Page 48 of Dark Gambit Reliance

"My name is Pavel," he answered in heavily accented English. "Who are you?"

34

ERIC

After Geraldine and Roni left and Eric was left alone with Darlene, he picked up the romance book Geraldine had brought for him. Leafing through it, he searched for a hot sex scene.

Darlene had read to him when he'd been transitioning, and she believed that hearing the steamy descriptions had helped pull him out of the coma. He didn't remember being aware of her reading to him, but just in case she was right, he was going to do the same for her.

It was unnerving watching her lying so still on the hospital bed.

To someone else's eyes she would appear asleep, but he knew her sleeping habits, and she never slept on her back or remained in the same position for more than half an hour.

Darlene wasn't a peaceful sleeper, and he was used to her turning from side to side, reaching for the blanket and tucking it between her thighs, or punching the pillow to mold it into a shape that was comfortable for her.

With a sigh, he returned to the book. "Let's see what we've got here."

It was a billionaire romance about a tech mogul who falls in love with his housemaid. A classicCinderellastory with a modern twist. The guy was a little kinky, and the girl was young and virginal. Skipping over her first time, which Eric didn't find sexy in the least, he searched for steamier scenes further into the book.

"Here we go." He leaned back. "Rachel was on her knees, scrubbing the baseboards like Edward had asked her to, the short skirt of her uniform riding up and exposing the back of her thighs. A week ago, she would have been tugging on it to cover her ass, but she was no longer shy. The world of pleasure that Edward had introduced her to had changed her, and all she could think about was him coming in, kneeling behind her, and pushing her thong aside."

"What the hell are you reading?" Max stood at the doorway.

Eric looked at him over his shoulder. "Grab a chair and join the reading club. You might learn a thing or two about women's fantasies. Let me tell you this, though, they are much kinkier than men's."

Max lifted one of the chairs in the waiting room, brought it over next to Eric's, and went back to close the door behind him.

"Why did you close the door?"

"If Bridget can't see me, she can't kick me out." He pulled out a bottle of whiskey from the inner pocket of his bomber jacket. "I thought you could use some."

"I can." Eric put the book on the bed and took the bottle. "You're the best."

"I know." Max grinned. "Not too long ago, I was sitting here with Darlene and watching you lying in that bed still like a mummy."

Eric twisted the cap off and took a long swig, letting the whiskey coat his throat. "Was she freaking out like I am?" He handed the bottle to Max.

"Pretty much." He took a swig and glanced at the book. "Do you want to keep reading?"

"Sure. Let me bring you up to speed." Eric lifted the book and showed Max the cover. "This is Rachel, she's nineteen, broke, and she works as a maid for an agency. They send her to clean the house of a young and very handsome tech billionaire. This dude." He tapped the cover. "His name is Edward, and he likes control. A few chapters ago, he took her virginity, but I skipped that part. This is a week later, and she's already addicted to his kinky style."

Max took the book from him. "Is that what Darlene is into?"

As rage bubbled hot and quick, Eric wrestled it down. At least now he was prepared for the irrational possessiveness of his new immortal instincts, and he did his best not to let them turn him into a caveman.

"Give it back." He pulled the paperback from Max's hand. "I'm grateful for what you have done for Darlene and me, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't put Darlene and sex in the same sentence."

Max lifted his hands, one still gripping the whiskey bottle. "Forgive me. I will never do that again. It's just that I would have never guessed. She's so mild." Laughing, he ducked as Eric tried to swat him over the head. "Okay, I'll stop. I promise." He was still laughing.

"Wait until you have a mate. I'll pay you back for this."

"You know that I was just joking." He waved at the book. "Keep reading."

"I think I'd better not." Eric closed the book and put it on the bed. "How about a nice fairytale?" He pulled out his phone and typed fairytales into the search field.

"Sure. What did you find?"

Eric shook his head. "Goldie and the Three Bear Shifters, Beauty and the Sexy Beast, Wendy and the Bully Lost Boys." He lifted his gaze to Max. "What the hell is that? What happened to all the nice fairytales?"