Skullduggery {sapphic thriller}

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

I leaned onto the balcony's cold railing, peering out over the golden glow of the city against the midnight sky. Red and blue lights still painted the brick warehouse in the distance. Desirae had said they might be there awhile. There were still dozens of unanswered questions, but a calm sense of relief settled my nerves. Rafael was alive. Cora was alive. And Landon was behind bars.

Behind me, the patio door slid open, then softly latched. A blend of jasmine and spices floated through the air as Desirae joined me at the railing, fresh from her shower. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as she slid her phone into the pocket of her floral silk robe. Its weight loosened the tie around her waist, revealing a scalloped edge of bronze lace beneath. I fixed my eyes back on the warehouse. Greg would likely be coming over to celebrate the arrest after he wrapped things up with Rafael and Cora at the hospital. He'd be pissed to find me here in Desirae's shorts and t-shirt again.

I knew I should say goodnight, maybe thank her for saving my ass, definitely thank her for the hour-long soak in her tub, but I was dreading having to go back to the marina. Not out of fear, but having to sit with myself and my thoughts. Alone.

On the third floor of the warehouse, a light flicked on inside the loft where Artemisia and I had lived. I guess it made sense they'd search the whole property, especially if Pino was actually cooperating. An indistinguishable silhouette barely filled the arched window, but it felt like it was looking this way. I shivered as a chill slithered down my back.

"So, they want me back in DC tomorrow," Desirae's voice startled me.

"Tomorrow?" I shot a glance her way. "As in today, technically?"

"Technically, yes." She slid her locs off to one side of her neck, running her fingers through their blonde tips, eyes still focused towards the bay.

"Wow..." I tried to look anywhere else instead of at her to hide the disappointment on my face, but I was sure she could hear it in my voice. "I guess with Landon behind bars there's not much else for you here, huh?"

"There's still something," she murmured.

I nodded, gnawing at the cut on my lip. "Well, I'm sure the bodies in the cooler will link back to Pino somehow. You'll nail him for something, Des. I know it."

"Not that, Kirby."

As I turned to ask what she meant, the silk of her robe brushed against my bare thighs. Her lips stole the words from my mouth and pressed softly to mine. An electric shock of pleasure rippled through me, settling nowhere and everywhere all at once. But I realized too late that I was just standing there, mouth agape, not kissing her back.

"Sorry," she pulled away, "I know we shouldn't—I shouldn't, but I don't think I could've left without—"

I didn't let her waste another second debating what we should and should not do. My hand wrapped the back of her neck, the other on her waist, tugging her into me as my lips seized hers. Whatever liability made her initially pull away, she abandoned it now, crashing against me with the same equal force of desire. Warm vanilla and cool mint found its way to my tongue with each kiss deeper than the last.

Hungry for every inch of her, my lips followed the curve of her jaw as she breathed heavy into my ear. She tipped her head back into the night, giving me full access to the hollow of her neck, to her collarbone, to her shoulder where her robe continued to fall away. Her fingers threaded through my damp hair, guiding me lower to the scalloped lace of her bra.

The sweet taste of her skin purged every lingering question from my mind. Fuck the ghosts of our pasts, fuck the dumb clauses in the contract that I hadn't even read. All that mattered in this moment was us.