture information out of me, are you?”
Another flick, another moan, and lust rose quickly inside her.
“Lady, I’m already deep in your secrets, and they’ll be safe with me.”
Her hands went to his head and fisted his hair to make him look up at her. “Come here. You don’t have to torture me for basic information. I don’t know if I’ll be able to answer all your questions, but I’ll do my best.”
Something relaxed in him when he retraced his path and came to lie beside her. “I’m all ears.”
The boyish smile made her relax in turn. “I suppose you want to know about Noctem?”
“I said I wanted to know everything about you, and that includes your work. So why not start with that?”
One hand supported his head, the other traced lazy circles around her navel, patiently waiting for her. It seemed there wasn’t a way out of this.
“I spend a lot of time here. With Noctem Consulting, I mean. They became my family. Dysfunctional, weird, and annoying at times, but I guess they’re good people.”
“Noctem is a cover name…”
“Yes and no. It is for the Vigilante, but each of us has specific skills that we offer. Also, it would be strange if the Vigilante had this undercover life, but nothing day to day. It gives us alibis if need be and access to places or events that would normally be closed to us. I do security consulting when I’m not here.”
A frown marred his handsome face. “How can you be the Vigilante and have a day job? It’s impossible, you have to sleep, rest.”
Sloane couldn’t contain her smile. “Ah! Yeah. This a bit of information you don’t have. I’m not the only Vigilante.”
The fog quickly lifted from his dark eyes. “Of course! I was so caught up in everything else I should have known. No way would Lance stay on the sidelines. It’s wise to have different people under the suit. Good for rotation, but also to throw people off. That was obvious when I searched social media.”
This time, Sloane mirrored his posture to look at him in the eyes. “So you looked for me on social media?”
“More like the Vigilante… but I admit that I checked you out. Let me remind you that you said I could.” His hand left her belly to trace the ink just under her left breast. “Usque ad finem. Apart from the Marine motto Semper fi, I don’t know Latin… what does it mean?”
“Until the very end. It’s our motto here at Noctem. Each of us had this inked on us, a kind of secret code, but also a reminder of our purpose, the fact that for many, we’re the last line of defense, and must be there until the very end.”
“That’s a dangerous vow you took.”
Sloane enjoyed his soothing touch. “I found a purpose greater than myself here. It wasn’t a difficult promise to make.”
“And what about your life? When you’re not the Vigilante, who do you want to be?”
It was Sloane’s turn to frown. “You mean like what you did? Found your way by becoming a professor? Turning your passion into your life?”
Now his warm palm rested on her hip. “Yes, but what do you want for your own life?”
“You can’t possibly see any kind of happy ending for me. My biological family was the definition of fucked up. You can ask any of my friends here and they’ll tell you I’m not good at relationships. It’s a miracle you’ve spent so much time by my side and haven’t had the irrepressible need to bury me alive. I think I’m good for short stints, one night stands. Anyway, it’s what we’re having right now. Lucky you.”
Her attempt at humor fell flat. From relaxed, Luke tensed, removing his hand from her. “Yeah, again, you’ve made it very clear. Sorry, I forgot you’re only a quick fuck.”
She’d been accused of that before, but this was the first time it got to her. “Hey! I’m being honest here. I’ve worked through shit enough to at least be honest with myself. You can’t accuse me of not being honest with you.”
Luke exhaled sharply before rolling away, turning his back on her. Sloane felt anxious, uncomfortable. Was it because of what she’d said, or because of how he’d reacted? She’d expected him to simply agree to have fun and part ways when it was over.
She put a hand on his back, mindful of his bruises, and he immediately tensed. Ignoring it, she came to sit beside him. “You wanted something different from me?”
Luke shrugged. “I’m just tired, don’t mind me.”
It was tempting to push him further, coax clarification from him, although it was impossible that he’d actually thought there could be a future with her, did he? And why, for the first time ever, hadn’t a coil of pure fear form in her stomach? Shaking her head, she tried to make sense of this unexpected twist. “Listen, Luke. I’ve never let anyone so close, revealing all my secrets. I told you, I don’t know what you expect of me. All I know is that I care about you. And I want you.”
Again, she spoke the truth, amidst all the unknown emotions that needed to be deciphered. Luke locked gazes with her, her brown irises burning with their intensity. Scrambling to find the right words, those that would tell him to stay, to continue to trust her, to remain by her side, he was the one who finally made a move.
When she expected recriminations, or a simple cold shoulder, Luke opted for the only language that seemed to work between them. “Then I’ll fuck you, as it’s the only thing I’ll ever get. I’ll remain by your side until it’s over, and then I’ll leave as you wish. I’ll leave you to the life you want, and I’ll start mine. Deal?”
He didn’t wait for her answer, his body lunging into a kiss, the civilized man turning into the beast she craved. Relieved for the truce, why did his words feel so cold? Sloane reached for him, once more lost in the fire between them, but a nagging thought blossomed in her mind, draping itself around her heart. It felt as if something had slid through her fingers like sand, never to be found again. When desperation caught her though, she expressed it with her body, with this man, and promised herself to look at it later. For that she needed all her courage, as she felt something had shifted inside her, and it scared her to death.
Chapter 17
Much later, as Sloane dressed, Luke went to grab something to eat in the kitchen, not that he was that hungry. He knew he should fill his stomach, but he was distracted, and cooking was the last thing on his mind. He was grateful to find some ready-mixed protein bottles stocked in the fridge. He didn’t want to think about what had happened earlier. He’d made himself vulnerable, for the first time in a very long time, and to the worst possible person. How could he have imagined building anything with Sloane? It was clear he’d scared her to death, which was far from the love he’d hoped to see in her eyes. It was a reality check he’d be best to remember.
As he gulped down the drink, Luke had to admit that this place was nice, homey. He didn’t see anyone else, but it was clear the place was used a lot. The kitchen was the central point of the level, with a large living room opposite the sleeping quarters.