satisfied.
Riley dropped her head onto Damian’s shoulder, weak with relief and trembling as adrenaline pumped through her body. He lowered her to the floor and kissed her, his hand tangling in her hair. “Get dressed,” he murmured, fastening his trousers. “I’ll check for the guard. We can slip out via the fire escape.”
Of course, they couldn’t go back out into the gallery where the guard might see them emerge from the corridor he had just checked and found empty.
He slipped off his coat and drew his singlet over his head. “Wear this. I’ll have to replace your shirt for you.” He put his coat on again and zipped it up so his bare chest was hidden.
Riley reached for her discarded clothing with a shaky hand as Damian lifted the chair away from the door, peered out carefully and slipped out.
When he returned, she was fully dressed. Damian’s singlet was much too large for her, but by knotting the arms together at the back, she could make it sit high enough that her breasts were covered decently.
Damian picked up the bags once more, and led her silently from the room, turning right instead of left when they stepped out. They moved down the corridor to the fire escape door.
“Watch for observers,” Damian told her, putting down the bags.
Riley turned to look over her shoulder, back toward the gallery. The small slice she could see of the white, light room was empty of people. She heard Damian moving, a small grunt of effort. Then, “Quickly.”
She turned back to him. He had the fire escape door open and brilliant late afternoon sunlight was pouring in. She blinked. High up by the top of the door, bare gleaming wires hung loose over the frame. That was what he had been doing while she had been watching out—severing the alarm wired to the fire escape door so their opening the door didn’t set off the alarm.
Riley picked up the bags and stepped out onto the metal landing. Damian followed and shut the door behind him. Quickly, they climbed down the ladder to the ground and hurried along the alleyway onto the street, where Damian relaxed once more and looked at his watch. “Time to find a perch to observe the skylights. Nicholas should be here for this, too.” He scanned the skyline around them as he spoke.
Riley stared at him, as she realized the terse orders and his imperious air were not going away now they had reached safety. A chill touched her middle.
“Damian?”
He glanced at her. “You need food first?” he asked. “It is getting late.”
“I’m fine for now,” she assured him. “Is something wrong, Damian?”
His eyes pinned her to the pavement in a searing glance utterly without concession. “I think that is a question I should be asking you, but now is not the time for it.” He hesitated. “I’m not even sure there is a time.” He looked away, as if he were still searching the skyline.
Riley could feel her breath drop out of the bottom of her lungs, exactly like someone had opened a trapdoor and let out all the air without warning her. Suddenly, she had no oxygen and her chest wouldn’t work properly.
For sixty queasy seconds she fought to breathe, as her mind raced and her heart labored. She knew exactly what Damian was talking about. Even though he spoke in euphemisms, even though he was being deliberately obscure, she knew . She hadn’t been able to give up control. She didn’t trust him enough to let go, even in his arms, even though he was possibly one of the most powerful creatures walking this planet.
Riley was flawed, weak, useless. Damian knew it now. He suspected it was a weakness she may never be able to overcome and already wondered if he wanted to try.
She watched him scout the terrain. More than ever, she wished Damian would try. She wanted him like no other man she had ever wanted in her life.
Except Nicholas Sherwood.
Tears pricked her eyes at the cruel dilemma.
Yes, she was indeed flawed.
Chapter Five
The roof of the building Damian finally
Riley dropped her head onto Damian’s shoulder, weak with relief and trembling as adrenaline pumped through her body. He lowered her to the floor and kissed her, his hand tangling in her hair. “Get dressed,” he murmured, fastening his trousers. “I’ll check for the guard. We can slip out via the fire escape.”
Of course, they couldn’t go back out into the gallery where the guard might see them emerge from the corridor he had just checked and found empty.
He slipped off his coat and drew his singlet over his head. “Wear this. I’ll have to replace your shirt for you.” He put his coat on again and zipped it up so his bare chest was hidden.
Riley reached for her discarded clothing with a shaky hand as Damian lifted the chair away from the door, peered out carefully and slipped out.
When he returned, she was fully dressed. Damian’s singlet was much too large for her, but by knotting the arms together at the back, she could make it sit high enough that her breasts were covered decently.
Damian picked up the bags once more, and led her silently from the room, turning right instead of left when they stepped out. They moved down the corridor to the fire escape door.
“Watch for observers,” Damian told her, putting down the bags.
Riley turned to look over her shoulder, back toward the gallery. The small slice she could see of the white, light room was empty of people. She heard Damian moving, a small grunt of effort. Then, “Quickly.”
She turned back to him. He had the fire escape door open and brilliant late afternoon sunlight was pouring in. She blinked. High up by the top of the door, bare gleaming wires hung loose over the frame. That was what he had been doing while she had been watching out—severing the alarm wired to the fire escape door so their opening the door didn’t set off the alarm.
Riley picked up the bags and stepped out onto the metal landing. Damian followed and shut the door behind him. Quickly, they climbed down the ladder to the ground and hurried along the alleyway onto the street, where Damian relaxed once more and looked at his watch. “Time to find a perch to observe the skylights. Nicholas should be here for this, too.” He scanned the skyline around them as he spoke.
Riley stared at him, as she realized the terse orders and his imperious air were not going away now they had reached safety. A chill touched her middle.
“Damian?”
He glanced at her. “You need food first?” he asked. “It is getting late.”
“I’m fine for now,” she assured him. “Is something wrong, Damian?”
His eyes pinned her to the pavement in a searing glance utterly without concession. “I think that is a question I should be asking you, but now is not the time for it.” He hesitated. “I’m not even sure there is a time.” He looked away, as if he were still searching the skyline.
Riley could feel her breath drop out of the bottom of her lungs, exactly like someone had opened a trapdoor and let out all the air without warning her. Suddenly, she had no oxygen and her chest wouldn’t work properly.
For sixty queasy seconds she fought to breathe, as her mind raced and her heart labored. She knew exactly what Damian was talking about. Even though he spoke in euphemisms, even though he was being deliberately obscure, she knew . She hadn’t been able to give up control. She didn’t trust him enough to let go, even in his arms, even though he was possibly one of the most powerful creatures walking this planet.
Riley was flawed, weak, useless. Damian knew it now. He suspected it was a weakness she may never be able to overcome and already wondered if he wanted to try.
She watched him scout the terrain. More than ever, she wished Damian would try. She wanted him like no other man she had ever wanted in her life.
Except Nicholas Sherwood.
Tears pricked her eyes at the cruel dilemma.
Yes, she was indeed flawed.
Chapter Five
The roof of the building Damian finally
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