The gash above Shaz’ eye was ugly but already healing. His arms came around me from behind, and he trailed his hands down my body to my thighs and back up again. A tingle started between my legs. Setting my glass on the edge of the tub, I arched my back when his fingers found my ni**les, gently massaging them into firm peaks.
“You know,” I said, my voice lazy. “We can probably never show our faces in Lucy’s Lounge again. How many brawls have you been in at that place now?”
“Hey now, most of those brawls I was breaking up. Can’t blame me for defending my friend. That ass**le is lucky he’s still walking.”
I laughed off his words, steering the topic away from the evening’s ridiculous events.
“This is really nice. We should do it more often.” I leaned forward to turn on the bathtub jets, squealing when one shot out too close to my nether region.
“You must be pretty happy about Zoey.” Shaz’ hands glided over my stomach to the patch of trimmed hair on my mound. “Power like that will make you a hot commodity.”
“Or, a name at the top of everyone’s hit list.” I sat up and turned in the tub so that I faced him. “Forget I said that. I don’t want to ruin this moment. But yes, it was incredibly satisfying to discover that I could do something big and actually control it.”
Shaz pulled me close for a kiss. He tasted of champagne and wolf. “I guess there have been benefits to having Arys in your life.”
I frowned, forcing a smile before he could see it. “Let’s not talk about Arys. I don’t want to think about him right now.”
I kissed Shaz again, running my tongue along his bottom lip. The musky wolf scent and taste of him tantalized my senses, driving heat to my groin. He plunged his tongue into my mouth, moaning softly as his hand descended beneath the bubbles to explore between my legs.
“He hurt you. More than you’re letting on. I can feel it, the pain, all over you. I can smell it.” As he spoke, Shaz lightly flicked a finger over my clit, causing me to gasp.
“I don’t want to think about it.” I spoke the words with my lips against his. Why was he pushing this topic when I wanted to abandon it?
“I know. You never do. You have to stop burying everything inside, Lex. It’s not healthy.”
“My entire relationship with Arys isn’t healthy,” I scoffed. “What’s new?”
“Do you miss him?”
I pulled back, fixing him with a dark look. Even though my body responded to his delightful touch, I was still clear headed enough to pick up on the odd note to his tone.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
He continued to stroke me, rubbing a finger along my moist opening. I squirmed in the tub, pressing closer to him.
“Don’t play games with me, Shaz. You’re being suspicious.” My eyes closed when he nuzzled my neck, kissing and licking at the ticklish spot beneath my ear.
He ignored me and continued to suck at the sensitive place on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I put my arms around him, running my wet hands through his platinum hair. It grew damp under my touch, yet it remained feather soft.
The sound of the jets was accompanied by my moan when Shaz leaned me back against the tub, sucking one of my ni**les into his mouth. The moist heat against my wet skin felt amazing. I held him tight, unable to get enough of him. I was eager to escape the awkward confines of the tub and head for a more comfortable place to continue this.
The cold power of the dead washed over me, as if out of nowhere, and I froze in Shaz’ embrace. My heart began to race, thundering its beat like an echo inside my head, drowning out the sound of the jets. There was nothing else like that cool, undead energy.
Nobody else commanded it but one man.
“Arys.” I whispered his name, surprised when Shaz looked up at me with awareness in his jade eyes. He’d already known.
“You knew he was coming,” I accused, standing up to grab a towel. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He asked me not to.” Shaz followed my lead, stepping from the tub and wrapping a towel around his waist.
“When? Why didn’t you tell me you saw him?” I almost knocked over my champagne glass in my haste to tuck a towel securely over my br**sts.
Shaz turned off the jets and drained the tub. “Go ask him yourself.”
The steamy mirror reflected my flushed skin and confused expression. I was flustered. I wanted to be angry that Shaz had spoken to Arys and had kept it from me.
Despite the frustration, I wasn’t their ruler, and they weren’t obligated to tell me everything they said and did. The doorbell rang, and my breath caught.
“Did you know he was coming right now?” My voice rose in pitch, driven by apprehension.
Shaz shrugged. “I didn’t know the exact time. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Go open the door.”