The Deity of Death (Virgins and Villains #3)

Chapter 5

5

MALIK

I ’ve touched her. I’ve tasted her.

There’s no way in hell I’m sharing her.

Hours pass while they eat and drink. The conversation has long ago devolved from negotiations on our arrangement to laughter and jokes. I don’t partake in their festivities. The outcome of our chat put me in a difficult position. Melina Remington’s protector during this fallacy of a marriage, but also the true middleman for two powerful organizations.

Everything is going exactly as planned.

But where I should be focusing on my new title, listening to what both Henry and Omar are saying, trying to secure my place further, I can’t. My mind keeps wandering back to Melina. No matter how much I eat or drink, her taste lingers on my tongue. Burned straight onto my taste buds, desperate for more.

And I’m going to get it. She awoke something in me. A primal beast that slumbered so deep, I believed it died a long time ago on some battlefield while fighting someone else’s war.

I’ve gotta say, it feels fucking fantastic to be back.

“During the week, we’ll come by and let the children have their formal introductions and encounters.” Omar’s words are slurred from the copious amount of liquor he’s consumed.

Henry’s demands didn’t change a thing. In fact, it seems that everyone at the table is looking at the future brightly. But it does put me on a timer. If I want to walk away from this with Melina at my side and a title of power, I’ll have to make it happen before next week’s wedding.

But that doesn’t worry me. I’ve always done my best work while fighting against a clock.

“Anytime, anywhere.” Henry’s barely sitting upright anymore. He’s slouched so low in his chair, I’m sure he’d be happy to sleep right in it.

The four stationed guards approach Omar as he hoists himself to his feet. He stumbles forward and starts to fall, but Nasir catches him before it happens.

“Alright, Father, time to go,” Nasir says. He hooks one of Omar’s arms over his shoulder, and they leave, escorted by the four soldiers.

“Let me walk you to your rooms.” I rise and help Melina out of her seat.

We haven’t spoken since I touched her, exchanging words for cheeky glances and naughty smiles. If nothing else, helping her come settles her nerves. Even while the boss and her father said rather terrible things to one another, she laughed as if they were old-time friends enjoying each other's company after years of absence.

“Why, aren’t you a gentleman?” she says as she stands. But with her tiny frame so close to me, I can’t get a grip on myself. My hands instinctively travel to her behind and squeeze her ass, but I release it before she turns to face me.

“Not in the slightest,” I say in a low whisper. “You’re lucky Henry hasn’t passed out completely. Otherwise, I’d be fucking you atop the meat, the salads, and the beer.”

Where the hell did that come from?

“Is that so?” She winks, but as she sidesteps past me, her hand runs a lap across my cock. It’s rock hard, and her exploration makes her suck in a sharp breath. “It drives you crazy, doesn’t it? But I know how to make it so much worse.”

Slow, sultry words dripping with lust. They force a growl to rip through my body, and I ball a tight fist at my side to keep me from doing exactly what I said I would.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” I admit. My aching cock is a testament to that. It hasn’t found a moment of rest since I set eyes on Melina.

Melina lifts herself onto her tip-toes and brings her mouth so close to my ear, her hot breath tickles my skin. “You’re the first man who’s ever touched me.” Her tongue strikes my earlobe, and she sucks it between her lips. “And if you’re lucky, you’ll be the first man to fuck me.”

She drops back down, and her breasts bounce with the motion.

My legs turn to jelly, and I nearly fall to my ass. She’s a virgin? Fuck. My fist clenches ever tighter against my palm until I feel nails digging into my flesh.

Steady on, Malik. The world is your oyster if you keep your head.

“But I think you should see Dad to bed. I want to go for a walk.” Melina starts walking to the door before I have a chance to react to any of it.

“I’d prefer seeing you both off.” I’m playing coy, but we both know where the night is headed.

No way in hell I’m passing up this opportunity.

“Then you’ll have to come find me, won’t you?” she insists.

“Melina?” Henry grumbles from his chair. He’s trying to get up but struggling at every step. I make my way over to him. “Have a good night. I love you.”

“I love you too, Dad. Now, go get some rest,” she orders, and Henry agrees with a flimsy nod of his head.

I help the drunken fool out of his chair and turn my head back to where Melina was a moment ago, but she’s gone.

The hunt is on.

Like Nasir with Omar, I pull Henry’s arm over my shoulder. He’s a small man with a small frame, and I’m basically carrying him at this point.

“I like you,” he says as his free hand collides with my chest. It isn’t a hard slap but more one of fond if not drunken, affection.

“Mr. Remington, I’d advise you to hold your tongue. You don’t know who’s listening.” Had it not been for my sudden interest in Melina, this would’ve been a dream come true. Intoxicated and trusting, I’d be able to bleed Henry dry for all the secrets he has on offer. Secrets the boss is counting on to twist this deal in his favor.

A fun night aside, this was always business.

“Understood,” Henry says. “And for the love of God, dear boy, call me Henry. You’ve done enough to deserve that much.”

“Sure thing, Henry.”

Omar’s men still line the hall leading back to the elevator. However, sprinkled among the guards are a few of my own elite forces. Allies and soldiers I met during my time in the military. I filtered them in over the years to give myself an edge if anything ever went sour between Omar and me.

As we pass them, three men break away from their doors and join my escort of Henry Remington. Like Omar, I rarely move without my own protection, only I prefer to be more subtle about it.

Henry heeds my warning, but it doesn’t stop him from mumbling nonsense the whole way back to his room. Had it been intelligible, I may have paid more attention to him. But the ramblings of a drunk man are often pointless at best.

We get him to his room, and I see to it that he’s in bed safe and sound.

“Malik, before you go,” Henry says, but his voice is clear now as if touching the pillow wiped away the night of boozing behind him.

By the way he struggles to kick his shoes off, I know it can’t be true.

“Yes, Henry?” I stop at the door to listen.

“I don’t care if you’ve lied through your teeth tonight, I know the game we play.” Another moment of clarity. “But hold true to one promise you’ve made, alright?’

“And which one’s that?”

“Take care of my daughter. Melina’s young, ambitious, but she’s naive. I don’t want her getting hurt by all this.” It warms my heart, as it had the first time we met, to see a father’s love shine so bright.

“You have my word. Melina will be my main priority.” I leave without another word. I will protect her, of this, he can be reassured, but I’ll do it with her wrapped around my cock.