Chapter 103

 

The weaponry to me was like a shoe store to most other women. Weapons in all shapes, sizes and styles, this was heaven.

Chase spotted us before we got two feet in the door and came over carrying my harness for my Sais. I think I had it strapped on before it had left his hand completely. With a grin, he reached over my shoulder and put the weapons in it. Nodding to his twin, he turned and went toward the wall again.

Quinton appeared beside me holding out two knives—a six inch one with a weighted grip and a four-inch throwing knife. I’m sure I was drooling. I held out both hands, wanting all of the pretty toys. He grinned. “I’ll get you the straps.”

Victor came walking over, looking every bit the warrior, all black leather. He held out my little zapper box and then nodded when I clipped it to my waist. “I’m going to the shed with Michael. I’ll see you when you get there.”

I felt like a queen, only instead of jewels they were arming me with well-crafted weapons and accessories. Looking around, I spotted Troy, my heart doing a little flip inside my chest. Gone was his t-shirt and in its place he wore a black leather vest that left most of his upper body bare and visible. My arm tingled and then his head turned and our eyes met. I had to take a deep breath to remember what we were doing, with a small smirk he turned back to Rafael and Tim.

Mitz was suddenly standing in front of me. I must have had a shocked look on my face because she grinned. “No. I’m not going to fight.” She held up a piece of leather. It looked like a restraining device crossed with a corset. “The seamstresses were hoping to have more finished before you’d need them, but with where you were injured before, I took it as an omen that this was the first piece they finished.”

I felt like a little girl when she came at me and shoved it up against me rib cage. Nudging my arms out of the way, she pulled the straps around my back. “It’s lined with a mesh inside, a metal one.” She buckled it at my side, “but fine enough you can still move freely.”

Stepping back, she gave a little nod of approval and then made a serious expression with her lips. “Bring my boys back and be careful.”

With that, she turned and walked quickly through the tall bodies.

Looking down at the chunk of leather, it dawned on me what it was, covering and protecting my rib cage, sides and stomach but stopping high enough on my waist that I could still move I felt excited wearing it. I now had body armor, or at least the start of it.

When I looked up, Troy was walking toward me with a very intent look on his face. My arm tingled and I recognized now what the tingling feeling was, his desire. The rest of me caught up and heat slowly moved through me. I smiled when he was in front of me and held out my arms, waving the knives around. “What do you think?”

Nodding slowly, he stepped close enough I could feel the heat from his bare chest. Lowering his head, he nuzzled my neck. “I think, later, I’d like to see you wearing only that.”

Lava replaced the blood in my veins as he leaned back and looked down at me. “We could do that,” I barely managed to whisper.

“Maybe you two should stay a few feet apart.” Quinton appeared beside Troy, holding out the knife straps.

Troy gave me a long intense look and then stepped back. The look changed when he sent his brother an annoyed glance. “How many of us have gone over?”

I took the first strap from Quinton and secured it to my thigh.

“Arius, Leone and Raf have most of them over there now. We’ll split up and take the remaining ones with us.” He handed me the other strap.

“Good.” Troy motioned to Tim with his head. “Tim stays with Daxx. At all times,” he ordered in his kingly voice.

Nodding, Quinton glanced over his shoulder at the man. “He knows.”

A whistle came from behind me and I didn’t have to turn to see who would be brave enough to do that with Troy standing in front of me. I busied myself securing the other strap to my calf as Chase stepped up beside his brothers.

“My, my, kitten.” He smirked down at me. “Once you get the full leathers you have to get some of those boots.”

I knew what he was referring to, but wasn’t going to play into his game.

Troy cleared his throat as I straightened up. I gave him a hesitant look only to see him smiling at his twin. “Oh, she’ll get boots, but you won’t be seeing her in them.”

Sighing dramatically, Chase held out a small wooden case to him. “I’d ask if I could have the honors, but I think I’d fight better with hands.”

The smile Troy gave him was almost evil. “When did you get brains?” Taking the case from his sibling, he opened it.

I looked in to see a large, heavy chained pendant baring Troy’s symbol of the moon. It was the mate to the sun one Chase wore around his neck. Beside the man’s jewelry was a smaller one like the one pendant of both symbols I’d wore to the dance, just not as fancy.

Troy took it out and leaned over to place it around my neck. The cool metal rested just below my collar bone. Placing a lingering kiss on my cheek, he straightened and then took his own out of the box. Reaching over, I took it out of his hand, noting the surprised look on his face as I did.

Moving so my body was almost touching his, I stretched up and placed the chain over his head. Following the pendant down his chest with my hand, I gave him a serious look. “If you so much as get a scratch, I’m gonna be pissed.”

He grinned down at me, his eyes shining.

Turning, I looked at the other men. “That goes for you guys too.”