DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER LXII

Then we would see whose side she was on and whether Proximo would keep his sister for our final play in this city.

* * * * *

"Dance with me." I smirked, shrugging out of the booth and not waiting on her answer.

I flicked my dark hood over my eyes and the Underworld reputation did the rest. They moved without being asked. We were too far into Division territory for it to be a suggestion.

I soon felt the warmth of her hand on the small of my back as I dodged patrons before they recognised the leader of it all. The pits still raged on between dancers and bookies. The cheers, the shouts, the drinks flowing and the music beating...

Then blue eyes danced between the lights with amusement.

We'd been here many times before. Timeless yet all the same. Sector 1. Sector 48. It hardly mattered where anymore. The woman I'd soon call mine so completely trailed her fingertips over my jawline as she circled me between the crowds. I gave her a lazy smile as she kept her distance and swiped a drink from a patron before disappearing from his view.

I watched her calmly as she drank the Junak before me.

Then she raised an arm and lay it over my shoulder and swallowed. I watched her throat move before her other hand pulled the drink to her lips again.

Proximo spoke in my ear again but I didn't hear him. Makayla tilted her head waiting for some sort of response. I ignored both requests and kissed her solidly. I tasted the cool drink on her lips and the smile on her mouth. I felt the bass of the music in our bones and took her hips against mine. It was easy to get lost with her.

Both her arms slipped over my shoulders now and she crushed her body close to mine.

She tore her lips off mine and ran her lips over my jaw to speak low over the music.

"Forgetting what we're here for, Scorpion?"

I pulled her body tighter to mine in response and heard the groan silence her question. She threaded her fingers against my high plaited hair and the purpose to our visit was lost again. Who'd have called a woman from Sector 1–the Emperor's line directly no less, would be the one to break me so completely. I had no doubts about what kind of person I would still be without her. Something close to the monster on a steady stream of combat serum and Kuzo's–

Makayla moved her hands from my hair to my face and something in her eyes was softer than dark desire alone. It brought me back from the thoughts.

I dipped my head forward and murmured near her.

"Is that joy I see on your face?"

The recognition of those words I had said so long ago to her registered and she slapped my arm.

"Don't flatter yourself!"

"All I see is you." I responded simply, "It's all I've ever seen since you ran into my path, Xavier."

"That's a pretty good pick up line." She smiled slowly, tracing her thumb over my lower lip. I continued to watch her eyes regardless. The same colour of that ring gem stone. "–is that what you tell all the girls, Scorpion?"

I broke out of my trace and schooled my features into calm, shrugging at her slowly.

"It's hard to keep count when you look like me–"

She threw me off her with so much force I hit several dancers behind me while I lost my ability to breathe. Several grunts were already apologising as I waved them off and threw a grin back to the woman that glared and stole another drink off a man that noticed this time.