Page 113 of Beneath the Light of the Moon

“Sure, something like that.”

“Let’s get Mikko here a drink, what do ya say?” Weston nodded along with Cristiano. “Somethin’ to loosen up his jaw.”

Mumbling phrases that would warrant soap in his mouth, he told Weston he’d take anything as long as it was a vodka neat.

DRINKING WAS MORE of a challenge than he’d anticipated. While his helmet kept him tucked away like a piece of armor, it prevented him from accessing fluids easily. Cristiano noticed a few minutes into their evening and promptly got him a straw, but he was still apprehensive. While drinking may be one of his questionable outlets, he wasn’t one for getting intoxicated at a stranger’s house.

And he wasn’t lying entirely when he told Weston someone hadto get both him and Cristiano home. He wanted his friend to have a good time, so he’d be their designated driver.

His vodka was getting warmer by the minute, but he didn’t mind. The thought of alcohol didn’t sit right with him anyway tonight, Anika still lingering in the back of his mind. Cristiano had slipped off with a couple of other friends, and if he had to guess, they were playing drinking games out in the elaborate sunroom.

While wandering through the house, Mikko took his time looking past the Halloween decor and digesting the curated art hanging on the walls. Many were one of a kind pieces speaking to Weston’s taste and bank account. Beyond that there were sculptures and statues decorating the halls, some made of marble, others made of bronze. He’d even stumbled across a couple of knights’ armor, their pieces and parts polished in the candlelight. It was a beautiful distraction from the loud music and rowdy crowd downstairs.

And it was a collection his mom would’ve loved.

Brushing a gloved finger over the marble forearm of a statue in one of the many halls currently strung with orange and purple lights, Mikko admired the craftsmanship.

“Please tell me this city is bigger than I think it is,” a feminine voice spoke from behind him. His hair prickled, her proximity undeniable.

Turning slowly, Mikko faced Anika with his helmet cocked in curiosity.

As soon as his eyes landed on her, his chest clenched. Every thought that had her in it, came rushing to the forefront of his mind. His mind whirred, stuttering like a bike chain seconds away from derailing itself. He swallowed.

And her Halloween costume didn’t help.

A navy jumpsuit clung to her figure, the zipper running up the front showing ample cleavage that had Mikko clutching his plastic cup tighter.

Fuck.

Leather fingerless gloves covered her hands and ended below her elbow. Cheap silver grommets and buckles decorated them. A flimsy belt modeled from similar material slung low on Anika’s hips, a baton and handcuffs holstered there.

His dick was paying attention, more than he’d fucking like.

A black garter gripped her thigh, its purpose for a toy gun, but all it did was squeeze the lush meat of her thigh, making his mind wander while he stared, imagining sinking his teeth there. Knee high boots and a police hat sitting crooked on her head in a maddeningly cute way completed the outfit.

“No real gun?” he asked, words finally forming on his tongue. “I’m disappointed.”

“Consider yourself lucky.”

“Oh?” he set his nearly full drink down on the plinth of the statue hovering above him before stepping closer with his hands raised in mock surrender. “You’re saying you’d shoot poor, lil’ ‘ole me?”

“Wouldn’t think twice, actually.”

“Has anyone told you that you don’t think atall?”He said it to piss her off knowing the opposite was true. Her fingers played absentmindedly with the handcuffs at her waist, annoyance swirling in her eyes.

God, what I’d do to have those cuffs bite into my skin right now…

“Then you’d be appalled to hear I’ve been thinking about you,” Anika muttered dryly.

He cracked a smile she couldn’t see behind his helmet. “Sounds scandalous. Do tell me more.”

Click.

She unhooked the handcuffs and his heart thrashed in his chest. “Seems like police brutality always works inyourfavor, so why don’tIgive it a try.”

“A typical Friday night for me,malyshka.”Mikko didn’t make a move to step away, sharp eyes tracking her every movement from behind his visor.

“Is coming all over someone’s things a part of that routine too?” She stopped an arms length away, smiling with faux saccharine sweetness. “AlthoughLevibought me a whole new collection of cosmetics to make up for it.” His gloved fist flexed. “And sinceyousign off on his paychecks, should I also be thanking you for the eight hundred dollars worth of items he bought?”