The RunAway Model

XXXIII. Confessions

"It's going to be crazy, Marco."

"It's better than this life." He kissed her firmly. "Khaye, it will be better than this life you have here and you know it."

She was near to tears. How she wanted to get out of the apartment and go back to her old life. But Marco's plan was too risky, even for her. No one knew where Petroff might be. And she didn't know what Gian would do.

"If Gian will as much as lift a finger in front of you, I'll be there to kill him myself."

She couldn't talk to him if he was so close like this.

Her hand lifted to his chin as a tear rolled down her face. Everything in her was telling her she should believe him, yet there was also the risk that he might be doing this for some reasons only he knew.

"Just go back home with me. I'll make sure you'll be safe," he whispered almost achingly.

But she knew her answer. She knew what she'd tell him after tonight.

*****

Marco knew what he was doing was wrong. But he had to do it.

He brushed away whatever consequences would come his way later as he claimed her mouth, drawing in a sharp breath. He'd missed her this way, how her body felt against him, under his hands. He pinned her against the door. He pulled her sweater over her head, claiming her mouth the moment it reappeared. Her bonnet came off with her clothing.

"I need you," he rasped against her mouth. His hands worked with the button of pants. "I need you to go home with me, Khaye."

Her answer was only a whimper. She was lost in the moment and Marco smiled burying his face at the crook of her neck. He rubbed his hand against the soft fabric of her underwear and she was nearly undone.

He knew her answer even before the night was over.

Seduction wasn't the best strategy in his book, but this time it was the strategy he enjoyed doing.

*****

"Tatiana wants me to go to the auction today," Desiree announced after breakfast. They were inside his room and he just started dressing to go back underground for another emergency meeting.

"Going to the auction is not a good idea," he said, buttoning his shirt.

"Why?"

"It just isn't."

"In case you forgot, Theo, I had been there once. Remember?"

He looked up and stared at her dryly. "And as far as I can remember, you were not so eager to be there." He began to put on his shoes. "Why do you want to go there anyway?"

"Because Kane will be there?"

He stopped what he was doing to look at her again. "All the more reason why you can't go."

"I've been to a lot of places and never—not once—did you tell me no."

"Because now you have more reasons to suspect Kane after what I told you about her and however I tell you how ridiculous those reasons are, I know you will only put yourself in trouble by doing your investigation—which you can't clearly do without rising suspicion or curiosity. And almost all of the most powerful people underground will be there. You have not been officially welcomed underground, Des. We can't risk anything right now."

"I'll be with Tatiana and I won't do anything—"

"No. Just give this day a pass for once, please. Don't do anything reckless with the whole underground people present. And when I say whole underground people, I meant almost all."