Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
“I …” I mutter.
“You don’t have to say it if you’re not ready yet,” he adds.
Thankful for the grace he extends me, I smile back, then close the door behind me and head up the stairs.
Silas
“What the hell am I supposed to do with this thing?” I growl, looking down at that cat prancing between my legs.
“What she told you,” Max says, casually chugging down some water. “You play with it.”
“Whatever,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I don’t have time for this.” I open the door. “I want to know why the fuck the Bones Brotherhood was targeting her.”
“Obviously, she has a beef with them,” Heath replies, folding his arms. “How much you wanna bet she owed them money too?”
My eyes narrow. “That can’t be it. There’s a reason she was stealing from us. No thief would pay one debt by creating another.”
“Except a thief who’s desperate,” Max mutters.
Desperate … for what?
“Meow.”
That demon is between my legs again, dancing around on its toes, rubbing its tail against my calf, and it’s beginning to annoy the shit out of me. “What do you want from me?”
“He obviously likes you,” Max says.
“Wrong person,” I growl, and Max laughs at me. “C’mere then, you deal with this.”
“You’ve been chosen by the Bagel.” He shrugs. “I don’t make the rules.”
Max walks right past me.
“Hey!” I try to catch up, but this cat keeps following me everywhere, nearly making me trip. “You can’t leave me with this thing.”
“His name’s Bagel!” Max calls back as he walks off.
“What am I supposed to give it? A dead mouse?” I grit, annoyed at myself that I’m even entertaining the idea of playing with this cat.
Heath grabs the curtain near the window and rips off the tassel. “How about this?” He throws it at me, and as I catch it, that cat leans up to claw at it.
“Jesus, it just tried to fucking claw out my eyes,” I say.
“Oh, stop exaggerating.” Heath laughs as he walks past me. “Good luck!”
“Hey, wait a second—You can’t just leave me with this Bagelthing.”
“I sure can. Try not to kill that Bagelthing,” Heath replies, winking. “Unless you want to give her an actual reason to kill you.”
CHAPTER 49
Heath
The next day
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
“Can you please stop throwing that ball against the wall?” Max asks.
“No,” I reply.
Thwack.
“I’m trying to read.”
Thwack.
“I’m trying to think.”
“About what?”
“Things,” I reply.
Lots of things actually. I’m worried. Ivy hasn’t attempted to talk to us at all about our situationship and retreats into the guest room after each meal. I don’t know if she just wants to think or if she’s just trying to ignore us until it’s safe again to leave the Skull and Serpent Society and let us simmer in our own stew.
Meanwhile, Max hasn’t put down his book since yesterday, and I feel like I’m the only one worrying about this.
“What are you reading?” I ask.
“Things,” he says.
“Ha. Touché.” I stop throwing my stress ball. “You don’t wanna tell me.”
He lowers the book and looks at me. “You wouldn’t enjoy it. It’s non-fic.”
“Why do you assume so much about me?” I reply. “Haven’t I already proven it’s all wrong?”
His cheeks turn fiery red. “I just …” He tucks it underneath his ass. “You and Mavis mostly read occult books and fantasy fiction, right? This is a self-help book.”
“So?” I shrug. “Doesn’t mean I can’t also enjoy something else for a change.” I sigh. “Besides, I haven’t actually met up with Mavis in a while.”
“Because of me?” he asks.
I take a deep breath. “Both of you.”
He sits up straight. “I don’t want you to stop seeing your friends just for our sake. You deserve friends that make you happy, and she does.”
I stop throwing the ball. “You’re too nice. Has anyone ever told you that?” He blushes even more now, and I get up to wrap my arms around his shoulders. “Too nice for your own damn good.” I plant a succulent kiss right below his ear, and his entire skin erupts into goose bumps. “Too sweet … and delicious …”
His giggles make me grin. “We just had sex.”
“So? We have to make up for all the missed fucking months,” I reply.
“Have you always been this affectionate?” he asks.
“I hovered over you every single day. Is this the first time you’ve noticed?”
He laughs when I begin to caress his nipples. “Stop, that tickles.”
“In a good way or a bad way?”
“Good …” he moans when I draw a line with my tongue all the way from his ear to his neck. “But we really shouldn’t be doing this here.”
“Why? Scared someone will come in and see us?”
“I mean … no one knows about us. Except Silas and Ivy,” he replies.
I lean back. “Are you afraid people might assume you’re gay?”
“I love you. But I love her too,” he says.
“So what, you’re bi.” I tilt my head to look at him. “I am too.”