Emma

EMMA

While I made my way out of the marketplace, I thought of Tazhr.

While I was shocked at his brute strength, his forceful nature, there was a strange delicateness to his touch.

My cheeks burned as I put a hand to my lips, as if I still felt his finger resting there.

Maybe the fear kicked up some adrenaline in my veins, but there was something more to it than that.

Could my life be something more than running errands for Conii, waiting on eggshells for her temper to explode, for her to sell my contract to a terrible place?

My books, my dreams of Sherlock Holmes were my desperate attempt to have any meaning in my life.

Could I really get the information that could save an innocent man?

Tazhr seemed to think I could. It was nice knowing that somehow he picked me for the job. I wasn't sure why, but I almost wanted to prove to him that I could take her down and wanted to, just as much as he did.

Once out of the marketplace and down near Conii's quarters, I sighed and looked at my percomm.

It was time to get some information.

First, I took the groceries to the kitchen, unpacking them while the chef chatted away with his line chefs. I remember being shocked when I found out she had ten kitchen staff working for her in total. I guess when you have billions of credits from scamming and framing other beings, you can afford whatever you want.

Leaving the kitchen, I glanced around the hallways for any sign of movement. I checked my percomm again. Six thirty. She definitely wouldn't be in the office.

But would there be guards or not? I never paid attention to their schedule before. Was it a regular pattern? Were there only guards when she was in there, or only when she was out?

Time to learn.

I made my way to the stairs, hoisting my bag over my shoulder with the book in it. I hoped the pages wouldn't fray or the spine wouldn't bend as I rounded the corner to her office. Four guards stood at the door, and as one they all turned to look at me.

Shit.

"What business do you have here, girl?" one of them asked, stepping toward me.

"I-" I cleared my throat. "I was just looking for Conii."

"She's busy," a second one responded quickly.

"I just needed to-"

"Needed to leave." The first guard spoke, leaning forward even closer.

I pursed my lips. I was unsure what type of penalty being a sort of double agent carried in the Nazok gang, but I didn't want to find out, either.

"Thank you," I replied quietly before walking in the other direction. Sherlock Holmes couldn't make bricks without clay, and I couldn't get into Conii's office without learning the schedule of her guards.

"Emma!" the chef bellowed from downstairs.

I closed my eyes and threw my head back, looking at the ceiling. Now what?

"Yes?"

"You got the wrong type of peppers!"

I exhaled through my nose and cracked my neck. I forced a smile and walked down the stairs. "Oh no, I'm so sorry!" I chimed. "What would you like me to do?"

He knew I was being cheeky, but luckily he never faulted me for it. Part of me always wondered if he was just as miserable as I was.

"Go get the right ones." The chef walked out of the kitchen, holding the pepper in his hand. "These are Tortens. I need Yirrups."

"Yirrups…" I squinted at the pepper, racking my brain for alien equivalents of human peppers. "Oh!" My face lit up. "The super spicy ones?"

He rolled his eyes and tossed the pepper at me. I barely caught it, and my bag almost took me down as it swung over my shoulder. "Yes, the super spicy ones. Now go. Leave your bag."

Leave my bag? What if they find the book?

"All right, I'll go put it in my quarters," I commented before walking back up the stairs.

My heart raced as I entered my room. I took the book out of the bag, threw the bag in the closet, and shoved the book spine-first into my shelf. No one was going to care about my detective collection, anyway.

Grumpily, I left Conii's personal quarters and walked back to the marketplace, turning the pepper over in my hand.

I wonder if I can eat this raw? Is this the sweet one, or is this the one that's too spicy? I can't remember.

As I rolled the pepper over and thinking about how hungry I was, a movement to my right startled me. I dropped the pepper as a hand covered my mouth and pulled me into an alley by Conii's quarters.

I tried to keep up with the quick pace of who had me, and I inhaled deeply while trying to calm my heart rate. Instantly, I knew it was Tazhr. The smoky scent would have caught my attention anywhere.

"Don't scream, don't even whimper."

For some reason, I wanted to reply, "Yes, sir," but settled for nothing at all. The notion was insane and reckless, but it was also exactly what I wanted.

He pushed me against the wall, and I got another glimpse of his gold eyes and tracery. I felt my nipples harden, and it wasn't even cold in that alley. It was warm, especially beneath his skin that was pressed up against me.

His eyes ran down to my chest, and I closed my eyes in response, hoping he wouldn't see that I was turned on by the encounter. When he raised them back to me, the horniness immediately switched to terror.

He could kill me right now. I don't have what he wants.

"Are you going to be good?" he whispered on the back of his hand.

I nodded and closed my eyes again, thinking how much of an idiot I was to think of him in a new light. He blackmailed me; he could have ruined my life if he wanted to. All he had to do was send one anonymous letter to Conii, and I was done for.

"Good," he whispered as he slowly removed his hand from my mouth. "Talk quietly."

I took in a gasp of air and shook my head before I whispered. "I-I haven't gotten the information yet. There are guards, and I couldn't get into her office. I just don't know the schedule yet."

He stood still, looking at me with those mesmerizing and terrifying eyes that made my heart stammer. He remained silent, which only heightened my nerves and made my whole body tingle with anticipation.

"Please," I asked as my chest caved in and out from the heavy breaths. "I'll try again." I pointed to the entrance of the alleyway. "I just have to go to the store, and then I can go back!"

He cocked a sly grin and shook his head before looking at the exit to the alleyway.

"I'm sure you'll get your chance at some point." He returned his gaze to me, and I froze.

What? He's not angry that I didn't get it? Then why is he here? Is he just checking on the progress? How soon does he want this thing? Should I ask for a deadline?

I decided it was better not to push, but he still remained silent, just looking at me. My eyes flickered to the pepper on the ground outside of the alleyway.

"Well…" I exhaled, almost dizzy with the swirl of emotions running through me. "They'll look for me if I'm not back soon because, um…" I pointed to the pepper. "I got the wrong…" My eyes met his, and my sentence trailed off.

Why the fuck am I talking to him about the pepper?

I shook my head. "I just, I guess I'll get going since I don't have what you want yet."

I tried to move from the wall toward the exit, but he placed his hands on either side of my chest while leaning over me. I felt so small looking up at him and being encapsulated by his large, muscular body. The fear faded into the background, and I felt myself begin throbbing. No one ever cornered me like that, and none had done so in such a confident manner.

"You may not have the download," he whispered before biting his lip and looking at mine. "But you still have what I want."

I opened my mouth to ask what he meant, but before any words could slip out, he kissed me. His body pressed against mine, and I felt my back sink deeper into the metal wall behind me. It hurt, but I didn't even care. I gave in immediately to his lips and ran my hands over his arms, as his fingers gripped my waist.

"You're delicious," he murmured, breaking away just long enough for me to gasp for air. "I need to taste more of you."

Slowly, he licked down the side of my throat, nuzzling open the collar of my shirt as I clung to him.

"Tell me I can have more, Emma." His breath was hot against my skin, and I melted against him. "Please."

It was the last word that undid me completely.

When did this gorgeous, massive warrior ever needed to say the word please?

What was the last thing he asked for with such longing in his voice?

It didn't matter, not really. With every touch of his body, with every breath of his intoxicating scent, I wanted him, wanted him to do whatever he wanted to me.

One hand slid around the curve of my hips, brushed my aching mound through the fabric of my pants.

"Tazhr," I moaned. "There, there."

Without another word, he moved like lighting, wrapping the cloak around us both, stepping even closer to me so that his body shielded me completely from sight, his fingers unfastening my pants so that he could reach inside to touch me.

"Yes." I whispered, my hips moving on their own as his fingers ran over my clit. "Oh, yes."

"You like that?" he asked before sliding two fingers inside me.

I wasn't prepared for it, at least not mentally, but from how easily they went inside me, I knew I must have been soaking wet. I wasn't surprised that I was.

"Yes!" I cried out before remembering he told me to stay quiet. I put my hand over my mouth to stifle my moans. He pulled it away from my face quickly.

"Be loud," he whispered while pushing his fingers deeper inside me. "I don't give a shit about that now. I want to hear how much you like it."

I moaned loudly. I wanted to be loud, louder than I normally was in the situation. It was almost like I needed him to know how badly I wanted him.

I gripped his arms hard as I came, my legs shaking against the wall while he bit down slightly on my neck, sharp fangs just grazing my skin. My skin under his tongue tingled, and it sent shivers throughout my body before I came back to reality.

He held me up, his eyes fixed on mine as he licked his fingers clean, then carefully redressed me, brushing the hair out of my face, his hand cupping my cheek for just a moment before he stepped away.

"Get back to work," he commanded before walking down the other direction of the alley. "I'll see you soon," he said over his shoulder with a grin before he kept walking.

I stood in the darkness for a moment, my heart still racing from the interaction. Nothing ever felt as good as that. Nothing in my entire life.

Nothing I ever imagined.

And we didn't even fuck. We barely did anything.

I glanced at the exit of the alleyway. Tazhr was long gone. All I was left with were dirty thoughts, soaked panties, and a damned pepper.