The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 52: Van

Van watched Amani delicately clean the blood off his knuckles while she told him where she grew up in Detroit. She had two little brothers, Lane and Madden. She lost her father when she was eighteen and she had a tough relationship with her mother.

"But she's nothing like yours. I love my mom very much." She chuckled and stopped to stare off into space. "I need to call her too," she mumbled and went back to cleaning his hand.

"It sounds like you have a good family," he said as she pulled out a small roll of gauze from the first aid kit. He was glad she told him about her family, but he wanted to know about this. Why was she so efficient in handling minor wounds? She didn't study medicine so where did this skill come from? "Are you a first aid enthusiast? This is a random talent for your qualifications."

Amani grinned and gently wrapping the gauze around his knuckles. "I'm not an enthusiast. It was just a necessary skill I gained when I was dating my ex." She smirked. "He was involved with a gang and trying to make a name for himself. He got into some crazy shit and I was always along for the ride."

She shook her head and smiled at him. "So Lord Blarcum, I'm not that innocent or delicate and I have a bullet wound to prove it too," she said as she grabbed the rum bottle from the floor and took a drink.

She's been shot? How can she laugh about that? Bloody hell, she's not at all what I expected.

"How the hell did you get shot? Was it bad? Jesus, Amani."

She continued to laugh at his shocked face while she continued to bandage his hand. "It happened a long time ago. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and wearing the wrong color shoes. I didn't know I stepped into a turf war until I heard the gunshot and I was lying on the ground," she explained and pulled out a small roll of medical tape to secure his bandage. "I was lucky that it was a clean shot through my side. It missed anything major."

"Is that why you have a tattoo on your side?" he said and slowly took a sip of whiskey.

She stared at him with her eyes wide. "How did you know—" She gasped. "You were watching me change in the mudroom!" She slapped his shoulder.

He couldn't help the laugh that burst from his lips at her angry glare. "You were the one who threw your clothes off without any warning! But I'm a gentleman and looked away, I only caught a glimpse of your ink."

And those black lace knickers.

He grinned and his eyes fell to the slit on her thigh. His bandaged hand was resting on her bare knee, he could just slide his hand—

Don't be crude, Blarcum.

He needed to stop drinking before he lost complete control of his lustful desires for the little witch.

"Mm, yes, you're such a gentleman," Amani murmured.

Twin flags of red stained his cheeks as he slid his hand from her knee, but she stopped him. His heart thumped as he looked at her glossy brown eyes.

"Your hand is keeping my leg warm."

Bloody hell. I'm trying to be good, but this woman keeps tempting my damn control.

"We can go inside if you're cold," he mumbled, but hoped she didn't want to. Amani was tempting as hell, but he was content to tease himself with her body so close to him. She fit so perfectly in his lap.

"No, it's nice out here. You and my shawl are warm enough. Plus, I've got rum." She grinned, taking a swig from the bottle.

She's just as bad as me.