“So, it’s not Chinese mafia tattoo ink?” Lacey asks.
I rub the back of my neck. “No. Sorry…I lied about that.”
“I mean, that’s good. Glowing ink sounds like a health hazard, honestly,” she says, setting her cup down.
“What do you want?” Lacey asks bluntly at Rhazan. “I mean, what are you doing here? With her?” She points at me lazily and maybe Grandma’s wine is a little more intense than I was anticipating.
Rhazan purses his lips, a thoughtful expression pulling on his brow. He’s quiet for a long time, so long I feel like he might not answer her.
“I want to be content,” he murmurs.
Nai Nai grunts in approval and raises her cup. “To contentment, then.”
A weird thing to toast, but all right.
I pour more wine for Lacey, and Rhazan reaches out for a cup. I pour him a small amount and we raise our glasses.
“May we all find it,” Nai Nai says.
“Here, here,” Rhaz says as his hand finds my hip.
I tense, but at Nai Nai’s winking approval, I relax and lean into him.
The three of them question him a little more, like what are his horns made of, how does he do magic, and the like. He’s careful to avoid things like where his magic actually comes from, or talking about anything I don’t already know.
Finally, Rhazan stands, his hand still planted firmly on my side. Lacey and Ace both rear back, but Nai Nai only smiles up at him.
He clears his throat. “I must return.”
“Really?” I turn into him, forgetting the others as I loathe the thought of him leaving.
Yep, Grandma’s wine is real good.
His hand slides up my side and he cradles my back. “Yes. I will be missed, soon.”
I know he means that someone will be by to check and see if he’s abiding by his…parole?
“You’ll be missed here,” Nai Nai says, her cheeks rosy.
Lacey giggles.
I cough and cover my face.
“Don’t hide, Firecracker.”
Rhazan pulls my hand away, then kisses my wrist. His lips on my skin have a flood of heat—both arousal and embarrassment—washing over my body.
“I’ll see you soon enough,” he murmurs with a smile.
“Willwesee you again?” Nai Nai asks.
Oh, my god, really?
“If she so wants,” he says, looking at me.
I so want to get out of this right now.
“Okay, well, you need to go, yeah?” I ask him.
