Page 13 of Queen of Tempests and Sin

‘Nonsense. Give it here.’ He extended one large hand again. ‘Theseus is a whizz with electronics.’

Caught between a rock and a man built like a godsdamned Victorian mansion, I caved. Tremors flitted through my fingers as I handed it over.

‘Jason,’ Si said, and a tall, powerfully built man stepped forward—bald, dark-skinned, and imposing. He was dressed in the same get-up as Ajax—a grey linen suit and tight white tee—and Si handed him my phone. Tension swirled inside me like a tsunami, but outwardly I schooled my expression into one of calm. ‘Take that to Theseus. Tell him to have it repaired by tomorrow.’ Jason gave a small bow and took off.

‘So, what is your name?’ The way he asked it, low and smooth, raised goosebumps. There was something almost vicious behind his calm.

‘Amelia.’

‘Amelia,’ he repeated slowly, as if he were savouring the syllables, but his eyes narrowed as an indecipherable expression etched on his beautiful features.

My heart pounded a rapid tune, but I held his gaze as I asked, ‘And your name?’

‘You can call me Si,’ he replied, his eyes still locked onto mine.

‘Okay.’ I cleared my throat again, still trying to swallow the lump lodged there.

‘What state are you from, Amelia?’

‘I’ve travelled from London. I moved there when I was fourteen.’ I paused. ‘I’ve come away to escape an abusive situation.’ A dark frown carved itself into his too-beautiful face—and guilt smacked me in the gut. Lying was second nature, but damn it, this one burned.

For fucks sake. What’s wrong with me?

‘And where are you staying?’ His eyes seemed to peel away my skin and look straight into my soul. It was unsettling. This man radiated power like nuclear fallout, and my fight-or-flight reflexes were gearing up—and very rarely did I choose flight—but with this level of force and dominance, flight seemed like a doozy, and the thought of my running away seriously pissed me off. I had a soft spot for bad boys, but this man was in a league of his own. He was bad news.

I’d definitely use the helmet to get to him—I’d never see him again after today—then he’d be dead. Again, guilt slithered through me like venom, but I squashed the feeling. In another life, this man was someone I’d like to get to know whilst I mapped his eight-pack with my tongue. In this life, I was planning to kill him.

‘The, erm, Atlantis Hotel,’ I said as I ran my fingers through my messy hair.

A feral, almost predatory smile graced his lips. It was ruthless. Bone-chilling. He stared at me in a way that made my bowels a little watery—those captivating eyes were the blue-green of the ocean right before a squall. I held his gaze, refusing to be intimidated, and released a slow breath when those stormy eyes dropped to his coffee.

After a sip of coffee, he said, ‘Very good. I’m staying there too. In the penthouse.’

I smiled as my eyes met his… Bingo. I’d gotten his location without even trying. Maybe this chance encounter had been a gift from the beyond. Ajax returned and placed my coffee on the table. I picked it up and took a sip. ‘This coffee is so good,’ I muttered.

‘The best in town,’ Si said, and his raspy baritone voice resonated through my core like vibrating panties. He rested his hands on the table, and my eyes dropped to his bronzed forearms, thick with muscle and ink. I struggled to swallow as heat pulsed deep in my core. Since when were forearms a kink? I wanted to trace those tattoos. Travel them. Lick them.

Shit… Please tell me my nipples aren’t hardening.

I subtly folded my arms across my chest for fear that my nipples were, in fact, like two coat pegs.

‘Let’s walk back to the hotel,’ he said. ‘Theseus will have your phone fixed by tomorrow, and I shall return it to you myself.’

‘You can leave it at reception. Tell Theseus thanks.’

He ignored my words and stood. I scrambled to collect my things—shoving my hair back under my hat and slipping on my sunglasses—and jogged to catch up. He towered over me. In my flats, he had at least nine inches on me; he had to be around six and a half feet. The man was massive.

The humid air pressed against my skin, the combination of it and the target’s proximity making my breath shorter as sticky, sweet, briny air covered me like a damp blanket. We didn’t talk all the way back to the hotel. He strolled like a man with nowhere to be and nothing to fear, drinking in the ocean with each step.

His obvious bodyguard, Ajax—aka the tool—followed at a respectable distance behind us. I could snap his neck before he even thought about it; I was better trained than most bodyguards, but I had to play this cleverly and bide my time.

Almost at the hotel, he stopped and turned to me. ‘I’d like to have dinner with you this evening. Wear something elegant.’

I felt my eyebrows creeping up my forehead. Dinner? ‘I’m⁠—’

‘It’s non-negotiable. Be ready for 7 p.m.. I’ll meet you at the Sunset bar for drinks first.’

I blinked a few times. ‘Erm, you can’t be serious.’