On the fifth ring he picked up. “Melissa?” Lucian greeted.
“Are you in the city?” she asked, her eyes on Tarian.
There was a beat of silence before he replied, “There was a dispute I needed to mediate about an hour out. Why?”
“I need you to get back here as soon as possible. The situation with the necromancers has changed.”
“How?” His voice was icy enough to make her shiver.
“The man who kidnapped me is in the city.”
Tarian motioned for the phone and she handed it over. “Redgrave,” he said. “I’ve been offered the chance to trade your daughter for my newly missing sister. You’ll be happy to know it’s not a deal I entertained, but the man behind Melissa’s abduction doesn’t know that. It appears I now have something to bargain with.”
Melissa couldn’t make out the words, but her father’s tone was clear enough, and he was none too pleased with the turn of events.
“Just listen,” Tarian said, cutting him off. “I am willing to meet with you to discuss the expansion of necromancer rights. In return, I will help you trap the leader of the dissenters. Fair trade, I believe.”
He cocked his head, listening to something on the other end of the phone before nodding. “I’ll be waiting for you at Melissa’s apartment. Hurry.”
He hung up before her father could reply.
“He is not going to be pleased with you,” she said, catching the phone as he tossed it to her.
“I can’t begin to tell you how much that bothers me.”
Melissa rolled her eyes and returned the phone to its cradle. “So we’ve got some time.”
“Yes.”
“And there’s nothing we can do right now to help Eilin?”
“No.”
“Well then.” She caught the hem of her blouse and tugged it over her head. “I believe you owe me some epic make up sex.”
Fire leapt into his sapphire gaze. “I always knew you were a brilliant woman.”
She sashayed backward toward the hall that led to her bedroom. “What do you think?” she mused. “Two orgasms to make up for your bad behavior?”
“Make it an even three,” he replied, stalking her down the darkened hallway.
“I might not be the financial genius in the room, but even I know that’s not an even number.”
“Four should suffice then.”
A grin curved her lips as her hand twisted behind her to catch the doorknob of her room.
“So many promises,” she purred, undoing the zipper on her skirt. “I’ve been teased before.”
His arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her against his chest. “Not this time,” he vowed.
Her lips traced along his in a mockery of a kiss. “You left me,” she whispered. “You walked away.”
“I regretted every step,” he replied.
“And when this is done and you’ve gotten what you wanted?” she asked, letting the skirt pool at her feet. “Will you walk away again?”
“No.”
He met her gaze, offering no more assurances than that one word. Melissa knew she should rail till she was given a more encompassing promise, but he was right. These days vows were easy to make and hard to keep.
But it didn’t matter. Being away from him had been hell. Pulling teeth was easier than trying to move on from the last man she should ever want. Being away from him simply hadn’t worked for her. Now that he was back, she’d take him for however long they had.
At least she’d get an orgasm out of it. Or four.
“No more talking,” she said, tugging his suit jacket down his arms. “I haven’t decided if I believe anything you say.”
“Then I’ll have to prove myself with actions.” True to his word he gripped his shirt and tugged. Buttons flew everywhere as his shirt parted like a costume on the set of The Hulk.
“I missed this,” she murmured as her palms smoothed along his chest. She traced her fingers over his contoured muscles before ducking her head to run her tongue over the bronzed skin. He tasted like cinnamon and gold flecks. She nearly purred as she pulled one nipple into her mouth.
Tarian hissed under her caresses. Gripping her around the waist, he tossed her onto the bed.
She bounced once before his hands encircled her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the mattress.
“Someone’s feeling a tad aggressive,” she said.
“Impatient,” he corrected.
“You’re the one that left,” she said, falling back onto the bedding. Twining her arms over her head, she arched her back. “We could have spent all week like this.”
Daring a glance at Tarian, she saw molten lust in his eyes.