“Ronin would never hurt me. The man has unparalleled control in any and all situations.” Amery remembered Ronin’s icy coolness the night they were attacked—both during and after. Then her mind went back to how much he knew about stripping down and discarding a gun.
“Interesting.” Vincent stirred his piña colada. “Well, I’m glad to hear you trust him, because frankly, I never expected you to be attracted to that sort of man.”
“What sort? Hot? Older? Exotic?”
“A thug. A highly trained thug, but a thug nonetheless.”
Amery’s jaw dropped. “Wow, for a gay man who deals with preconceived ideas, you’re pretty goddamn judgmental.”
“And what would sweet, naive Amery call a man who teaches violent tactics and sometimes uses them himself for profit? Isn’t that the very definition of a thug?”
She hated his pseudo-reasonable I’m-talking-to-a-child-tone. She drained her drink and stood. “Excuse me. I need to use the facilities.” And get the hell away from you.
In the bathroom, she replayed the conversation with Vincent. The problem with her friends and the groups they hung around with? They intellectualized everything. They wouldn’t look beyond Ronin’s brawn to see his brain. If he capitalized on his skill and expanded his income base, it didn’t make him a thug for hire; it made him smart.
Despite her frustration with him, she missed him.
Back at the table she took a seat at the end opposite Vincent.
Chaz made a beeline for her and sat on the arm of the chair. “Amery, the girl who always brings her A game, what’s up?”
“Not much. Just enjoying your par-tay.”
“You could’ve brought Master Black, you know.”
“Might be awkward for him, with your prissy friends judging him.”
Chaz crouched beside her. “Ignore Vincent. He’s a flaming asshole.”
“I just don’t understand why you talked to him about your concerns regarding me getting involved with Ronin.”
“Well, sugar cube, Vincent is my friend. I talked to him around the time Emmylou had me freaked out. That’s all.”
“You sure?” When Chaz hesitated, she knew that wasn’t all. “Tell me.”
“I just hate the secretiveness that’s grown between us since you started seeing him. Don’t jump on me, because I’m not blaming him, okay?”
Chaz did have a point. She didn’t talk about her relationship with Ronin. “Okay.”
“Seriously, where is he tonight?”
I don’t know. “Contrary to what you and Emmylou believe, Ronin and I do lead separate lives.”
“I’m glad because that means you’re here with me. I’m selfish enough to want you all to myself to help me celebrate tonight.” He took her hand. “So we okay?”
Amery smiled, suspecting it looked as bogus as it felt. “Of course. We going dancing?”
“You know it.” He stood and hip-checked her. “But no bitching because it’s a gay club,” he warned.
RONIN texted her at two a.m. I’m at the back door.
She debated ignoring it. She started a snarky response about him forgetting his key and deleted it. She typed K and rolled out of bed to let him in.
The metal door screeched loudly. After he stepped inside, she said, “Why did I bother to give you a key?”
Ronin responded by wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her mouth to his. Kissing her softly, but thoroughly. He broke the kiss to press his mouth up her jawline. “Goddamn, I missed you so much tonight. I was an ass earlier today.”
It wasn’t exactly an apology, but at least he acknowledged his bad behavior toward her. She tilted his head back and stared into his handsome face. Such tired eyes. “Ronin, you’re exhausted.”
“Pretty much.”
“You never did tell me what you did last night that kept you from sleep all night.”
“A favor for a friend. Now we’re square.”
Amery frowned at the shadow beneath his jaw. “Is that a bruise?”
“Probably. Some favors are unappreciated.”
Vincent’s nasty comment from earlier echoed in her head. “He’s a thug. A highly trained thug, but a thug nonetheless.”
No, he was just a man. She kissed the mark. “Let’s get you in bed.”
“Love to hear you say that. Although all I’m up for tonight is sleep.”
She stopped and pointed at the back door. “If you’re not going to fuck me at least three times, you might as well get the hell out.”
Ronin laughed, as she hoped he would. “Let me get a few hours of shut-eye and I’ll be all over you.”
“Well, then. I suppose you can crash with me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
RONIN woke her when the faint orange glow of dawn teased the edges of the curtains. He said nothing; he just brushed his mouth over her ear until she offered him her throat. He placed a soft kiss on her jawline and nuzzled his face against her neck.
At first she loved the prickliness of his facial hair abrading her skin. But when he rubbed in the same spot on her throat and then the tops of her breasts, it became uncomfortable.
As soon as she tried to touch him, he knocked the pillows to the floor, pinned her arms to the mattress, and trailed sucking kisses from one side of her neck to the other. Over and over. Then he did the same scraping sweep from one breast to the other. Keeping a firm grip on her wrists, he settled between her thighs and thrust into her. He moved with such desperation. Fast and hard, with no time for finesse. No time to catch his breath in the race to the finish line. He swiveled his hips and Amery arched up, reaching for that moment of pleasure. She came quietly, panting against his neck, and his silent climax followed hers.
Amery was a little taken aback by his impersonal actions, because Ronin wasn’t a selfish lover. Ever. Not even when he had her bound. She broke his hold on her wrists. Touching his back, running her hands through his hair, hoping to get through to him, because he seemed to be in a daze. “Ronin?”
He started to lift up and she thought she’d finally gotten somewhere with him. But he rolled onto his side, away from her, and she heard the deep rhythmic breathing that indicted he’d fallen asleep.
She slid off the bed, grabbed her robe, and crept out of her bedroom, completely disconcerted. Something hadn’t been right with him. She didn’t mind aggressive sex, but she suspected Ronin hadn’t been conscious of his actions.
What? He was sleep-fucking you?
That did sound ridiculous.
She poured a glass of water and noticed the red mark on her wrist. On both her wrists. Finger-shaped marks. Where else had he left marks on her? She dropped the robe and stared at her reflection in the mirror, shocked at what she saw.
Her neck was covered with patches of beard burn interspersed with red suck marks. Same with her chest.
Amery looked away from the marks and slipped the robe back on.
He’s a violent man. Aren’t you afraid he’ll hurt you?
The irony wasn’t lost on her. Ronin hadn’t hurt her in anger; he’d hurt her while making love to her. Had he even been aware of his actions in his exhausted state?
You’re making excuses for him?
She jumped when a loud knock sounded on the door. “Amery?”
“If you need to use the bathroom, try the one downstairs.”
“I don’t need to use the bathroom. Let me in. I know something’s wrong.”
“Just give me a minute.”
“No. Open the goddamn door or I’ll kick it in.”
There’s another example of his violent streak. Are you really sure you know this man?