I barely bit back a curse.
Not everyone in my family was cursed with my god-awful hair. Example—hers was very pretty whereas mine was…not.
“The red hair makes since,” Zane mumbled.
“Strawberry blonde,” Mary and I both stated curtly at the same time.
That got a chuckle out of everyone, and I glanced at Daniil, who was watching me eat with relish. He was going to have to cut that shit out or everyone would know. Kicking him lightly under the table, he grinned but went back to eating. And I glanced up…and damn near growled.
In every parish, there was one woman who was known as the ‘steeple slut.’ The woman who would fuck anyone, including the preacher, if she could. And like every other church, we had our very own. I like to call her a cougar instead of a steeple slut since it was more polite, but today, the cougar was checking out the newbies, and her gaze had landed on Daniil.
Marissa was in her late forties, a brunette, big-boobed—which she flaunted in simple silk dresses that draped prettily over her voluptuous figure, big brown eyes—I was pretty sure she had some Hispanic blood in her, and big red lips. And today she looked as good as she normally did, every article of clothing and hair perfectly in place. She was also headed our way.
Ember was opening Nikki’s milk box, but she must have seen my expression because she glanced over her shoulder. Her gaze was instantly caught on Marissa, and Ember glanced back at me, eyebrows raised. My eyes narrowed, and Ember started to grin, but Nikki grabbed her attention back.
“Steeple slut alert,” Mary murmured quietly, also seeing what I was.
“What?” Zane asked.
“Guard the family jewels, gentlemen, unless you want them gripped in red talons,” Mary told him quietly before taking a sip of her root beer.
Artur, Daniil, and Zane all stared at her…a little in shock. Probably because she looked so sweet, and this was a church. They hadn’t seen anything yet.
Marissa was almost on them from behind, and I instantly looked around the room, catching Aunt Susan’s eye from where she sat clear across the room. My aunt must have been watching our table because she raised her eyebrows at me, and I nodded slightly. Reinforcements were going to be needed, but it would take her a while to get over here. Dammit.
“Hello,” Marissa purred from behind Zane, Artur, and Daniil. Slowly, they turned after scanning Katie, Mary, and my faces. Daniil’s eyebrows were pinched, but he quickly cleared his expression before turning. They all stared. Normal reaction. She was that pretty. She continued, holding her hand out that didn’t hold her plate. “I’m Marissa Vasquez. I understand today’s your first day here.”
Zane shook her hand, his gaze going to her red painted nails, and his lips twitched before releasing her hand. “Yes. Today’s our first day here.”
Marissa gave him a winning smile, but she quickly shook Artur’s hand, her attention zeroing in on Daniil, who watched her with a relaxed air now that the initial shock of seeing someone like her here. She held her hand out to him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.” Dear Lord, she leaned over to his eye level, putting her tits right out there on display.
Ember wasn’t hiding the fact that this amused her greatly, and Grigori even looked tickled, watching and missing the fact that Beth stole one of his cookies…and Nikki quickly stole the remaining one.
Daniil shook her hand, and it looked like he tried to take it back, but she gripped it, not releasing him. Daniil’s eyebrows rose slightly in a bored manner, but Marissa wasn’t to be put out and moved in closer.
Mary started laughing abruptly, and Marissa stalled glancing at her.
Me? Well, I was pissed beyond measure, these damn pregnancy hormones kicking in. I wanted to pummel her right here and now. Belatedly, I realized I was playing with my knife and quickly set it down before I did something too stupid.
Marissa raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at Mary, slowly letting Daniil’s hand slide out of hers. “What is so funny, sugar?” She let her eyes roam down Mary’s butterfly dress, her mouth pinching in distaste. “That new boyfriend of yours that your mother was telling me about surely doesn’t approve of that…that…thingyou’re wearing, does he?”
Mary grinned good-naturedly even as most stopped their conversation at the table to pay attention. I instantly started to spout off something just as rude, but Mary leaned over Katie, placing her small hand against my mouth, shutting me up, and saying herself, “Actually, he just enjoys me naked. All young and firm. But you’ve probably forgotten what that was like since it’s been so long since you were…well, young and firm.” She said this, all the while smiling sweetly at Marissa, who was starting to seethe. “But you’re right. He doesn’t really care for my sense of style.” She shrugged.
Marissa’s teeth were clenched, and I started playing with my knife again. This was the Mary, who liked to come out and play sometimes. The fun one, instead of the Mary, who sometimes lost herself in her work becoming a true introvert. I smiled just as sweetly as Mary—as did Katie—at Marissa while the guys across from us stared. It was more than entertaining to see we had shocked these badasses.
“Sounds like a dick, if he actually told you he doesn’t approve of your clothes,” I murmured in a sweet tone, ignoring Marissa now in hopes she would slink away.
Mary pushed her glasses up on her nose. “He is.”
“Doesn’t sound like a good relationship to me.” Katie’s eyebrows came together, also focusing on Mary.
“It’s not good. And it’s not much of a relationship, either,” Mary stated factually, but her eyes went a little unfocused behind her glasses, and her lips curled.
Zane chuckled, joining the conversation, saying, “The perks are that good?”
“Yeah,” Mary stated. “He does this thing with his tongue…” She crooked her finger back and forth.
I gawked, having déjà vu. “Tell me his name isn’t Tumas.”
