Black and Brown: Raven Assassins (Ravens #1)

Chapter Thirty-eight

Mirage

The training continued for another hour as Spectre sent wave after wave of increasingly difficult opponents. But he and Grace never faltered.

Once the program reached its climax, they stood in a vast field, surrounded by a small army of hostiles.

The air was redolent with the odor of gunpowder, and the ground was littered with bullet shells and bodies of the fallen.

Mirage and Grace stood chest-to-back, their weapons aimed and ready.

Spectre sent all the holographs charging at once, the numbers damn near overwhelming.

They fought with everything they had. Grace was firing overhead and around Mirage’s back so fast that his arms were a blur as his bullets tore through virtual flesh.

Mirage hated to admit it, but Grace’s merciless brutality was turning him the fuck on.

By the time the last round came to an end, the computer showed that Grace had been grazed in the shoulder by a bullet, but it didn’t affect his mindset or agility, and Mirage had taken a few kicks and punches to his back as he defended his partner from behind.

The model had been a grueling test and given valuable insight into what lay ahead.

After the session, Mirage went to their personal locker room while Grace spoke with their weapons specialist about upgrading his firearms with a laser sight.

He didn’t know when he wrapped that up, but Mirage didn’t see or hear him in the showers.

Attempting to avoid Grace, Mirage got into the hot tub to soak his muscles.

Those simulations were so realistic that the exertion needed to fight and defeat it was almost equivalent to an actual battle.

He reclined in the steaming depths and rested his head on a thick towel balanced on the edge of the tub.

After several minutes, his body began to relax, and the rapid pounding of his temple slowed.

Mirage groaned long and loud. Fuck, that feels good.

“I suggest you don’t make that sound again.”

Shit .

Mirage’s cock took notice of Grace’s voice before his mind did.

He hoped his boxers concealed his predicament, and Grace couldn’t see his hardness beneath the churning water.

Mirage opened his eyes to see Grace standing on the stairs to the tub with a short white towel cinched low on his hips.

Every inch of Grace was sculpted perfection, from his broad shoulders and chiseled chest to his tight waist and strong thighs.

His partner was a living Michelangelo masterpiece.

Mirage was expressionless as if he were unaffected by Grace’s presence. Until Grace pulled his towel off and tossed it behind him.

Mirage almost swallowed his fucking tongue.

There was no way he could fake his shock, staring at Grace’s thick, half-erect cock as he descended into the water.

Grace demanded eye contact as he positioned himself on the other side of the tub with his arms outstretched along the edge.

Mirage gave him what he wanted, but it took every ounce of his self-control.

He glared into Grace’s smoky eyes, refusing to let him win.

Their staring contest lasted long enough to be considered torture before Grace spoke two words in the rawest, sexiest voice Mirage had heard him use.

“Forgive me.”

Mirage released an internal groan. Those two words together shouldn’t be in their vocabulary, and it wasn’t a request. It was an order.

Are you fuckin’ serious?

It only pissed Mirage off even more when he thought of the countless years he’d fought his urges to touch Grace in the way Grace had done last night. And how Grace had done it without thought, had just taken what he wanted, when he wanted.

Mirage didn’t realize he was scowling until Grace pushed off the tiles and came toward him.

Grace stalked him with mouthwatering intimidation, moving to the soundtrack of his own erotic film.

Mirage was thankful Grace’s lower half was submerged under the frothy water because his chest was distracting enough.

He inhaled to get his bearings, but all he got was the harsh stench of chlorine up his nose.

Grace didn’t stop until he had Mirage caged between his impressive biceps.

Mirage swallowed a mass of lust and excitement as Grace leaned in until their upper bodies were touching and his lips were against the rim of Mirage’s ear.

“I’ve never apologized to anyone in my fuckin’ life, Mirage.” Grace’s guttural growl vibrated Mirage’s chest. “So you will forgive me.”

His name in that menacing tone made chills ripple down his spine despite being engulfed in one hundred-degree water.

Grace pressed their chests closer until Mirage could feel the rhythm of their combined heartbeats.

His dick was a steel rod in his shorts, throbbing to the same beat of his pulse.

He turned until his lips were against the sexy roughness of Grace’s throat.

Mirage knew his voice would sound breathy and desperate, but he couldn’t help that.

“Make sure this is the last time I have to.”

Grace hummed in acknowledgment, holding their contact a moment longer before Mirage brushed his body against Grace’s, biting his bottom lip at the first feel of his partner’s wet skin against his, and got out of the tub.