An Oath In Blood (Book #3)

Chapter 16: Escort Services & Stolen Kisses

WARREN HALE

I stared at Corvina with a mixture of confusion, annoyance, and amusement. Something stirred in my core as she slipped into the back seat of the town car beside me, flashing me a smile that told me she didn't have my best intentions at heart.

"What–what–what–" I began as I tried to get the question to leave my mouth. She smirked, sweeping her hair over one shoulder, exposing the smooth velvet back of her dress.

"Keep trying, sweetie. I'm sure you will get to the end of that sentence by the time we get to the gala." She answered, patting my knee. My cock stirred in my pants and I had to refrain from grabbing her hand, pulling her toward me, and kissing every godforsaken inch of skin she was showing.

She smoothed a hand down her thighs, right where her dress ended. She wore a grey velvet dress, with cutouts at the abdomen and a hem that barely brushed her mid-thighs. Sequins were embroidered on the hip in the shape of a big flower and another small flower was embroidered along the chest or rather where the fabric should have been covering her cleavage.

Corvina looked formidable, a tail of fabric sprouting from one side of the hip, trailing along the floor. She-she looked like a dream.

"What were you thinking?" I whispered harshly once I found my voice again. I was glad for the screen separating the back of the car from the front. I would have hated for the driver to see my disheveled self.

"Whatever do you mean?" Corvina cocked an eyebrow at me that had me wanting to strangle her and choke her at the same time. God, this woman rode on every single nerve in my body.

"That dress!" I hissed, grabbing her wrist for emphasis. Her gaze flashed with a warning and I loosened my grip on her. "You look like a-"

"Hooker?" She smiled. I let go of her wrist as I leaned back in my seat, running a hand through my hair. "Yes." I breathed out.

"I thought I'd spice things up. I find benefit galas quite boring." She drawled but her hands shook and she pushed them under her thighs. I knew she was socially awkward. I knew Corvina didn't know how to be around people; I'd gathered as much from our previous meetings. But that didn't mean I wasn't scared of her. The woman was one of the most dangerous and wanted assassins in the country, and she had never been caught.

"Don't worry." Her hand slid onto my thigh, trailing up, up, up, up...until she stopped abruptly, meeting my gaze. "I'm sure people will appreciate the entertainment and thank you for it."

"Stop this." I gritted out as I grabbed her hand and pulled it away from my thigh. It was suddenly too hot in the car. "You're out of your mind. I can't possibly change you out of that damned dress but I can ask you to be on your best behavior."

"Sure." She whispered as she leaned closer to me, her lips brushing against my earlobe. She was toying with me. I knew it. She wanted me to be as riled up as she had been this morning. Despite the knowledge, I couldn't help but fall for her tricks.

"Raven." My voice was raspy when I spoke, shooting her a glare. But it melted away when I found my face only inches away from hers. Her grey eyes were lined with kohl tonight and she had gone for a deep brown lipstick that complimented her complexion. Two long diamond earrings dangled from her ears, winking at me, tantalizing me.

"Two can play this game, Hale." She responded, not pulling away. I didn't know if she felt the pull between us, the way my body begged for hers and the way hers leaned closer to mine. I didn't know if she wanted to close the distance between us too. But I did know that it took every ounce of self-control in my body to keep from kissing her.

"If you think your cheap tricks will make me back down, you're mistaken, Raven." I composed myself before letting a careful smirk loose.

"We will see." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly before she pulled away, taking her sweet scent with her. I loosened a breath I didn't know I was holding, fixing my tie.