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I laughed. “Oscar, mind your own business.”
“I’m serious. Now that you’re free of Ivan, you should go find someone you can have fun with. I bet it’s been years. Have you ever had good carnal fun, Tess?”
I scoffed at him. “Yes.”
“When?”
“None of your business.”
“Come on. When was the last time you had an explosive orgasm by someone else’s hand?”
I chuckled at Oscar’s blatant shamelessness. Normally, I wouldn’t discuss my sex life with him. He was aware of what Ivan did to me, and I didn’t want to talk about it. But telling him this would be a good way to shock him, and Oscar didn’t shock easily.
“Well?” he urged.
“The other day,” I answered flippantly.
He let out a rich, melodious chuckle that seemed to dance in the air. “When did this miracle happen, Tess?”
I puffed out my chest like the champion I was, thanks to Maverick anyway. “At Devil’s Delirium.”
“Tess. I think I’m having a hard time hearing you. Are you saying while you were immersed in a deadly game of mortal combat, you had sexual relations with one of the other contestants? Did you go all Black Widow on him or what?”
He was duly blown away, just as I expected. I was too busy belly-laughing to answer him. I’d unknowingly waited years for this moment, and it was oh-so-satisfying. “Tell me! I’m trying to revise my opinion of you and have no idea what any of it means, Tess. Please.”
After I got some semblance of control of myself, I sighed like it was a hassle to answer him. “He helped me find Ivan, and he got me out, somehow. I’ll never see him again.”
“Well, go find him and do it again.”
“No, Oscar. He’s too dangerous to get involved with. The last thing I need is to trade Ivan for Reaper.” Except that Maverick’s touch was addictive. Every little thing he did, from whispering in my ear to licking me until I exploded—my core tingled just thinking about it.
Oscar was still flabbergasted. “Fucking Reaper, Tess?”
I stilled. Did Oscar know what he was? “What do you know about him?”
“I told you. I know things.” He paused, and someone beeped their horn outside. “Reaper, huh? Impressive. You should definitely find him and do it again. You deserve it after all you’ve been through.”
“I deserve peace. I’m grateful to him for helping me, but if you know anything about him, you know he’s not someone I should see again.” I believed wholeheartedly that was true, but I wistfully wished it were not. There would be daydreams coming soon to a quiet night alone in my bed, guaranteed.
“I don’t know any such thing. Sounds better than Ivan to me.”
I tutted. “Ivan is not the bar to compare anyone to, Oscar. Now, shhhhh.” My first client was walking in the door, so he’d have to be quiet, or he’d scare the shit out of her. “Hi, Stacy.”
“Hi, Tess.” Stacy had a Starbucks coffee in her hand and a huge black bag hanging off her elbow. Her gorgeous caramel hair with blonde highlights and perfectly crafted features always inspired an unwelcome jealousy in me because she was always so friendly. “I’m so excited I barely slept!”
“It’s gonnabe beautiful.”
Stacy and I talked for a few minutes about her life for the past couple of weeks. I told her that Ivan had disappeared and I was holding the fort for now, and then she sat in the chair, and I arranged the ink I’d need for her tattoo. Before long, we were both settling into the established routine. She had headphones on, and I fell into a meditative space, focusing on the pattern and the movements I made as I dragged the needle across her skin and dipped it into the ink again.
I was well into my work trance when the bell chimed, and the front door opened. I didn’t have another client due until the afternoon, so I glanced up, expecting someone who wanted to see some designs and ask about availability. Instead, it was Maverick, monstrous and golden, the sun’s rays illuminating behind him like he was some kind of deity. One I never expected to see again. I nearly yelped at the sight of him. My muscles tensed as I stood there rigid, hoping my boss wouldn’t come out… until I remembered Ivan was gone.
I let out a long exhale, watching Maverick stand at the door like a sentinel scanning the place with his sleeves rolled up, revealing the strong, veiny arms that had dominated me. The moment he spotted me, he swaggered over.
I was nearly speechless, but I had to play it cool, and not just for my client, who wanted a decent hummingbird on her chest. “What are you doing here?”
His deep, dark voice opened like a black hole in the stars. “I told you I’d find you.”
I laughed like my heart wasn’t threatening to burst. Never let them see you sweat. “And you did. Is everything okay? With your friend?”
