Page 86 of Deck of Scarlets
“Since you shut your phone off, I had to track you. We were chosen along with Baron and Chloe to check out the nest upstate.”
I didn’t even want to know how he tracked me; the idea would send my thoughts in the dirtiest places. “Don’t you think it’s a little risky to send an untrained, unprepared Scarlet on this mission?”
“Four members of Captain Harrison’s fleet will be in attendance. What better way to improve your training than to be there front and center.”
I gulped. “Fantastic.”
“You have two minutes to change.” He released his grip, turning his back to give me privacy.
Stepping inside the stall, I unhooked the garment bag from the tack, stripped down to my underwear and bra, shimmied a pair of thick black leather-type pants over the thickness of my thighs, and pulled a skin-tight matching shirt over my head that somehow had a unique type of padding in the chest area. I found a matching belt and looped it through the waist of the pants. Patting my chest, trying to understand the mechanics of how they got the hard padding inside, I was shocked to find black ankle boots at the bottom and slipped them on, clasping the buckles one at a time. I tucked my phone in one of the boots, hoping it was secure enough and didn’t come flying out and smash onto the concrete.
I hesitated with the cape, the soft fabric clutched in my small hands. Grams wore this at one point, fighting evils I couldn’t even understand, and now there I stood, about to wear the symbolic clothing and follow in her path. Tears stung my eyes as I clasped them around my neck just as the bathroom door swung open.
I looked back in the stall. “What about my clothes?”
“Leave them; I’ll have someone grab them later.” Josh pulled out a black holster from his pocket, got down on his knees, and grabbed my right leg, extending it.
“What are you doing?” I panicked, trying to balance on my other leg.
“Stay still.” He began to buckle the holster around my thigh. His strong hands gripped my outer leg, creating inappropriate thoughts I had to squish before he picked up on it. A space was attached to the holster where a weapon, most likely my dagger, could fit. He then removed the quiver and dug around until he retrieved an object wrapped in a black cloth.
Unwrapping the material, my dagger showed in the palm of his hand. “May I?”
All my thoughts jumbled into one. Josh and the way he knelt before me. How he held the dagger in his big palm, asking permission, how his blue eyes traveled up my body. It took a few seconds for my heart to catch up, and I could only nod approval.
There is something seriously wrong with me.
He gently placed the dagger inside the sheath, slowly pulling his hands away from my leg. The sensation of his touch sent thrills of pleasure along my spine, and I had to hold my tongue to keep from exposing myself. Josh gazed up at me under those dark lashes, and his blue eyes swirled. “Next time, don’t forget your pager.” He got to his feet, readjusted his weapons to his back, and strode to one of the windows by the line of sinks. All sexual thoughts were deflated the minute he opened his mouth.
“What are you doing?” I questioned, watching him unlatch the window and climb onto the heating vent.
Josh looked over his shoulder. “We can’t go through the front; I only have one amethyst stone to conceal myself.”
Josh twisted his body out the window and stood outside the restaurant, then peeked his head back in and offered his hand. “Ready?”
I sighed deeply and hoisted myself onto the heater, reaching for his calloused hand. I gripped the windowsill and jumped up, Josh using his other hand to grip underneath my arm and tugging lightly to get me through. I twisted my body as he did until I came out on the other side, standing upright, his hands lingering a little too long on my waist.
Barely an inch separated our bodies, the heat creating something sensual, the lingering of his stare pulling me in.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Until his pocket beeped, shattering the moment.
I stepped back from his touch and pretended to smooth down my attire.
He pulled out the pager, watching the screen with concentration. “The van is picking us up in two minutes.”
I surveyed my surroundings and found us standing just at the beginning of the alley, two big dumpsters to our right, where staff from the restaurant disposed of the old food. One of the lids was open, the smell wafting toward me, and I had to hold my breath to keep from gagging. No matter how long I lived in the city, the smell of rotten or spoiled food never got easier to process.
A sleek, black van owned by the Order pulled up, barely missing the curb, screeching as it halted just as the doors slid open, revealing a disheveled Baron in the back. “Hurry, Emilia and Cillian are already there.”
“Why am I not surprised those two were chosen,” Josh hissed as he got into the back of the van. I followed suit, finding no seating but instead black crates taking up most of the space. “This is really bad timing.”
“Yeah, well, we weren’t expecting the pit stop,” commented Baron, giving me a quick look.
“Nobody was.”
“What are in those?” I asked, ignoring their obvious conversation about me.