Casing ✔️

Chapter 20

I slept so well in the dark blue silk sheets that I didn't even realize I was awake when I opened my eyes and looked straight towards the bookshelf. It took a few seconds for me to adjust. The warmth under the covers were so lovely that I didn't want to go anywhere any time soon.

But when I remembered where I was, I turned over and saw the bed empty next to me. We definitely fell asleep together. After we'd both gone to heaven and back, we laid and just talked, and touched, and kissed. My sides grew wings and threatened to fly me away as I thought about it, my cheeks heating to the point where I put my head under the duvet, just in case he came in and saw.

Eventually, I got up and pulled my dress over my head, and walked over to the bookshelf. The books looked worn and read, but like they'd been ignored for a good few years, like he'd told me. I smiled, though, wrapping my arms around myself as I enjoyed thinking about him sitting in the corner of the comfy couch downstairs, with a thick book in his lap, his face all serious.

As I wandered out of his bedroom and through the many hallways—realizing I didn't really know the way back down to the kitchen—I thought about how much I'd enjoy crawling into his embrace after a long day. Was I starting to fall for him?

I couldn't attach myself to him just because he was the first man to give me an orgasm. No matter how good it was. But there was more to it than that...he was everything I never knew I wanted in a man. He teased and pushed, but he never meant any harm, and I—

"Watch your step!"

I jumped at the sound of James' voice. I'd found my way back to the kitchen, I realized as I looked up, and there was a small ledge from the hallway and into the stone floor. "Thanks," I said, lifting my feet so I didn't hurt myself.

"You sleep well?" He met me halfway, kissing my cheek.

"I did, actually," I replied with a smile.

"Fuck's sake.." A darker, more annoyed, voice came from further into the room, and my eyes moved towards the table, where Damian sat. He nodded at me, as a way of greeting, I supposed, then he looked at James and said, "There were five more, and Mongrel just found another one."

He eyed me warily, and James put his arm around my shoulder as he said, "You can trust my Elina. She's as much a Strac as I am."

My stomach did a backflip.

"As were the man you murdered yesterday." Damian looked at me, his arms crossed. I barely got to process his first words, before he said more. "This is a huge fucking problem, and the last thing I need is a runaway bride, or some other shit. Anything we talk about here, stays here."

"Damian, there's no—"

"I need her to promise, James." Damian was the sort of guy who took no bullshit, and I could respect that.

So I said, "I'm a Strac. Anything you say here, stays here." Then I got up on my toes and pulled James' face down to meet mine for a deep kiss. Then I looked at Damian again, and added, "Promise."

"I think that's...that's fair enough," James said, nodding along, as his hand went down to squeeze my butt. Then he felt it a little more, and he chuckled. I felt him lean down, and then I heard him whisper, "No underwear?"

I shook my head. "How was I supposed to know we weren't alone?" I took a few steps away to see if I could find anything to eat, and I found a bag of rolls I could prepare. "Have you guys eaten?"

"Yes," Damian said, at the same time as James said, "No."

I smiled at the latter, and started preparing breakfast for the two of us. Damian could go suck a fat one if he kept up that attitude towards me. Or...on second thought, that was pretty fun. He didn't deserve fun.