Page 41 of Praying for Thunder

On the closed dressing room door of Sexy Myths, rattled Knock-Knock-tap-tap-knock.

“Dio!” I stood on my bed, ready to get a running start and pounce.

He would open the door, pretending to be shocked when I’d come flying through the air for him to catch me. “What the—Who is this?”

I’d cling to him. “It’s me! It’s me!”

“You?” He held me. “Thank goodness! I thought I was under attack.”

He was smart. He didn’t ever ask Anita to change her job or try to steal away her independence. He knew his Tiger would’ve bit and possibly packed our bags to flee.

“You ready to go home?”

His smell—leather and motorcycle—calmed me. “Yes, sir!”

Candy handed Dio a firetruck backpack. “He’s fed—”

“Ben made me a cheeseburger!” I flexed my non-existing muscles. “So I can grow up to be like you!”

“My dude, you’re killing me.”

Candy added, “He’s bathed, and—” She gestured to me.

I smacked my chest and announced, “In my PJs!”

“PJs? Next thing ya know, you’re gonna want to crawl in bed and watch a movie!”

“With popcorn!” Dio was the king of snacks.

It wasn’t often that Dio had to bring me back to Myths due to a call from his club. If it was an emergency, Anita would rush home. I’d be asleep through it all, getting to live the most normal life, all considering.

Being carried out of the dressing room, Ani was on stage, so Dio and I waited in the hallway so I could kiss her goodnight. That’s when Moola came down the club stairs. She had just worked the floor.

Folding cash in her palm, she spoke to Diablo over the loud music. “Did you see Thunder’s latest drawing?”

His brows bunched. “No. Where is it?”

I tapped my backpack. “Here! Here!”

Moola opened it and cursed, “It’s wrinkled.” She held the paper against the wall and smoothed it out with her hands. Then she smiled, holding it up for Dio.

He jolted. “Oh, shit.”

“Right?” Moola shook her head. “And look how he added such simple coloring. He’s never done this before.”

The drawing was of Ani and Dio standing sideways. Ani was staring out of the picture, her silver mask in place, her expression regal. Dio was standing behind her, holding her. He was also staring out of the picture. His eyes glowed… red.

Moola swooned. “Look how possessive you are over her! This baby is seeing how you protect his Ani. If I didn’t know better, those red eyes would have me believing you’re part sexy demon. Have you ever seen such talent in such a little person?”

“I’m a man now!” As if I wasn’t being held by someone ten times my size, I nodded. “Yep. I can keep a secret.”

Dio pfft’d and choked while shrugging to Moola, as if clueless to what I was talking about.

Before questions could be asked about my secret, the music ended. I cheered, “My Ani!”

Soon, she appeared, heading down the stage stairs, slipping on her robe and stuffing cash into the pockets. When she smiled at us, her silver mask sparkled in the light.

Diablo held up the drawing, gawking.