13. Matt

THIRTEEN

MATT

Now that I was at the bottom of the bed, with Ranger on the floor below me, my mind went to him naked. Not that he was. He was wearing an oversized T-shirt and shorts, but I'd already caught a glimpse of his enormous cock in the bathroom.

Ranger had excellent hearing, but crawling back to my pillow would be awkward. He'd pick up on me scooting to the other end of the bed. And somewhere deep inside me, I wanted that. For him to fix his gaze on my ass.

Jeez, Josh was right. What was wrong with me? I was desperate for a mobster to get excited about what was under my robe.

My eyes were closed as I pretended to sleep, waiting for Ranger to doze off, but with the heating off, the room was freezing, and I shivered. I could fumble for the covers and put them over me, but the pillow was at the other end of the bed.

"Do you need another blanket? There's a heavy quilt in the closet that will keep you warm."

He was awake. Not a surprise.

I was wary of speaking to him because he'd been going to ask questions I wasn't prepared to answer. Any questions like why were you working for Dane? Were you hoping to bring down all the mafia organizations in the city?

That was the second time I'd put off the discussion, and as we were stuck in the house together, I couldn't avoid his pestering forever, though I'd accept, "What's your favorite color?" or "Do you like anchovies?" or "On your back or doggie style?" What? No. Not that. But if pressed for an answer, I'd say, ummm, me on top riding him.

"Are you sure? It's getting chilly."

It was, but my inner temperature was heated and rising.

He pulled out more bedding and stood beside the bed. "Top or bottom?"

"What?" I squealed, my mind going places it shouldn't be. The same places it had been seconds previously.

"Where are you sleeping? At the top of the bed or the bottom? What did you think I was talking about?"

I could almost feel his cocky grin in the half light.

"Never mind." Scrambling to the top of the bed, I slid under the covers, and he placed the new bedding on top. "Thanks."

And I should thank him for standing, as I got a great view of his cock, outlined under the shorts.

"Since you're awake," he began.

Yikes, I'd fallen into his trap and had to slither out. "I'm not." I pulled the covers over my head. "Sound asleep. Dead to the world. Out like a light. Sleeping like a log."

Too much? Oh yeah, but I hoped he'd get the message and go away. Not far. Just onto the floor.

"Matt!"

Ouch! His voice ripped through the air like a slap. Was Ranger having a temper tantrum? I was glad the gun had been put away. Unless he'd retrieved it. I had to know because he'd been handing it like a pro when I walked into the room. And I only knew what a pro was having witnessed Dean at a shooting range.

I poked my head out.

"Where's your weapon?" But I regretted saying that because his crotch was inches away from my face and his hard cock was definitely a damned weapon. I blurted out. "Oh, I see it."

"Huh?"

I hid under the covers again, saying, "My mistake."

"Matt!" He yelled again and removed the quilt. "We're both awake, and I'd like me some answers."

"I don't know for sure, but I'd say it's part genetics and part arousal. Too early for morning wood. Middle of the night wood?"

"Matt!"

"I know my name, Ranger. You don't have to keep repeating it."

"Shove over."

"You're not getting into bed with me."

"I'd like to sit if that's okay. On my own bed."

I reluctantly moved, wishing I could stick my fingers in my ears and shout, "La la la la. Can't hear you."

Ranger got on the bed, and while I refused to admit it, I relished him being so close. My body reacted, not just my cock. All of me calmed just a tad with him next to me.

I couldn't resist some snark, though. "You lied."

He sighed. "About what?"

"You said you'd sit."

"Am I not sitting? My butt is on the mattress."

"But your feet aren't on the floor."

"So what's that? Half sitting, half lying. That's not a thing, Matt!" He took a breath. "I know what you're doing."

"Oh yeah? Fill me in, big guy." Yikes, bad choice of words ‘cause I was thinking about him filling me.

"You don't want to discuss your work with Dane."

There was no point lying. "True, but back at ya. You won't tell me why you bit me and left a mark that'll remind me of you every time I look at it… until the day I die."

Was that the purpose of the bite? So Ranger would be with me always and I'd never forget him? Shoot, maybe I'd stumbled onto the truth or part of it.

I sat up, my shoulder rubbing against his. "One question each. Me first."

He shoulder bumped me. "How come you get to go first?"

"My rules. Please keep up, Ranger."

There was a quick intake of breath before he said, "You remind me of my brother."

"Flint."

"Mmmm, but I also have a younger one." He fiddled with the comforter.

"Oh, middle child syndrome." Classic. I knew the type.

"No."

"Yeah. Your older bro got the attention, the one who outshone you, whereas your younger sibling was maybe quirky or creative and your folks didn't discipline him as much. By the time they got to their third son, they were like, ‘He can do what he wants, whatever.'"

"My turn." He harrumphed, his testiness telling me I was close to the truth.

"No, I haven't asked a question yet." I had to jump in or he'd pepper me with bullet-like queries. And not just one. "Why mafia, and why do you break the law and kill people when you could just go straight?"

"Ding, ding, ding. That's three questions, so not allowed." He sniggered. "And go straight? You've been watching too many old movies."

I waited, my mind churning, because just yesterday if I'd gotten deets about La Luna Noir, I would have woven it into my exposé, but now Ranger and I were sharing maybe home truths. Nothing was as clear as before I met him.

Damn, I was letting my emotions interfere with my work.

"Most of our dealings are what you'd consider legit."

"Most? Ding, ding, ding. And the rest?"

"Nope. My turn. Why did you go undercover in The Obsidian Circle?"

I nibbled a nail that was annoying me. "Because they're bad guys and the local cops either ignore their antics or they're taking bribes."

"Dane isn't like us… like my brother. We have a code of ethics."

I sat up and leaned on the headboard before facing him, but that left me dangerously close to his lips. "Answer me this. Have you ever killed someone?"

Ranger crossed his arms. I was familiar with that technique. He was protecting himself from me. I chuckled inwardly because me, the short scrawny omega, was intimidating the mobster alpha. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"That's not easy to answer."

"Come on," I scoffed. "It's a yes-or-no question."

He picked up my palm and gently traced a finger over the wound. "You see this?"

"I feel it."

"Your questions are tangled up with this mark."

That was no answer, and exhaustion finally claimed me and my shoulders slumped. My head lolled to the side, and I jerked myself up, refusing to fall asleep on Ranger's shoulder.

"Rest, Matt. It's been a traumatic couple of days for you." He added, "I'll half sit and half lie here until you're asleep before making my way to the floor."

"Should I get you a violin? A tiny one?"

"Okay, I get that. You're mocking my woe-is-me response. Go ahead. I can take it."

"Don't try any funny stuff." I turned away, folding my pillow in half, and closed my eyes.

But my sleep wasn't restful because Dane invaded my dreams, waving his gun around, blood spurting from my chest, and there were deafening screams—mine.

"Matt!"

"Don't shoot. Go away. Leave me alone."

"Hey, wake up. It's me."

My eyes snapped open, and a man was holding me, his face a hair's breadth from mine.

"Don't touch me."

"You're safe, Matt. No one is trying to hurt you. You had a bad dream."

"Ranger?" I should've been just as scared of him as I was of the people in my nightmare. He was like them. But he'd cooked me dinner, saved me from Dane, and given me a place to hide. But on the flip side, the guy had bitten me.

"Do you want a drink of water?"

Him mentioning water reminded me of the storm. "Do you hear that? The rain's stopped." Gods, the water level would drop and Dane's goons would come after me.

"No, it's still raining, just not as heavy. And the wind has died down a little."

I grabbed him. "It's still raining, Ranger." Thank gods. I was safe for a while longer.

"Do you like cocoa?"

Way to change the subject. "Why are you asking?"

He grinned. "I thought you might like a cup."

"Okay." When we were in the kitchen last night, I'd noticed the stove was gas, so not having power wasn't a problem.

"Unless you can make it in the bedroom, I'm coming with you."

"It'll be cold downstairs."

Though the bed was warm and toasty, I wasn't staying here by myself. "I'd rather be with you."

Ranger's expression was unreadable. He was either constipated or…

I didn't allow myself to finish that thought.