Devil's Prey(15)

She continued her exploration through the house, directly walking into  the kitchen area where she stopped to look around. It was modern and  bright with a large island, appliances that blended right in with the  dark oak décor including a fridge unit the same color as the dark oak,  gas stove and burners, dishwasher, and many sets of drawers and  cabinets. She began to pull them open and found plates, glasses and  tumblers, every kind of kitchen utensil known to man along with a modern  Keurig, toaster, microwave above the stove unit.         

     



 

Mags turned toward him again, the look in her pale green eyes magnetic  and strangely sexual whether she realized it or not. "All of this  couldn't possibly have been put together in a couple of days or even a  week, Max. Is this your home?"

He nodded silently. "Yes. I've lived here for the last couple years.  Bought the place brand new after they finished building this part of the  community. What gave it away?"

She continued into the fully decorated dining room area and an informal  living room that had a more relaxed wrap around black leather sofa,  sixty-inch flat screen television and a dark oak coffee table complete  with coasters for drinks.

"Mmm, maybe because it's already furnished and the place feels lived in.  This isn't just some model your boss has set you up with so we can go  through our charade . . ." She trailed off as she reached the end of the  informal living room and stopped at a set of stairs that led to the  second floor. "What's up there?"

"Why don't you explore and look for yourself?" Max questioned though it sounded more like a command.

"All right." Mags walked up the stairs quickly and he trailed her, his heart beating quicker than he would have wanted.

What was it about this woman that made her different from the countless  others he'd bedded in the past? Well, none of them had ever seen his  home before-he usually took them to the hotel where he had his permanent  space and they were happy enough with the arrangement.

Could he pull this off and continue his blasé detachment from the one  person he really wanted to get to know completely? Mags wasn't like any  of his usual bed companions, mostly because they weren't hunters like  him. And yet, how could he separate that? She was a gorgeous, young  woman, coming into her own in a world that still eluded her yet she was  also a natural born predator.

Max had to keep reminding himself her excitement had nothing to do with  their assignment and everything to do with her never being on her own.  She'd never lived without someone telling her what to do, who she had to  be and what to say. Now, she was her own person and the childish glee  he witnessed in her was an assessment to that situation and nothing  else.

He found it hard to believe Brad had given her a home or even a feeling  of stability when "home" had been the clubhouse and her only job outside  of doing what she was good at had been his personal sex slave. He kept  reminding himself this was the only reason why she had buoyancy in her  footsteps as she walked down the hall and opened the double doors to his  bedroom-their bedroom.

Mags walked around the large suite, a California King in the middle with  a sterile, dark oak frame, black sheets and a black comforter completed  with black throw pillows. When it came to bedding, Max didn't really  care much for color and tended to stay in the black/midnight blue/dark  gray family of colors. It was a deeply masculine room that cried out for  a woman's touch.

There were his and her bathrooms and walk-in closets but the bathroom on  the "her" side had been decorated only recently by his housekeeper.  He'd also bought her a selection of clothing-all conservative and  perfect for the part they would have to play-but the other side of the  closet was empty and perfect to put her real items of clothing and  personals she wanted to set out.

He watched as she strode to her bathroom and looked around before  opening the double doors to her walk in closet. She turned toward him  after she looked around the space.

"I know you expect us to share a room so we can work on our intimacy  issues and appear to be a bonafide couple when we're out in public but  is there another bedroom I can use as a personal space?" Mags wondered  as she sifted through the clothes he'd chosen for her.

"Of course." Max started toward the door as he said, "If you come this way, I'll show you where it is."

Firmly back in control of the situation, he strode directly down the  hall from the master bedroom to a smaller bedroom. The third and final  bedroom was used as his office and storage for the various weapons he  used in his line of work. That space had a steel-enforced door and a  lock only he had the key to, which was kept in his bedroom safe.

He opened the door and displayed a very comfortable yet cold guest  bedroom. A queen-sized bed decorated the middle of the room while a  comfortable loveseat was situated in front of a large window. Although  painted taupe, the décor had a slight feminine feel to it though  everything from the color of the comforter to the way the room had been  arranged felt gender-neutral.

Max stood next to the door while Mags walked around and examined the  room. "This is your space. Feel free to stay in here as much as you  like. If there are times you want to be alone, you can sleep in here  too. Now that we will be living here, my housekeeper will come by three  times per week to clean and do the laundry. If there are garments you  would prefer to wash yourself then just let her know."         

     



 

She nodded. "Thanks. I think I'll sit here for a while and just chill out. Now we have a place, everything feels . . . real."

"It always has been. Although what will make everything really sink in  is when we truly begin our assignment." He slid his hands into his pants  pockets. "Right. I'll give you some time to yourself. I'm going to take  a shower but feel free to do whatever you want. We'll have dinner  tonight together. I'll cook."

Mags' pale green eyes remained unreadable. "Sounds like a plan."

Max left the room and closed the door. He gripped the knob longer than necessary before he walked down the hall to his bedroom.

Part of him wanted to know what was behind that smirk, the bright look  in her eyes but another side of him was quite grateful he didn't have  the ability to read minds. He wasn't sure how well he would like Mags if  he knew what she was thinking all the time.

She truly was an unsolved puzzle-a riddle yet to be figured out-and in a way, he wished for her to stay that way to him.

Forever.

Or at least for as long as they remained together in each other's company.





Chapter Seven





Magnolia





Once Max left the room, I stood and grabbed only my handbag before I  hoisted it on to my right shoulder and left my bedroom shortly after.  He'd closed the door to the master bedroom and I was fairly certain he  wouldn't be checking on me any time soon.

Regardless, I felt like I was doing something wrong. I knew,  technically, I wasn't. An old friend of mine happened to call the same  community home and if he was here, I could swing by to see him. If he  wasn't then it was only a quick ride to the clubhouse.

I knew he and his wife were back together again so rather than cause any  unnecessary drama, I walked downstairs and directly to the garage. Like  most people with money and means, there was a key peg near the garage  door. I grabbed the keys to the Mini Cooper and used the key fob to  unlock the door though that proved to be unnecessary. The doors weren't  locked.

After I threw my handbag in the passenger seat, I adjusted the driver's  seat to my height and comfort level before I turned the engine over. The  little car was perfect and it was a manual, which would make driving it  even more exciting than if it was an automatic.

Growing up with the Deckers, I knew cars quite well. I could change the  oil and a flat tire, knew how to drive both manuals and automatics as  well as could operate a motorcycle as well. There wasn't much I couldn't  do, including hot wire a car if necessary but since Max had bought the  car and told me it was my means of transportation, I didn't think I  needed to tell him where I was going or what I planned to do. We were  working on a job together; he wasn't my lover or boyfriend.

I opened the garage using the opener installed in the vehicle, backed up  and made sure the door was closed before I took off towards the Saints  compound. It wasn't the wisest thing to do but I wanted to see Edward.  It had been a while and although I knew we wouldn't be able to do  anything, I realized it was the human part of me that needed to bond  with someone from my past.

Given my unique situation, I couldn't visit my parents' gravesite and  was never truly given a chance to grieve for the loss I sustained at  thirteen. It was almost like a whole part of my life was wiped away and I  was left with a giant hole that was never to be filled. My parents  died, a motorcycle club abducted me and a new life for me began.