The tugging in my chest is nothing more than heartburn. Stupid human food.
VALENTINO
Thankthe gods I have marble floors, or there’d be a worn path from the couch to the window for all the times I’ve jumped up to check if Montrose is back yet. Iknowhe’s not, I can feel the distance between us in my chest, but that knowledge doesn’t stop the nervous habit.
I should’ve known it would be hours with Lake in charge, but the separation is making me uneasy. Stupid binding spell. Unfortunately, I’m no closer to a solution than I was when he left, except that Dahlia created a bulletproof protection ward around Mac. She says it’s so strong that any demon who tried to cross it would implode. At least while he’s here at the compound.
My brother’s situation is temporarily sorted, but what’s protecting Montrose? Are Maggard and his men stalking the pretty demon right now, waiting for the others to be distracted long enough for them to pounce?
My phone vibrates across the coffee table with a shrill ring, startling me. I lunge for it, exhaling a huff of smoke when I see Arson’s name on the screen.
“Yeah?”
“Bruhhh. I can feel your emotions from here. Do you need me to come over?”
Scratching the back of my head, I shake it even though he can’t see me. “Nah, I’m alright. Just…” What? Just what?
“Agitated,” Arson supplies. “Worried too, but he’s safe. We’d all know if they were in danger. Draydon texted ten minutes ago that they were heading back.”
A wave of relief washes over me. “Good.”
“You guys can come over here if you want and hang out tonight. Maybe it would take your mind off of things.”
“That’s okay. Thanks, though.”
“Tino.” His voice is clear and firm, cutting through my storm of emotions. “Talk to me.”
“I’m fine,” I insist.
“You’re fine like I’m a freaking priest. Iknowyou, Tino. You can tell me anything.”
Nodding, I plop into an armchair, exhaling a smoky breath. “I don’t know why I feel so weird around him. It’s unnerving. I’ve heard about powerful incubi before, but nothing like this.”
He huffs a laugh through the phone. “It’s pretty obvious if you ask me, but you can keep your head in the sand if it makes you feel better.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Gods of fire, Tino. Are you really this dense?”
“I have no idea what—” A car door slamming out front catches my attention. I practically melt as Montrose’s scent reaches me, calming the storm immediately. “Gotta go.”
I end the call and I’m on my feet heading toward the door in a flash. When I reach it and step out on the landing, I’m surprised by the scene before me. Lake and Montrose are laughing together, their arms full of bags. Dempsey is still in the back seat, scrawling in a notebook, and Draydon is sprinting toward Arson’s house. Hemingway opens his door, hurrying over to his lover too, and Nico is already on his doorstep waiting for Lake. The domesticity of it all is jarring.
Montrose lifts his gaze, and as it lands on me, my insides swirl, awakening my dragon, who surges forward to get another peek at the object of our obsession. Montrose tucks a lock of fiery hair behind his ear, shrugging with an amused smile as he lifts the bags.
He looks happy, and just like the moments we shared in my hoard room, my dragon purrs with delight. As for the man, I’m staggered by my reaction to him.
I wait impatiently in the doorway as Lake kisses Montrose on both cheeks before climbing back into the car to drive to Nico. Hem carries Dempsey over his shoulder through the grass, and Montrose chuckles. He approaches me, his arms full of bags, and I kick into action, hurrying over to help him.
“What a gentleman,” Montrose says as he hands over some of his purchases. “I may have gone a little overboard.”
“You lost everything. It makes sense.”
He nods, his expression softer than the normal sexy smirk he carries.
“Did you have fun with Lake and the guys?”
“Reluctantly, I admit I did. Lake is like me in many ways.”
