Leo's touch sends shivers down my spine, igniting a fire within me that burns hotter with each passing second. I close my eyes, surrendering to the sensations coursing through my body. When I open them, I scramble onto his lap, grinding against his clothed erection, feeling him grow harder and harder.
But as much as I want to succumb to the waves of pleasure crashing over me, as much as I want to succumb to the intoxicating desire coursing through my veins, a nagging voice of reason echoes in the depths of my mind. This isn't the time, nor the place, for such uninhibited indulgence. The shadows of secrecy still loom, and the stakes are higher than ever.
I summon all my willpower and push myself off Leo's lap. The ache between my legs is almost unbearable, but I know deep down that now is not the right time.
Leo's eyes widen with surprise, his chest heaving as he struggles to regain his composure. His lips are swollen from our heated kisses, and his desire burns brightly in his gaze. But there's also a flicker of understanding, a recognition that this moment is not meant to be indulged in fully.
I stand before him, my body trembling with a mix of desire and frustration. "Leo," I say, my voice husky and laced with regret, "as much as I want you right now, there are too many uncertainties surrounding us. We cannot afford to let our desires cloud our judgment."
"I know what I'm doing," he growls.
"Do you?" I challenge. "Don't worry. I'm sure you can run off and find one of the other Obsidian Shadows to help you with..." I gesture toward his erection.
He narrows his eyes. "Is that what this is about? Are you jealous? What about you running off with some of my men?"
"Maybe they're more honest than you are."
"I doubt that. You don't know any of us."
His words turn the blood in my veins to ice. He's not wrong.
I back away from him, rubbing my arms. The darkness is so cold, and there aren't any comforts in the shadows. I wish we were in his office so I could leave him, but we're in my room.
A room that has become a prison.
Without another word, I leave Leo in my room. I can’t be around him right now. If he wants to watch over Cara, he can. If he wants to shove his cock inside someone else, he can.
As for me, I’m getting sick of the shadows.
thirty
My footsteps echo in the dimly lit corridors. I almost wish I could go to the Golden Tap for a drink because fuck, do I need one, but I can’t and don’t risk it.
The hallway is cloaked in shadows, and each step echoes the rhythmic beating of my heart, a testament to the mounting tension that propels me forward. I need answers, a clarity that has remained elusive in the mysterious world I've been thrust into.
Dante's room is a few doors down, and I hesitate for a moment before knocking. The sound reverberates through the silence, a signal of my quest for understanding in this labyrinth of secrets. The door creaks open, revealing Dante's silhouette against the ambient glow of a lamp.
He grins at me before looking me up and down. “Olivia, what brings you here?”
I’m sure he’s hoping I’m here for one particular reason, but he’s going to have to deal with disappointment.
“I need to talk.”
“Of course.”
“About Leo and the Obsidian Shadows,” I blurt out.
He raises his eyebrows and studies me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Without a word, he gestures for me to enter. The room is dimly lit, adorned with a few pieces of old but well-cared-for furniture and an air of quiet contemplation. I take a seat on his couch, and Dante sits on the coffee table in front of me, his piercing gaze fixated on my face.
“Dante, I feel like there's so much I don't know. About Leo, about all of this.”
Dante leans back. “You're not the first to feel that way. The shadows have layers, Olivia.”
“But what's Leo's role? What are we really doing?”
Dante's eyes flicker with a mixture of emotions, a silent acknowledgment of the complexities that linger in the shadows. “Leo, he's the architect of balance. The Obsidian Shadows are more than a simple criminal enterprise. We navigate the thin line between order and chaos.”
I lean forward, hanging onto his words as if they hold the key to unraveling the mysteries that shroud the Obsidian Shadows.