Gray's Shadow (Kings of Hell MC 4)

As he ate his meal, Shadow noticed footsteps approaching down the corridor. Moments later, two women entered, but Shadow only recognized one. Nao always wore revealing clothes and had a big smile for anyone. The other, who Shadow was seeing for the first time, was tall, dressed in a black shiny outfit clinging to her body, and her bold makeup included eyelashes so long they reminded Shadow of spider legs. They looked kind of tasty.

Nao whistled when their eyes met. “Someone cleaned up nice.”

Shadow smiled when he realized the words were meant for him. “Gray shaved me.”

“I can see,” Nao said as she walked around the table in the figure-hugging dress that exposed the shape of her breasts and hips that were noticeably wider than a man of similar size might have. He looked up when she put her hands on his shoulders and leaned down until the ends of her long hair tickled his cheek. “And you smell so nice too. Good job, Gray.”

Gray muttered something that was impossible to interpret and packed his mouth full of the curry. He looked like the most handsome of hamsters.

The other woman made a strange, but elegant gesture with her hand. “I’m Blackstar. At your service.”

Elliot got to his feet and urged Shadow to follow his lead. “She’s got the jacket for you.”

Gray swallowed way too fast. “What jacket?”

“For his skin? To protect him because of his sun allergy?” Knight asked.

“I do—”

Elliot poked Shadow’s calf. “Yes, for your allergies.”

Blackstar’s eyes narrowed, which turned them into large black slits due to the thick layer of kohl applied around them, but she didn’t comment. “I made it out of blackout curtains, so it should be safe.” She rolled out the black bundle she’d been holding.

Shadow wordlessly sought approval from the one person whose opinion mattered, but when Gray gestured for him to carry on, Blackstar helped Shadow into the fitted jacket, which had a large hood and closed with a set of buckles at the front.

She smiled, patting Shadow’s chest with pride. “I made the sleeves extra-long, to cover your fingers, but there’s a hole for your thumb as well.”

Jake snorted. “You look like a character from Assassin’s Creed!”

Shadow glanced at Gray. “Is that a good thing?”

Joker licked his teeth and made a frame with his fingers. “You two match now. Maybe we should invite him into one of our home movies. What do you think, babe?”

Blackstar’s extensive eyelashes batted at Shadow. “Maybe.”

Shadow’s chest filled with ecstatic heat. He hadn’t been out of the cell for a full day yet, and already people were interested in making him their friend! “Only if Gray comes too.”

Nao snorted, hiding her face behind a glass of water. “What do you think, Gray? Would you like to take the fourth lead in that movie?”

Gray rolled his eyes. “There will be no movies. Shadow, sit down,” he said, returning to his curry, which he finished within the next few seconds, effectively rendering himself mute to any questions that could follow.

Shadow pulled the hood over his head, and even though the light in this room hadn’t been harsh in the first place, the fabric eliminated all of the constant itching he’d experienced since sunrise.

The topic of the home movies eventually died, and people settled into easy conversation, with some even leaving the table. Shadow hoped he could do the same with Gray, but Beast beat him to it and demanded Gray’s presence somewhere else. Disappointed, Shadow tried to stay invisible, unsure how to make contact with others without Gray’s approval. What if he made yet another mistake? At least the new outfit provided him some solace from the misery of rejection.

With Knight and Elliot laughing about something with Joker and Blackstar, Shadow didn’t expect anyone to join him, so he stiffened at first when Nao took Gray’s vacant place.

Without asking for permission, she tugged on Shadow’s hood to see his face. As she leaned in, her perfume became more obvious, almost sickeningly sweet. “I have an improper question.”

Shadow raised his eyebrows and stared at her.

She pulled her teeth over her plump bottom lip and pointed her spiky pink nail to his crotch. “Are you like a human down there, or is there something freaky going on between your legs?”

Shadow stilled, his brain freaking out at the question that stood in direct opposition to what he’d been told to do. “I’m not to show it to anyone.”

Nao grinned. “It’s okay if I’m actually asking to see it.”

Shadow wasn’t sure how he felt about any of this. Showing his cock to Gray had felt like the most natural thing in the world, yet he had no desire to present it to Nao. She was keeping her voice low, so he whispered as well. “Are you curious because you have that slit? A vagina?”