I wince.“My best friend.I might have told her about you and if I went missing you’d be the one responsible.”
“Can we do this later?Preferably before a shark or a dolphin shifter gets hurt?”Triton presses.
Sevrin brushes by Triton and we follow closely behind.The shouting becomes more intense and I now recognize Zara’s voice.
“Don’t test me.I will knock those rows of teeth out, and stab your beady eyes, you stupid bloodthirsty cold-blooded...”
“Endothermic to be precise.I’m warm-blooded, just like you, babe,” Levan calmly states.
“I’m nothing like you, torpedo-shaped idiot,” Zara snarls.
“Enough,” Sevrin roars.“Levan, stand down.”
“Me?”Levan jerks a thumb over his shoulder.“How about lady flipper over there who’s flapping around like a headless chicken.”
“I’ll show you...”
Zara is about to lunge for Levan’s throat when I snap, “We said, enough.”
Everyone falls silent and I step forward to catch Zara’s attention.“Thanks for coming to my rescue.”
Zara shrugs.“You would have done the same for me.”
I catch the time on the clock hanging on the wall.“I wasn’t missing that long.”
“We were supposed to have dinner, and when you didn’t show I had a gut feeling.I called you a handful of times and you didn’t answer.The shit you said about that asshole there creeped me the fuck out.You weren’t wrong...you being here and all.”
Levan leans in and fake whispers, “Clearly, it doesn’t take much to creep you the fuck out.”
Zara takes a swing and hits Levan in the mouth with her fist.Levan smiles, all bloody teeth.His tongue swipes over his pearly whites while his eyes fill with a predatory gleam.
Sevrin shoulders Levan out of the way.“I said stand the fuck down, brother.Karev, take Levan and make sure Stingray and Croc are handling everything correctly at the brewery.”
“On it, Prez,” Karev rumbles and grabs Levan’s cut to drag him out the door.
“Ladies,” Sevrin’s voice holds more warmth than it did a moment ago.“Come join me in the kitchen for a cup of coffee.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to snap, “I’d rather not,” but Zara shrugs and we both follow Sevrin as he walks down the hall.
“Do you only have diesel or a...duuuude, you know your coffee.Nice.”Zara shoves a chair back and grins before ordering, “Double espresso.What beans do you use?”
“The kind that goes through elephants,” Sevrin states.
I frown while Zara barks out a laugh.“For real?Black Ivory Coffee?”
Sevrin grins and gives us his back while he starts to make her coffee.
Zara pats the chair beside me and says, “The man has taste.Not only for having the hots for my best friend, even if it’s a primal thing, but he knows his coffee.He wasn’t kidding when he said it goes through the elephant.They eat the beans and then they’re collected from their waste.”
My head swings in Sevrin’s direction.“I’d rather have some tea if you don’t mind.”
The man chuckles and reaches for something in the fridge.He turns and grabs a large glass before placing it in front of me.I catch a whiff of the iced tea he pours into the glass and I’m wrapping my fingers around it without thinking.
My mouth waters and as soon as he pulls back, I’m bringing the glass to my lips and down a few sips.I close my eyes and groan.Delicious.
“Screw the coffee, this is the most delicious thing I’ve tasted in forever,” I state and place the empty glass on the table.“More, please.”
Sevrin is refilling my glass, but I don’t get a chance to down it because Zara snatches it from me and takes a few large gulps.
