However, interrogating that fucking troll and getting rid of the sprites over at Hudson’s was my job for the night.
I’ll get my chance to hold and protect her, to lie in bed and stroke her hair while Blaze takes care of things on the outside.
Whatever needs to be done to keep her safe, we’ll do.
It’s still dark when I hear rumblings inside the trailer, just like yesterday morning. My ears perk upon hearing Juniper kicking Blaze out, and I almost laugh watching him put his shirt and coat on. She’s rolling her eyes and laughing like he’s refusingto go, and as I watch them share a deep kiss, jealousy cuts my heart.
Soon, I remind myself.
Fuck, so soon.
The front door opens. She shoves Blaze out, her beautiful laughter sounding over the chill, and gives him one more kiss.
“—next time,” she says when they part. “I just need to do this on my own. But soon.”
Blaze inclines his head and kisses her hand. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”
“Are you bringing the statues by today?” she asks.
“Yeah, I think Jasmine might kill me if I don’t,” he replies.
Juniper chuckles. “She will. I’ll see you.”
“Later.”
She closes the door, but Blaze doesn’t move off the steps until he hears her lock it.
I’m waiting two houses down in the street where I know she’ll lose sight of him from her window. He just has to make it that far before he can disappear.
The closer he gets, the harder his expression turns, and by the time he’s standing in front of me, there’s fire in his eyes.
He stops a foot from me, hands shoved in his pockets as if he’s hiding the icy flames on his fingers.
“Morning,” I say.
“How.In the fuck. Did the troll get here?” he snaps out.
I balk. “Easy. I thought we’d exchange greetings first.Hi, good morning, brother. Did you sleep well on your pillow of tits?”
Blaze gives me a look, and I huff.
“Right,” I concede. “Let’s go.”
Within the shadows, we walk back to Juniper’s house, the road steaming and snow drifting in Blaze’s wake. I’d tell him tokeep his shit under control except I don’t think words would do anything other than piss him off more.
Juniper is putting Pack’s leash on when we hit her yard. The pile of dead birds is still beneath her window—frozen and covered with leaves.
“Thought you might want to take a look before we destroy it,” I say.
Blaze crouches down and picks one up, turning it over in his hand. “Bitch,” he hisses. “Stupid fucking…” His head hangs, and he straightens again.
The door opens and closes, Pack pulling Juniper out of it this time. They descend the steps and head toward the sidewalk out front, and this time, Pack only barks at us once.
As if she’s simply acknowledging us.
“What did you find out?” Blaze asks me.
“From the troll? You know they’re better at dying than talking,” I say, leaning against the house. “Zero self-preservation skills. I had a knife to his throat, and he spat in my hair.”
