Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
B y the time Mireille managed to fight her way down the arena steps, nearly half an hour had passed since the end of the fight.
After Ronin had collapsed, nearly taking Mireille’s heart with him, he’d been whisked away as the crowd flooded the ring, concerned about their champion.
The concern had swiftly morphed into celebration, as bottles of champagne were popped and boisterous dancing began. It took her another fifteen minutes just to wend through the mayhem.
As she approached the hallway to the locker rooms, she saw Maloney being carried away by two males, a short female trailing behind. The female glanced furtively over her shoulder, and Mireille stopped in her tracks at the white and black hair poking out of her hood.
Layla Fetar.
Had Otto tried to fix the fight, given Maloney those fake cuffs? An attempt to get Ronin out of the way, have Mireille all to himself up at the estate?
Mireille pressed herself against the wall, bowing her head as she watched Layla trail the two males down the shadowed corridor.
She took a few steps toward their retreating forms before a wave of indecision stilled her.
Where the fuck was that coming from? She’d never let anything stop her from chasing down a mark. The smart choice would be to follow them, learn anything she could about what Layla had been doing here tonight before she encountered the female up at the estate. The successful completion of the assignment might very well depend on such knowledge.
But she couldn’t shake a nagging sense of guilt.
Ronin had almost been killed tonight. And likely because of her.
She tried to rationalize it away. Ronin had agreed to this job just as willingly as she had, knowing the potentially dangerous consequences.
Still, she didn’t want to admit how much the thought of his suffering displeased her.
This. This right here is why she didn’t do partners. They made everything so much more fucking complicated.
She lost sight of Layla and the two males, then made her way to the locker entrance.
The spacious room was eerily quiet, the fighters from earlier bouts having long since left the arena. And the High Gods only knew where Layla was taking Maloney. Probably somewhere private to tie up Otto’s loose end.
Rushing water sounded as Mireille followed snaking steam past benches and lockers to a door at the other side of the room. As she swung it open, mist clouded her vision and a soft, whimpering sigh filled her ears.
A decidedly female sigh.
The fog parted, revealing a scene in the shower stall that had Mireille squeaking to a halt.
She didn’t know where to look first.
At the Deathstalker female’s face, red lips parted, eyes closed, brows pinched in an expression on the verge of total ecstasy.
At the angry pink welts criss-crossing Ronin’s muscled back, the water streaming over his bulging shoulders as he gripped the female’s wrists above her head in a single hand.
At the two perfect globes of his ass, clenching as he thrust into her slowly, his other hand clamped onto the pale thigh around his waist.
“I’m close,” the Deathstalker breathed.
“Yeah?” Ronin whispered against her neck, hips rolling. “You think you deserve to come after sneaking up on me in the shower again?”
“Y-yes,” she whimpered.
He released her leg and slapped her face. “What was that?”
“No.”
Ronin squished the female’s cheeks, then spit into her open mouth. “Fucking beg me for it.”
He shoved his tongue past her lips at the same time as he snapped his hips forward, and she released such a low, primal moan that Mireille’s nipples stiffened.
She was pinned in place, couldn’t take her eyes off them. Afraid to move lest they hear her and stop.
If they stop, I’m going to be extremely upset with you, her wolf whispered.
If they stop, I’m going to be extremely upset with myself. Mireille steadied herself against a small table, settling in for the grand finale.
Ronin broke the kiss and the female shuddered. “ Please , Ronin.” Her fingers splayed above his grip, and he returned his hand to her quivering thigh.
Ronin increased his pace, and the smacking sounds of their flesh combined with the stalls’ humidity made Mireille’s head swim. Her knees buckled as she gripped the edge of the table.
“That’s my good?—”
The table tipped forward, and both it and Mireille clattered to the floor.
Her wolf snarled. Clumsy fool.
The Deathstalker’s eyes flew open and she shrieked, her foot meeting the tiles with a wet slap. She snatched a towel, and fled the stall.
Ronin’s head dipped between his shaking shoulders as Mireille picked herself up, awaiting his reprimands and trying to ignore the string of frustrated curses her wolf was letting loose in her mind.
To her utter shock, Ronin’s head flew back as he released peals of uproarious laughter. Mireille was, once again, frozen in place. Didn’t know what to do with her hands other than clench and unclench them at her sides.
His laughter subsided, and he shook the water from his white hair, holding a towel in front of his groin as he turned.
Well, that’s just great , her wolf growled. We don’t even get to see his co ? —
Shut. Up, Mireille spat back.
“Dimi’s gonna be furious with you.” Ronin snickered. “I’d been edging her for half an hour.”
“I… I’m not… What?” Mireille was so rarely at a loss for words. She didn’t enjoy the sensation.
“You’re wet.” Ronin’s low murmur snapped Mireille from her trance.
“ What ? You think this is the first time I’ve seen a couple screwing? I’m not fucking wet, Matakos.”
“Liar.” He winked, pointing to her leggings, still damp from the mess with her seatmate.
“This isn’t… Someone spilled a drink on me.”
“Sure they did.” He gestured to his towel. “You wanna help me with this, lover , or…?”
“Holy fucking High Gods,” Mireille screamed, aiming for the door. “I’ll wait for you out here!”
Ronin’s dark chuckle shivered down her spine as she fled the showers.
Ronin splayed a wet hand against the tiles as he tugged his cock with the other, slow and steady. Just how he liked it.
But it wasn’t Dimi’s face in his mind when he came with a guttural tremble.
It was Mireille’s.
His wolf laughed. We’re going to tell her.
No one but me can hear you, dumbass , Ronin snarled back.
Not for long .
For forever, if you keep this shit up. I’ll fail this assignment on purpose.
She wanted us, too. His wolf licked his chops. Even you could see that.
The beast wasn’t wrong. High Gods, she’d looked so fucking adorable standing there, gawking at him, her cheeks flaming pink and her silver eyes ablaze with embarrassment and…curiosity.
She didn’t want to be turned on by what she saw, but she was. Oh, she fucking was. She had no idea how much ammunition she’d just given him.
He preferred her that way anyway—real emotions, real reactions. Not the wily seductress persona she’d worn last night in front of Otto.
But he sure as Stygios wasn’t going to tell her that any time soon.
He cleaned himself off, then towel-dried his hair before poking his head out and asking Mireille to hand him his clothes. He’d change in here—didn’t want to torment her any further.
He wondered what she was doing here, anyway. Their meeting with Bisere wasn’t until one.
Had she come to watch his fight? How oddly touching.
Fully dressed, he swaggered into the locker room to find Mireille sitting on a bench, back ramrod straight as always, with her legs crossed at the ankles and her hands clasped in her lap.
“Sorry about that,” he muttered. Though, why was he apologizing? It’s not like there was anything going on between him and Mireille. Nothing real, at least.
“I should have… I should have knocked,” she said, with none of the characteristic bite in her voice.
“What are you doing here?” He sprawled out across from her. “We weren’t supposed to meet at the Crystal until one.”
“I… I wanted to see your fight,” she said to her lap.
“Why?”
“You came to the ballet. Figured it was only fair I return the favor. And if anyone asks about it at the estate, my answer will be more authentic.”
“Fair enough. But why’d you come down to the locker rooms? You could’ve just told me at the Crystal that you’d been here.”
She snapped her head up, her eyes narrowed. “Professional obligation.”
“Little she-wolf was worried about her big, scary boyfriend, wasn’t she?” The edge of his lip curled up, and her eyes went molten.
“No.” Her teeth were clenched so tightly that a vein pulsed in her jaw.
He shook his head, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his spread knees. He pointed a finger at her forehead. “Did you know that when you lie, you get the cutest little dimple between your eyebrows?”
“I’m not…” Mireille rubbed at the spot. “Otto fixed the fight.”
“What?” Ronin jerked upright.
“I saw Layla Fetar and two males hauling Maloney away. Guessing they gave him those fake cuffs.”
“Our show at the theater last night worked. Wow, Otto must be completely smitten if he’s already trying to kill me after one meeting with you. Bravo.”
“You need to be careful when we get up there,” Mireille said, her voice edged with panic. “There’s no way this will be the only attempt.”
“I can handle myself. Plus my hot, deadly girlfriend will protect me, right?” He smirked, then dipped his head, dragging a hand across the back of his neck. He was still sore from the fight. The healing suppressant hadn’t fully worn off, and the raw cuts across his back and shoulders rubbed uncomfortably against his shirt. “You find anything else at the Imperial library today?”
She shook her head. “Waste of time.”
“Dimi probably feels the same.”
Mireille snickered. “Is she your real…”
“Nah. Just a friend who occasionally helps me blow off steam after a fight.”
“Does she know about us? About our assignment?”
Ronin sighed. “No, but I guess I’ll have to tell her now. I won’t give her all the details. Just enough for her to know not to blab about fucking me when I’m supposed to be dating you. She’ll be discreet.”
Mireille shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I spent an entire afternoon fucking a mark last weekend. Though he won’t be telling anyone.”
She was chuckling when he met her eyes, but the vision that speared for his mind nearly knocked him flat.
Mireille splayed out on a bed, her copper hair fanned across a pillow and her wrists bound in black silks, straining against the headboard as Ronin cupped her breast and licked between her legs.
Frenzied fucking Dienses, he was too hard up. Hence why he’d entertained Dimi’s request when she’d ambushed him in the showers earlier. Thought maybe the release would help banish the highly inappropriate things he’d been thinking about his new partner.
Obviously it hadn’t worked.
He broke Mireille’s stare, then strode to his locker to gather his belongings. “You ready? Mattias should be waiting for us at the club by now. I’ll give you some privacy to change.”
She glanced down at her attire—dark gray leggings with a large wet spot and a long-sleeved black top. “Change?”
“ That’s what you thought you were going to wear to a nightclub? Man, you really don’t get out much, do you?”
Mireille pursed her lips. “The Frosted Crystal is not my scene.”
He cocked his head, pushing his tongue into his cheek. “I think we might be able to salvage this.” He stepped over the bench as he extended a claw, then sliced through her shirt just underneath the generous swells of her breasts.
“What the fuck, Ronin?” She grabbed for the falling fabric. “This is my favorite shirt! Asshole .”
“You’re the one that didn’t dress appropriately.” He shrugged. “You would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb. Now at least everyone will be staring at you for the right reason.”
“And what reason is that?” She whipped her hands to her hips, the movement lifting her newly-shorn hem and exposing her black lace bra. His wolf began panting.
Ronin whispered against the shell of her ear and if he wasn’t mistaken, she might’ve leaned in a bit closer. “You have an incredibly sexy stomach, my love. ”
The tiny hairs along her nape prickled, and he caught the shift in her scent, though she still looked furious when he backed away.
“Almost as sexy as mine.” He winked, lifting his shirt and patting his own well-earned abs, delighted to see her eyes dart there and glaze over. He swept past her and held open the door as she grumbled and tugged on her jacket and beanie.
“Let’s go, Valette . The Crystal awaits!”