“I think it’s more a case of just being careful. Every Society operative is properly vetted before they enter training, so there’s unlikely to be a problem.”
Of course, no system was perfect, and my past was the perfect example.
“I still think he’s just being protective.”
“Maybe,” I said, with a smile. “That is what older brothers are supposed to do for little sisters, isn’t it?”
“Wouldn’t know,” she said gloomily. “I only have sisters. Lots and lots of annoying as hell sisters.”
“You have five,” I said. “I’ve met them all, and they are lovely.”
She sniffed. “You saw them at their best. They are demon children when not out in public.”
“Then leave the nest, woman.”
“I can’t—renovations, remember? I’m not sure how I’ll survive the two more months the builders reckon it’ll take.”
“Then rent somewhere. You’re not broke.”
“I will be after the renovations are done.”
I laughed, bid her good night, and walked into my bedroom... to discover it was no longer a scene of utter chaos. Clothes weren’t put away, but they had been folded and neatly stacked, and the bed had been made.
“Atticus, did you?—?”
He sniffed. I cannot sleep in disorder.
Well, thank you.
Welcome.
He stalked over to the bed, jumped on, and curled up near the left pillow. Which was where I usually slept. He knew that, which was exactly why he did it.
And that, I thought, amused, was pretty bloody typical of a cat.
Am not a cat.
No, you’re even more fucking annoying.
Thank you. I do try.
I rolled my eyes and headed into the bathroom to clean off my makeup and do my teeth. Then I stripped off, hung the dress up, and climbed into the other side of the bed. Sleep chased me down quickly, but so too did the dreams. Many stemmed from desire freshly awoken, but there were some that warned of shadows I couldn’t yet see coming my way.
To say I woke feeling less than refreshed the next morning was an understatement. Atticus wasn’t on the pillow, but I could hear Ginny jabbering away to him in the kitchen. I flung off the blanket and padded into the en suite for a quick shower, then picked through my clothes until I found a fresh pair of black jeans and a short-sleeved green crop top. And told myself that I totallywasn’twearing that color because René had fancied me in emerald last night.
The smell of toast had me hastily shoving on my shoes and hurrying out.
“Just dropped some toast in for you,” Ginny said. “And there’s almond butter and raspberry jam on the counter.”
“You went shopping.”
“It was either that or starvation. Oh, and those signal blocking boxes arrived.” She motioned to the two flat black boxes sitting on the corner of the counter. “They were there this morning when I walked in, so they must have been magicked in overnight.”
I frowned. “I didn’t sense any magical intrusion.”
You were too busy having sleep sex, Atticus commented.
If I’d been having sleep sex I would be feeling far more satiated.
