Leya pivoted for the truck door, opened it, and shoved the book into her backpack. She grabbed her hoodie, which had fallen to the floorboard, and tied it around her waist to give herself time to compose herself. Her bag shouldered, truck keys in hand, she shut the door and faced him.
“Five minutes,” she said.
“It won’t take five minutes.”
“Give me the CliffsNotes, and it will.”
“I don’t know what that means, but this is about the artifact I mentioned last night. It’s important.”
Man, this conversation wasn’t lining up with the gang slaughter of the previous night at all. If he were a ruthless gangster, he’d have killed her already, not returned her book…
“Look.” She jingled the truck keys against her thigh. “I don’t know anything about any artifact. I do gardens. You want your yard redesigned, old plants replaced, then I’m your girl.” Shit, not how she should have said that judging by the sudden twinkle in his light eyes, making her stomach trip.
“I’m aware. It’s why I said it would take longer than five minutes.”
Reeling in her frustration, she sighed. “How long?”
“It depends on you.”
Jesus Christ.She looked skyward. Nope, no help there. Now, she was caught in this jam with this beautiful and utterly lethal gang member—
He saved you, too. Twice.
Sometimes, she hated her stupid conscience. It was why she was still in this situation, shoveling compost, trying to make ends meet.
“Fine.” Leya locked the truck and marched to the brightly lit office.
Entering the warm interior, she dropped the keys in the drawer, removed her ball cap, and set it on the receptionist’s tidied desk. Then she faced him, folding her arms beneath her boobs.
No matter his pretty face, she didn’t know him. She hardened her expression. “Just know, whatever you—
“Those red-eyed men in the alley,” he cut in, his tone as chilly as his ice-gray stare, “were demons. More specifically, their turned brethren, known as demoniis.”
She blinked, then scowled. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? I don’t have time for this nonsense.” She spun to the desk and reached for the office keys to lock up. They slammed into her hand, then clattered to the floor.
What. The actual fu—?She gaped, blood rushing to her head, her fingers clenching.
“Are you okay?” He was there, picking up the keys and holding them out.
She stared at the bunch like they were an asp about to strike. How did they move like that?
“Yeah, I’m fine. What do you meandemons?” she asked, dismissing the flying keys. She must have knocked the damn bunch off the table. Given her current state of nerves, she wasn’t surprised.
“It’s nothing to be scared of,” he said quietly. “So, you have the gift of telekinesis. That’s good.”
“What?” She frowned at him, keeping her tingling, balled hands at her sides. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s been a long day, and my falling keys belong to a level of clumsiness onlyIcan pull off. But please, explain to me what you mean by demons. Explain it to me as if I’m six, because they sure looked human.”
He set the keys on the desk, his arm brushing hers, the touch so fleeting, she doubted it was intentional because he’d already stepped back. But it caused all the fine hairs on her arms to rise. And worse, his cool, male scent enfolded her, leaving her heart racing like a runaway train.
Christ! She yanked down the long sleeves of her top and rubbed her arms.
“That’s because they wear a glamour in this world.” He paced to the front door and faced her. “From your reaction to my mention of demons, then what I’m about to tell you will appear farfetched.”
“Just tell me.”
“Very well. I come from Élendium—”
“So you said.” She folded her arms beneath her boobs again, keeping her damn tingling palms tucked to her body. Yet her heart continued its wild, staccato beats because, gut-deep, she sensed the truth in his words.
