SO COLD (18+) currently editing

Chapter 56.7

The moment to slice open my heart and open its contents was over.

He pushed aside the covers, set his feet on the floor and straightened his spine, pushing back his shoulders and stretching. "Come shower with me. We have a busy day today. The funeral is at one."

"Art flew the body back to the City of Olives to reunite Doriano with his immediate family. What will we have, an empty casket?"

"Exactly that. I need to give my men a chance to mourn him and say their goodbyes. There is a private cemetery behind a ruined church. It's an hour drive from here. It's closed-off to the public but I've paid a sum to have his ghost buried there. Since we're all going to be there and with the recent attacks, I'm going to need everyone to be strapped. Be aware of your surroundings. It'll be the inner circle only. No low life drug dealers or any of Irvin's friends." He stood and pulled me upright, hands resting on my hips. He kissed me and pulled away with a frown, brow furrowed. "Have you been drinking?"

"I had a beer."

"You have a problem," he sighed. "I thought you were going to take your health seriously."

"I am, I will," I reassured. "It was one drink. I'm not going to become a raging alcoholic like I was back in January. I don't want an enormous beer belly again. Working it off was difficult. And if I slip up once more, I'll only have myself to blame. I'll slit my wrists and be done with life."

"You're overdramatic."

"And you love me for it."

He quirked his lips up in amusement. "Perhaps I confessed prematurely."

"Bummer. I was going to join you in the shower but I guess... We'll go our separate ways." I turned away from him.

His arms came around me and he pulled me to his chest. He murmured lowly in my ear. "But if you don't shower with me, who's going to purposely drop the soap so that they can bend over for me?"

"I don't drop it on purpose!" I said in outrage, my cheeks burning. "It's slippery. I don't want to talk to you anymore, Cole. I'm embarrassed."

"You don't have to talk, you can moan instead. Or mutter God's name, I know how you love cursing his name – although I'd prefer it if you called for me when you come."

"I don't curse God's name, I sing his praises."

"During sex? That's a little weird, don't you think?"

"It's the truth."

"That's a goddamn lie." He unbuttoned my jeans, tugging the zip down and throatily said against my ear. "Let's see who the truth teller is." His hand grazed against my covered private area.

"We can't, we don't have time," I pulled his hand away, turning to face him. "We're going to shower and that is all we'll be doing. And then we'll get dressed at James' house and drive to the funeral."

"I was hoping to have your legs wrapped around me in the shower," he groaned in disappointment. "I want to be inside of you. My cóck is aching."

"See a doctor."

"That's not funny. Put your hand around my cóck and jerk me off."

"Jerk yourself off. You have hands. I need to wash my hair. It's greasy."

"I'll wash your hair. It's better when you do it." He watched me as I undressed, hungry gaze fixed on me and then falling down. He fought a smile and began innocently. "How about–?"

"No,"

"I'll buy you ice cubes for any chest burns."

"You nasty bastard, we're going to a place of worship, you can't say such things. God is listening."

"I've seen a picture of Mary in a textbook back when I was in school, maybe I could ask her to–"

"You're going to go to hell."

"She's probably inexperienced. The virgin will stare down at my cóck in horror and I'll become limp." He followed me to the bathroom and leaned against the doorway as I checked the temperature of the water. "We could have ten minutes, I'll be done in five. Four if you let me play with your titties."

"You sound like a fifteen year old." I laughed. "Shut the door. I don't want housekeeping to walk in on us."

"Does that mean–?"

"Yes. You have four minutes."

**