His laugh said he’d like to see me try. “The other thing is that someone has been coming in here. I ain’t never seen him, or heard him, but Smokey said someone’s been going in through your back door when you aren’t home.”
“Did he see just one person?”
He squinted at me.
“There have been a few people coming in,” I said. “Or I think so, unless they sent reinforcements the other day when I was messing around with them. A friend of mine, who has more money than a single personshould, has his minions stock my fridge and clean up and stuff.”
Mikey’s eyes widened. He glanced around and slowly nodded. “It is always clean. Does this guy pay for it?”
“Of course. There is no way I’d pay for someone to bust into my house when I wasn’t home. I don’t even need half the stuff they stock. But he’s hard of hearing when I tell him to get lost.”
“You don’t seem like the kind of girl to let someone get away with that.”
“Trust me, you don’t know what I’m up against.” The doorbell rang as I took a sip. “I have a work thing tonight. Kinda.” I pushed myself off the couch. “This guy is in the same position you are with the magical stuff, but he works for the police and has to deal with it professionally.”
“With the police?”
“Yeah. Detective. I met him at my old job.”
“I wondered why you was all done up. It is that swank lookin’ dude who always comes around?” Mikey followed me to the door.
“No, he’s the one who stocks the house. And does a whole lot of illegal stuff. Definitely not a cop.”
Mikey shook his head. “Why would you,of all people, try to wrangle with a cop? I’d stick with the illegal dude. That’s a more comfortable setup, if you don’t mind me saying.”
“Trust me, it isn’t more comfortable, and also, I’m not wrangling. Just being nice for a change. It’s annoying.”
“I’ll say. I don’t bother. It makes my life easier.”
I huffed out a laugh as I pulled open the door.
J.M. stood there in jeans and a blue button-up, attractive by human standards, but unfortunately plain compared to what I’d been looking at for the past week or so. It was hard to compare anyone to Darius, and no one could compare to Vlad.
“Hey,” I said, pushing the door wide.
J.M. was about to sayheyback, but his smile dwindled as his gaze snagged on Mikey behind me.
“Oh, he’s my neighbor.” I got out of the way so Mikey could leave the house. “He just stopped by.”
“I got nothing to do with this, bro.” Mikey held up his hands, one still holding a mostly full beer, and scooted by J.M. “Take my advice, though. Don’t put a move on her unless you know she’s into it. She is not one to mess with.”
“Lovely, Mikey, thanks,” I said sarcastically. “See ya.”
Mikey saluted with his beer and started down the street.
“Didn’t you say he was your neighbor?” J.M. asked, watching Mikey.
“Yeah. That house.” I pointed at the house on myright, in the opposite direction Mikey had taken off. “He wanders around the neighborhood sometimes. It’s fine. It’s all very normal.”
J.M.’s confusion said he wasn’t sure about that. He turned back to me and his eyes took me in. “Wow,” he said as his gaze roamed my face then dipped to my body. “You’re…” He shook his head. “You’re beautiful, Reagan.”
I smoothed the red silk fabric over my legs. It was one of the many dresses Marie had bought for me, and the most casual of the bunch. I’d done a little makeup and tried mildly on my hair. All this because J.M. had texted that we’d go somewhereniceto eat, his treat.
Now, seeing him in a pale blue button-up with a pair of jeans, I realized my error.Nicein Darius language meant at least a four-star rating. It meant fancy, but to his tastes, still somewhat mediocre. I was in the real world now, where people weren’t made of money.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Sure, yeah. I think I’m dressed too casual.”
