The Devil Inside (10 page)

Then his fingers slip into my lace panties, sliding between the moist folds of my pussy.
 

A low moan escapes me.
 

He teases me, circling around my clitoris with a featherlight touch. A wave of pleasure grips me, and I close my eyes as he slides the panties down my thighs. Then his warm lips are on me, tongue darting back and forth across my clit, stroking it, sending a sensation of bliss through my core.
 

It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

I cry out as he goes faster, and faster, as the sensation builds, until I’m arcing back, running my fingers through his hair, held on the edge of ecstasy until I can’t take it anymore.
 

He slows down a fraction, holding me in thrall, teasing me.
 

Gentle hands cup around my butt and he sucks softly on my clit, with increasing pressure, until the waves of pleasure build and build and I’m crying out as a sweet climax courses through me.
 

I come, and come again as he lifts his head, his fingers once again sliding back and forth along my pussy, rubbing the exquisitely sensitive nub.
 

Kaito moves forward, until he’s poised just over me. As I shudder with pleasure, I reach up and untangle the buckle of his belt. His pants drop to the floor and I move over the hard length of his cock, which is straining against the thin fabric of his underwear. I grip his underwear with both hands and tear it down, curling my fingers along his hard length.
 

God, he’s so fucking big.
 

I move my hand back and forth and he responds, letting out a low, rumbling moan. I wrap my other arm around his neck, dragging him down, so that his lips meet mine. We kiss, hot and frantic, as I wrap my legs around him. Kaito moves his hips up and down as my fingers tighten, gliding against the wetness at the tip of his cock.
 

As if sensing what I’m about to do, he stiffens. “Wait,” he whispers. “Protection?”

“Relax,” I murmur. “I’m on the pill.” Some things, I prefer to keep predictable. Like my period. “Unless there’s another reason we need it?”

“Nothing to worry about,” Kaito grunts, entangling his strong fingers in my hair, his thumbs tracing the area around my temples. His tongue tangles with mine, searching. I pull him down with my legs and he thrusts his hips forward, his hard length sliding into me.
 

I gasp as he moves back and forth, cupping my hands around his firm ass. He’s inside me, and it feels amazing. We rock together, faster and faster, our bodies colliding in a hot, sensuous embrace. I forget time, forget where I am. It’s just the two of us, moving together. My hands slide up his smooth back, gliding over lean, toned muscle. I’m wrapped around him and he’s deep inside me, forceful yet gentle.

Sensation builds as he thrusts into me, faster, harder.
 
I quiver and moan and then he’s crying out in release as he comes inside me.
 

Wild pleasure runs through me. I exhale, feeling tension leave my body as Kaito holds for a moment, raining tender kisses down the side of my face.

Pushing a stray tendril of hair away from my eyes, he kisses me one last time then withdraws.

I sigh, feeling warm and content with the afterglow of ecstasy. My legs are like jelly. Kaito moves beside me, entangling his long legs with mine.
 

“I tried to be a gentleman for once, Adele.” His breath is soft and warm, featherlike against my ear. “But I don’t have it in me.”

“What are you talking about?” I murmur, as he snakes an arm around my shoulders. I lean into his broad, warm chest, breathing in his complex, masculine scent. I close my eyes and start to fade as sleep pulls me in, and I hear nothing but the sound of our breathing and the faint, steady beat of Kaito’s heart.
 

Kaito

She’s still asleep. I have no idea what time it is, but the sun’s starting to come up. The clear sky is fading to pink through the gap in the curtains.
 

What the fuck were you thinking?

So much for changing my ways. Patience was never my strong point. In the early days, the word ‘reckless’ was used to describe me. Didn’t matter. It made me good at my job. Unpredictable kills in public places. Audacious, shocking. Kuroda used it to their advantage. Secretly, Ishida-san loved it.
 

I always did it my way, and nobody ever complained.

About last night. I get a bit of booze in me, and I can’t keep my dick in my pants. I can’t wait until Adele’s finished with her hostess gig. This is going to complicate things. She doesn’t want to be bought, but I can’t let her go.
 

Not when she tastes like sweet honey and the sex is better than anything I’ve had before.
 

Just pure, honest, joyful fucking. No pretensions.
 

I needed this. I didn’t know how badly until now.

I’m thinking of buying out her hostess contract. She’d kill me for that.

I glance at her face. Asleep, awake, it doesn’t matter. She’s fucking beautiful.
 

I untangle myself from her arms, taking care not to wake her. My pants and belt are scattered on the floor. I slip them on, looking around for my shirt.

It must be in the living room. There’s probably a trail of clothes thrown around out there. I pad out of the room on silent, bare feet. Adele’s place is small, but decent. There’s a massive flatscreen TV in the living room and a Playstation on the floor. A vintage looking Bruce Lee poster hangs on the wall, along with a framed, autographed picture of Uma Thurman in her Kill Bill outfit.

Huh. I wouldn’t have picked Adele for a fan. Does someone else live here?

My black shirt is a crumpled mess on the floor. I pick it up. A door creaks, followed by soft footsteps. Shirt in hand, I freeze.
 

There’s a guy staring at me. He’s wearing a faded black t-shirt and pajama pants. His dark, curly hair is a wild mess around his face.
 

“Um, hello?” His gaze flicks down to my chest and arms, his eyes becoming wider and wider. I know he’s taking in the intricate tattoos that run the length of my arms, covering my shoulders and my entire back, curving over the top part of my chest.
 

They are very characteristic tattoos.
 

There are vividly coloured cherry blossoms, swirling koi and twisting dragons. A demonic
hannya
mask stares out from my back.
 

I grunt and shrug on my wrinkled shirt. “Who are you?” I’m not in the mood for politeness.

The stranger blinks. “I live here.”
 

Irritated, I start to fasten buttons. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving.” Adele didn’t tell me she lived with someone else.
 

“Er, is Adele…”

“She’s asleep.” My shoes and socks are strewn around the doorway. “Don’t wake her.” I retrieve them and sit down on the sofa, pulling on the black leather shoes. The silence hangs between us, thick and awkward.

Adele’s housemate, or whatever he is, can’t stop staring at me. “Look,” I sigh, “I’m not going to cause any trouble. I’m out of here.”
 

He’s still looking at me as if I’m an alien, or I’ve grown two heads. “Adele’s never brought anyone home before,” he murmurs. “Are you going to call her?” He sounds defensive now, almost protective.
 

“None of your business,” I snap. The sake I drank last night has left me a parting gift in the form of a dull, throbbing headache. Apparently, even the most expensive booze can cause hangovers. “What are you, her fucking chaperone?”

The guy bristles, forgetting his wide-eyed fascination with my ink. “I”m her friend. So what if I’m looking out for her?”

“Seems to me she’s more than capable of looking after herself.”

“You’re probably right.” His eyes dart to the floor, where Adele’s purple dress is crumpled in a heap. He looks at me again, an expression of distaste crossing his face. “So, Adele’s boyfriend or whatever you are, I would usually tell you to get the fuck out of my apartment right now, but you look way too scary for that. So I’ll let you carry on. In your own time, man.”
 

I finish tying my laces and stand, raising an eyebrow at the guy. Another outspoken asshole. I don’t know if he’s being rude, sarcastic or just plain dumb.

“Don’t let the tatts fool you. I’m nicer than I look.” I bare my teeth. “I’ll see you next time, kid.” I can tell that calling him ‘kid’ pisses him off. The outrage is written all over his face. But that’s what he is, caught somewhere in between boy and man. I’ve seen his type before. “Nice poster, by the way.”
 

“Um, thanks.” Now he’s confused. I’m not quite sure which one I’m referring to either.
 

I take care not to slam the door on my way out.

Adele

When I wake up, he’s gone. I stretch and thrown on an old, oversized t-shirt. I close my eyes and remember the sensation of being held in Kaito’s arms. I should be annoyed that he’s disappeared without waking me. It’s what people do after a one night stand.
 

But when I remember last night, I just can’t bring myself to be angry with him.

I get the feeling he never intended to go that far.

And now he’s taken off, without a trace. I don’t even have his number. I’m not worried. I’m working at Black Rose tonight.
 

Kaito will be there. I have no doubts about that.

As I reach the kitchen I freeze. “Dio, what the hell are you doing here?” He’s sitting on the couch with the remote in hand, flicking through TV channels and slurping a half-empty mug of coffee. Despite my motherly nagging, Dio’s never been big on breakfast. “I thought you’d be back at the end of the week.”

“Had to come home early.” He runs a hand through his wild black hair. It crowns his head like a large, unruly cloud. “Some crazy work orders coming through. Sorry for interrupting your, um, little tryst.” Dio raises an eyebrow. I don’t like the tone of his voice.
 

“Hang on.” I perch on the bar stool beside him. “What’s the problem, Dio?” I know when the man’s upset. He’s been the same since grade school. Trying to put on a polite face, but seething inside. To me, who’s known him all these years, it’s plainly obvious.
 

“Oh, nothing really, just that I wake up to find some scary-ass motherfucker getting dressed in my living room.” Dio takes a long, slurping sip from his mug. “Where did you find that one, Adele? He looks like an extra from a Takashi Miike movie.”
 

“What the hell are you talking about, Dio? Takashi what?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice his tattoos.”

“Tattoos?” I blink in surprise. I’d been drunk. I remember our bodies pressing against each other, the warmth, the feeling of smooth skin and lean muscle under my fingers. But the lights had been out, and we’d moved together in the darkness. I’d been in sensory overload.

“How could you not notice, Adi?” Dio pins me with a baleful stare. “Don’t tell me you were so wasted you can’t remember the guy’s ink.”

“It was kind of dark,” I protest, on the defensive. “What’s the big deal anyway? Everyone has tattoos these days.”

“Not like his. They’re spectacular.” Dio looks at me long and hard, before a small, cracked laugh escapes him. “Oh, Adi. Trust you to bring a gangster into our house and not know about it. And now he knows where we live.” He shakes his head ruefully. “Though I can see how you were tempted. The man is damn fine.”

I cross my arms in mock annoyance. “Don’t you go checking out my property, Dio. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t swing that way.” It’s no secret that Dio prefers the male variety. “Besides, he’s not your type.”

“Not my usual, no. I don’t do tall, dark and snarky, and I don’t do dangerous. Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a beautiful man.”

“I don’t know what he said to you this morning, but Kaito’s not as bad as you think.” I grab the remote from Dio’s hand and start flicking through channels. Breakfast TV leaves a lot to be desired. “Whatever he used to be caught up in, he doesn’t do that anymore.”

“Are you sure? These guys are loyal for life, Adele. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to see that guy. And you shouldn’t bring him around here again.” Dio finishes the rest of his coffee and stretches. “You really didn’t notice his tattoos?”

“I told you, it was dark. Why do you keep going on about them?” I finally settle on a channel; MTV. They’re playing some old 90s stuff. It’s all bling and black and white and slow motion. I put the volume on mute. Dio stands, a yawn escaping his lips. Then he turns to face me, his dark eyes large and intense.
 

“Ya. Ku. Za.” He mouths the syllables. “That’s what the tatts tell me. He’s marked for life.
 
I’ve seen that shit on the movies.”

I roll my eyes. “You learn everything from the movies, Dio. Real life is different. You’ve watched too much Kill Bill.” I nod at the poster, his prized possession, autographed by Uma Thurmann herself. She stares back at us, the long, menacing Japanese sword raised above her head. She looks so fierce, clad in tight yellow and black with those cool Onizuka Tiger sneakers. Dio bought that poster off Ebay for some ridiculous sum.
 

“Maybe.” He sounds skeptical. “You just keep your wits about you with that one. I bet the marks on that nicely chiseled body of his don’t come without history.”

“Whatever.”

“And Adi?” Dio takes the remote back off me and turns up the volume as the next clip comes on. California Love. Tupac. That intro is damn catchy.
 

“What?”

“Next time you have sex, keep the lights on.”

“Idiot.” I throw a cushion at Dio as he retreats.
 

Kaito

As I drive across town, I reach for my shades. The LA sun is harsh; I’ve never gotten used to it. In my old job, I was a creature of the night. The shadows are kinder to people like me. But money laundering is different. It’s best done in broad daylight. A crooked accountant once told me that if you want to appear legit, it’s best to carry on right under their noses, as if you’ve got nothing to hide.