A Thief in the Night [Ch. 14]

The dinner was something else. After everyone settled down and made their way to their rooms for the evening, X was enjoying the night breeze on Eden's balcony. The air seemed fresher, though he had been breathing it in all the same.

Ssshhh...

The sound of the sliding door caught his attention. He looked over his shoulder to see Eden standing in the doorway. He smiled, well aware that he was treasuring the little things a bit too much. X said nothing as he pivoted and walked to her, planting a kiss on her lips once he reached the threshold.

They stood there, bathed in moonlight. Her in her regal grey-green dress, a belt at the waist and golden arched initials, and him with his... grey Stupid One T-shirt. The mafia princess smiled against his mouth. Tonight, the thief was disarmed in two ways. One, Conner's idea for dinner had caused a crack in his armor. That bottled tension had whittled away to nothing by the end of their 'Goodnights'. And two, his weapons were literally left in her office. Which meant she could take advantage...

Eden pressed into him, deepening their kiss as her hands steadily crawled underneath both layers of fabric to reach his skin. Likewise, the thief had already sought out her thighs, her dress hiking up as his palms roamed upward against the thin leggings. She gasped into his mouth, her body moistening beneath his ghostly touch as if it knew what was soon to come. Her palms rose to trail over the smooth crests of muscle, feeling the gentle shudders he tried so hard to keep under wraps.

The world became smaller. She was hoisted up, her legs synchronically wrapping around his waist, well-practiced as if it were routine. Her hands refused to retreat, finding harbor at his shoulders; her knuckles made indentations in the compression shirt. Their mouths parted so she could seek more of his skin. Her lips brushed his neck, and she felt a shiver that told her to stay there. His pulse quickened, and she took a generous taste of flesh, flicking her tongue over the same spot to draw out a groan.

She could feel him, his hardness growing with rapturous pressure. Her legs pulled him closer, crossing and tightening at his back. Their mouths locked together, tongues devouring each other. The thief moved forward with her into the room. Their bodies gave in to gravity, falling onto the bed and then into each other. He was already between her thighs, the added presence of his girth rubbing into her folds. The friction of his pants made it unbearable as he moved in a dry hump. Her liquid stained through. Hot. Wet. And needing.

His hands were voracious, snaking up and down her legs in a smooth, burning trail of fire. She let out a savory moan when he found a spot on the side of her neck she didn't know she had. He moved lower, kissing a path down her throat and lingering just under her collarbone. Her beige bra became undone; his tongue rolled against the clasp, then his teeth caught the edge of the flap and pinched it free. All his thief's tools were natural for this kind of heist. And then his mouth found one of her pink buds and pinched it with his canines, forcing her head to draw backward and a "hwaaa" out of her.

Knock. Knock.

They both tensed.

"Hey, Eden, you busy? Got a sec?"

Conner.

'Fucking dammit, Conner.'

'Fucking dammit, Conner!'

The two thought in unison, followed by whispered sighs. Her body practically begged X to keep touching her, but the phantom phased into the darkness and left her aching. She was going to kill Conner. He wouldn't know why, and that was perhaps for the best. But she was going to murder him.

Eden's legs shifted and crossed, then she fixed her dress to look decent without appearing too put together for someone who had just launched themself onto the bed... for no reason.

She lifted her arm to rest across her eyes. The room was dark, but she couldn't let her brother see her face in such a state, even in the waning moonlight. "No, not at all. Come on in."

Because why would she be doing anything?

Conner came in, and there was silence. The oddness of it had her sneaking a peek to figure out why. Her eyes tracked him as he gazed at the open balcony door, lingering there for a moment before looking back at her. If she commented on it or offered an explanation, she'd seem guilty. And she wasn't guilty.

Because why would the thief be in her room at this hour?

Why would he be there at all?

There was no thief. No man in her room, hiding under her bed.

She was a woman who was absolutely unapproachable and unable to be wooed.

Nope.

No man or phantom here.

Conner walked over to look outside, admiring the moon. "Tonight was good, right?" he asked, genuinely wanting to know.

Eden smiled. "Mhm."

"Not too pushy or too much?"

"Mhm, just right."

"Okay, good. 'Cause--"

Errr...

The sound of the bed whining under the added weight had Eden prop herself up on her elbows. Conner sat... literally on the corner of the bed, inches away from the man who was not supposed to be in her room. She remained calm. Heartbeat steady. Flushness not exactly fully gone, but she would immediately blame it on a headache.

"I didn't want to seem too pushy, y'know."

"Right."

This was interesting. How was she supposed to get him to stop talking about someone who was definitely not here in the room?

"It was wonderful and refreshing. Everyone enjoyed it. We should do it more often." She hummed. "Well, maybe not too often." Her smile grew a bit. "It reminded me of when your mother lived here. She always had a reason to get us to decorate and do little get-togethers."

Conner chuckled, remembering. "Yeah. Valentine's Day. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Hanukkah."

"... How is she?"

His smile dimmed. "Doing better. They say she can go home soon. She's gotten better after learning the bastard passed."

Eden sighed but kept her smile. "That's a good thing to hear, as morbid as it sounds to anyone normal. I just wish he hadn't brought her to that point."

"If he doesn't kill you, he drives you crazy." He lowered his head to stare at the carpet. "I should've killed him when I had the chance. I'm sorry, E. D."

"Conner--"

His head lifted. "No, let me just say it." His nostrils flared just a tad. "You were there for us. Looked after me and Kara when our mom got sick of him. And I couldn't do one simple thing of doing what he wanted, or even taking charge after he died. You're still stuck in his shadow, and I hate it." His lip twitched. "So I want you and Dominic to be a thing."

Eden's eyes widened slightly.

"Okay, well, I mean. You haven't had a boyfriend ever. You're just all work and... You need to get away from this. At least a little."

One of Eden's hands found his arm, and she squeezed it reassuringly. "I appreciate you worrying about me, Conner. But I am fine. Honest. One of us had to do it, and you and Kara don't have the heart for this." Her lips formed a soft smile. "In a few years, things will be better, and you won't have to worry anymore."

Dominic.

X's left eye had started twitching at the comment and never stopped.

How was it possible to hate someone you'd never met this much?

The CLICK of the door closing could be heard, and the phantom slowly made his way out of his hiding spot. Before he could even get fully upright or form a verbal thought, Eden was upon him. Hands on either side of his face. Lips on his. Firm and grounding. The kiss lasted a little short of an eternity before she released him, leaving him breathless.

Her doe eyes remained gentle, yet held the focus of a sniper. She said nothing. She didn't have to.

X got up and watched her head into the bathroom toward the walk-in closet. She removed her heels, then her stockings in a slow, smooth fashion. He wasn't sure if he should look away or enjoy the view from afar. But the thief had a better idea. The double doors were left open on purpose.

He stepped forward, moving from carpet to tile. Eden's eyes locked on him, and a smile grew on her face as she closed the doors cruelly in his face.

Damn this woman.

A light chuckle scratched his throat as he turned lazily around, as if he wasn't interested anyway. His body was stiff, frustration riddling every bone and cell. He let out a controlled breath, then another. He had to get himself together.

"I'm going to take a shower." Eden's voice cut through the opening door. Her head tilted to one side as she looked at his turned back. She emerged in one of her simple silver robes. It was loosely tied, thick rims hardly hiding her bare body underneath. She opened the glass door and turned on the water. Her gaze fell back on the thief, who remained positioned like a statue, not facing her. "Are you going to stand there, or...?"

X eventually turned to look at her. He didn't know whether he was grateful she was still clothed or dejected. But for once, he stood there without knowing what to do. Sunglasses and showers didn't mix. He had been mulling, twisting, and turning the idea over in his mind ever since she said it, and there was absolutely no way it would work. And yet his mind screamed at him to do it anyway. That everything would be okay.

His eyes shifted aimlessly away from her, but caught her reflection in the mirror: her robe slipping off her shoulders to rest at her arms. Her nipples were still perked and calling out to him. His jaw tightened, his breathing deepened. He turned his attention to the running water, away from her again. He couldn't look at her anymore. He was going to do something stupid if he did. The tightness in his pants was a guarantee of that.

And as if she'd heard his internal conflict, Eden stepped toward him and pulled the long band from her robe. The silver caught his attention, and like a fool, he followed it to the last loop. Whether it was the only thing holding her robe up or not, the garment fell afterward. It fucking fell, and he was left standing in horny silence.

Eden was playing games with him, and he hadn't a clue until he learned he'd lost. She tilted her head and said nothing, only smiling that calculating smile of hers before resting her hand on the shower door handle. The robe band was held out to him. His mind had gone blank as he stared at it for a long moment, not understanding why she was giving it to him.

Then it clicked.

"You realize that even blind, I'm still good with my hands," he said as he took it.

A blush spread across Eden's face at his statement, and she turned promptly around. While he took off both shirts, she snuck a gentle glimpse, then looked away when he pulled off his sunglasses to tie the makeshift blindfold on.

The rest of his clothes came off. He wasn't lying when he said he was good with his hands. She bit her lip. Her gaze lingered on every inch of him, taking notes. She felt hot. Hotter than normal with him standing there thick, veined, and pulsing. Eden's heart hammered loudly in her ears, leaving her curious as to why when she wasn't the one blindfolded. Perhaps she had overstepped...

She let out a long yet quiet breath before threading her fingers through his so she could guide him into the shower.

At the first touch, his fingers closed around hers; their hands entwined. The sensation was odd. A good odd. His heart beat against his chest as she took the lead. "Will you catch me if I fall?"

Eden paused, water hitting her back as she looked up at him. For all his confidence, his voice had betrayed him. Just slightly... A tremor beneath the words that wouldn't have been there anywhere else.

Her expression softened. "You fall, we both die in here."

They both laughed quietly. Another bubble of nervousness settled in his throat.

Lavender lingered in the steam. He caught a whiff of it before something foreign grazed his chest. Scratchy, yet squishy. Not a sponge but a pouf?

"Is this okay?" Eden asked, squeezing his hand gently.

"Yeah," he breathed.

His body remained tense despite the reply. Eden carefully glided the dark blue pouf over the thief's chest once, then twice, catching the small shudders he tried his best to control. This man who stared danger in the face constantly. This man who flipped and jumped across rooftops like gravity was a suggestion... was nervous...

Slowly, Eden's hand descended toward his waist, drawing out a long, obviously held breath from the thief, followed by another, much more prominent shudder. His senses were clouded yet heightened all at once. The pouf was irritating him. He ached. He wanted... He wanted to feel her. He longed for her bare hands to define every part of him. He was letting her have her way, and she was taking her sweet time. It was agonizing and terrifying.

His teeth made soft indents on his bottom lip, and his fingers unlaced from hers to crawl up her arm in search of the rest of her. It was just a matter of memory. His fingers traced her skin until they reached her shoulder. Once he pinpointed it, he leaned in, his lips crashing against the area just before his fingers. She let out a soft gasp, her breath brushing his cheek. He kissed her, then nipped at the thin skin gently. His other hand followed the path of her arm as she moved, teasing him everywhere except where it was needed. He confiscated the pouf, soap and suds instantly surrounding his fingers.

"Do what you want with me." He breathed, intoxicated by the constant lack of the unknown. The thief felt anxious, his breath catching as his lips found her ear; borderline pleading. This was a thrill he had never chased. Never even knew it was possible to get this high off of. "Or I'll take advantage."

He knew she was making that cute face of hers. The one where her cheeks were red-hot and she was on the verge of a pout. He desperately desired to see it. Feel it. Kiss those lips and taste it. But here he was, a thief in the dark with no ounce of light. It was intense. More dewy beads pulsed out of him on every other beat. He was more than a little restless.

"I thought you were nervous."

X could hear her smirking. He definitely was, but he wasn't going to admit it. He grinned smugly back. "Not a chan-- Ahh..." She caused a groan to fall so easily from his lips. Her hand claimed his length, fingers cradling his shaft and moving upward, then downward in a rhythmic motion. He leaned in, water splashing his bangs as he did. Another breath escaped him, this time from surprise. A giggle, soft and warm, brushed his jawline before he felt her lips. Lips that dared take his bottom lip hostage, then drew away, leaving him to follow after nothing.

"Okay, but don't beg me to stop afterward."

Cheeky.

The thief opened his mouth, but no reply came as every lingering pass invaded his senses. A blush spread across his face, his body rivaling the heated temperature of the shower. He had gotten his wish, and it was more than he bargained for. His hand holding the pouf lifted to find a nearby wall, floating around in the steam with no sense of direction. Eden pressed her wet body against him, and he quaked in reaction. Her luscious peaks were hard, tracing gentle circles on his abs as her hand moved with deliberate, languid movements.

He had forgotten what he was doing, and so had his arm. The pouf had fallen sometime ago. His palm rested on the sleek, wet porcelain wall, helping to keep him upright as his legs gave a little. Eden's breasts outlined a path downward. He wasn't sure what to make of it. She was there against him, and then she wasn't. All he was left with was the shower water hitting him more fiercely and drawn-out strokes that tested his patience and will.

And then he felt it. A casual flick of a tongue gathering the pearls of moisture that squeezed from the tip. The shock forced an unsteady groan from him. His brows furrowed, trying his best to grasp what she was doing as if he didn't already know. "Eden..." he breathed, his hand adding pressure against the wall.

Her only response was to press her lips against the head and take him in for a taste. Instantly, his mind filled with static, and he nearly came.

X's other hand lifted to grasp at nothing. To think his depth perception was that off. He tried again and failed yet again. But the next time, her hand took his and guided it to her chest. Unable to stay idle, the thief grasped a soft mound and rolled a finger over the bud. The soft moan escaping her encouraged him to continue and do more. Gathering enough strength not to fall over from her working hand, he lifted his other hand from the wall to find her other breast. But she stopped him and guided him once again, trailing a path down past her navel to that sweet, hot center; rivulets of moisture lying in wait for him as his fingers pressed through.

Eden came back up and kissed him; their mouths full of moans mixing with his own. When she shuddered, he shivered with rippling arousal. He was on the cusp of losing himself. The sounds of rhythmic slickness between them both. Her touch. The feeling of her body against him. Her sweltering warmth devouring his fingers.

"I'm close..." he grunted through a whisper.

"Then I want you-"

The stroking stopped. The comfortable heat surrounding his fingers left them lonely. Even her soft mounds were gone from his grasp. But then she was back, hands cradling the backs of his as she placed them on either side of her waist. There was a firm softness against his own, and he immediately knew where he was. The thief let out a deep groan as he tightened his grip and his girth rubbed back and forth between her cheeks.

Eden, impatient as ever, led him to the right door, and he let himself inside.

Deep.

All the way sinking in with measured purpose, feeling just how far he could go. Every rib in the tunnel was counted. Every inch swallowed to the end grew tighter. He began to thrust while deep inside, never going past halfway out for fear he'd lose a second of access.

"Mmm..." he groaned, steadily finding his pacing. Faster and deeper, leaving no room for guessing as he buried himself into her liquid molten.

Eden had done it tonight. Her moans, masked and unmasked by the rushing water, left his veins on fire, the heat stretching to his core.

Damn.

He would give anything to see.

The water slipped down his face, adding weight to the silk band. As he plundered her like the thief he was, it started to loosen. Between all the sensations he was feeling, this was not one he paid mind to until the band inevitably slipped off his face and fell to the floor. His eyes opened to see Eden's glistening back. Her hands were outstretched on the wall in front of her, fingers splayed. Her hair clung to her skin. Her breasts swung with each of his thrusts. It was so vivid, like he was seeing in color for the first time. His brain promptly forgot every useful function it had ever possessed, and he even took pause.

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

He needed to retrieve the band. He needed to abort the mission-- but that wasn't happening. X gulped, realizing just how great a risk he was taking. He leaned further into her, fully committed and absolutely driven mad with a new type of desire.

The sudden stop made Eden wonder what had happened to the thief, but her eyes found the answer down near the drain.

The damp band...

The one obstacle keeping her from meeting his eyes.

Her first response was to turn her head to see him, but she was met with a sudden force that pushed her up against the porcelain. Her walls stretched, taking him fully in by the pound. "That's not fair," she uttered between moans.

"Not yet..." he uttered against her ear before burying his face into her shoulder. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he breathed in her scent. "Not yet," he mumbled again, and his other hand rose to settle over hers and entwine their fingers. His lips pressed a firm kiss against her skin. In a moment's time, he filled her up as they came together.

_________________________

The thief had somehow avoided a disaster. Eden had closed her eyes, allowing him to hide himself from her once again as they left the shower. X drew circles on her back through her robe while they lay in her bed. She wasn't saying anything, nor was she looking up at him like she normally did.

Did... he do something wrong?

"Eden."

The princess' head tilted just enough for her eyes to drift up to him. He didn't say anything else. Not immediately. Instead, his fingers laced with hers.

"You know I care about you." X paused, making sure he was going to say the right words. "That note I left... I didn't want to write it. If I could have it my way, I'd be by your side, always."

Eden's heart felt like it had leapt seven feet inside her chest. She sat straight up. "What?"

He sat up with her. There were so many things he wanted to say that he knew he couldn't. His chest tightened. "Your job is dangerous. Mine is dangerous. If we could just be like this, I'd be fine with that."

For once, Eden's calm demeanor cracked under creeping panic. Was he saying he was probably going to leave again? Was he saying--What was he saying?!

X shifted his attention to the nightstand behind her, nodding toward it. "I got you something."

Her gaze followed his. She hadn't seen that velvet black box on her nightstand earlier. When did that- When did he-? Leaning over, she grabbed it and stared at it. Was there going to be another awful note inside? Didn't he know he was in striking distance? Eden exhaled and summoned the courage to open it.

Blue glimmers danced across her eyes. Sapphire and diamond stones were spread across the silver bracelet like frosting on a cake. It wasn't the expense that had her pressing a hand against her chest. It was the fact that he was giving it to her. Something other than a teddy bear she'd had to hide... in the fireplace. Set on fire.

"You like it?"

She smiled, looking from the bracelet to him. "Sapphire is my favorite stone and color." She had to get her bearings. She knew she was starting to look like some giddy schoolgirl. Eden fought to dilute her smile just a tad. "It was a steal?"

His finger traced a strand of her wet hair, then pushed it behind her ear. "It was worth every penny." Her smile made him smile. "It's so I can always be right beside you."

"Then I'll wear it forever." The words fell out of her mouth before she could fashion them correctly. Her eyes widened, surprised and terrified of what he would say to that. But he said nothing. The thief's lips crashed against her own, and they fell back, engulfed in the sheets and each other.