“Long gone.” Flapping my hand, I offer him a wide smile, “Sold off to a buyer as it were. He was very interested in hearing about the history of the dwarves.”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” Pursing my lips, I think it over, “Last time I checked, a rather large deposit was made to my bank account this morning. Did wonders for my credit score.”
For the first time, Christopher starts to look uneasy.
“Cut the bullshit. Where’s my diamond.”
“I told you. Sold to an anonymous third party.” My shoulders lift in a shrug, “I could give you their number but you know how the black market is with burner phones and all that.”
“Shit.Shit!”
Shoving a hand through his hair, Christopher closes his eyes and sucks in a deep breath.
I lean forward and press my lips against his cheek, scraping my tongue teasingly against his scruff. He doesn’t pull away as I slowly work my way down his neck.
“Poor baby.” Purring against his skin, I nip his ear lobe playfully, “Always working so hard for the last dollar. Do you want to kiss and makeup?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” He growls the word.
Running my tongue along the column of his throat, I give the wolf an equal amount of attention as the man.
“You’re so tense, Devil. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Stop getting in my way.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Running my nails down the front of his jacket, I slip them between the folds to play with the soft edge of his shirt, “To survive Wolf Hollow, you need to achieve a certain reputation. A reputation which cannot be achieved if I roll over and show my belly to every newcomer who steps in my territory.”
His chest is warm against my palms, the firm edge of his muscles shifting with every breath.
“I’m not here to piss in your food bowl.”
“No.” My lips split into a wide smile, “You’re here to steal it.”
A reluctant chuckle slips past his lips, a sound that rumbles through my palms and buries itself deep in my sternum.
It’s a pleasant sound, Christopher’s laugh. Heartfelt and inviting, it’s the kind of sound that could double as a blanket wrapped around my shoulders.
Warm me up on even the coldest day.
My hands fall from his chest and the warmth goes with it. Settling back into my hollow state, I step away and look at the man planning to steal the Drache fortune.
“Face it, Devil. This is one test you’re bound to fail.”
Dark eyes skitter across my face, picking and prying at the glue holding my mask in place.
“And if I pass?”
Silence stretches between us.
“You won’t.”
