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I snapped the crusted bit of green stuff off his horn, then showed it to him. He screwed up his nose, and laughed when I tossed the green stuff over the rail.

“So our plan,” Zee said. “Is to go along with all this. Meet Mr. Drug Lord, tell him to fuck off, and if he doesn’t, then you eat his ass—in the unfun way.”

“Unfun for him. But yeah, that’s about it. I don’t think they realize what we can do.”

“Half the time, neither do I.” He bowed his head and bumped our noses.

I lost myself for a little while in his eyes, enjoying the moment and the feel of his arms around me. Zee and Victor were my everything, and the people who tried to hurt us had no idea the extremes I’d go to to keep them safe. Except my brother, he knew, which was why we were as far away from him as possible.

“We need to find a phone.” I started to peel myself out of Zee’s embrace, but he caught my hand and reeled me back in. I didn’t put up much of a fight, as there was no place I’d rather be than wrapped in Zee’s arms.

“Yeah, but we have some time. Got a whole day to kill. In Miami.” He glanced at the outfits. Zee in purple, me in gray, and Victor in black. His eyebrows jumped. “This is a vacation, right? And we’re long overdue for some fun.”

Stretching onto my toes, I smacked a kiss on his lips. His arms tightened, hugging me closer, and his tongue swept in, needing more, needing me. We might have indulged some more if some kind of wriggling bug thing hadn’t fallen out of his hair. Knowing he wasn’t the biggest fan of bugs, I discreetly flicked it off his shoulder. “Maybe a shower first?”

“Fuck, yes. I got crust in places crust is not welcome.” He sauntered back inside to examine his suit. “Hey, Kitten. My friend in Miami. He has a place on the Strip, big with celebs. You’re gonna love it.”

“Is it like Razorsedge?”

“Pfft, that dump? Kitten, this is Miami.”

It was definitely like Razorsedge. But if we could walk out of this place without getting stopped by Skrinde’s people, then I was game for some sightseeing. If being on the road had taught me anything, it was to enjoy the good stuff while you could, because you never knew what pitfall was around the next bend.

CHAPTER 11

Usually, if the three of us were in the vicinity of a shower together, we’d end up in the shower together. But picking off bits of swamp gunk was not sexy. I showered after Victor, then Zee hopped in, and while Zee’s singing voice echoed from the bathroom, Victor and I dressed in our new clothes.

This suit was in a whole different class to the cheap one I’d worn on the SOS Hotel opening day. Its quality even caught Victor’s eye, and drew him over to admire the stitching . . . and me in it.

“You look delightful, my dear.” He grabbed the front of my jacket and with a jolt, aligned it just so.

I beamed. “You look pretty good yourself, mister.” Daddy may have been the better word. When he’d first arrived at the SOS Hotel, and stepped out of the black car under an umbrella to keep the sun off, he’d looked like this. The pinnacle of refinement. Not a thread out of place and no speck of fluff dared touch him. He was a man of control, right down to the way his shoe laces were perfectly tied and each crease had its place. But now I knew that control was a thin veneer, and the person he was inside was a lot more complicated, and vulnerable, but also mine to love.

“Hm. I see your thoughts in your eyes, my dear.” His thumb skimmed my cheek, skirting close to my mouth.

“I was just thinking about how we’ve changed—well, not changed, exactly . . .”

“How far we’ve come?” he corrected with a quirk of his lips.

“Yeah . . .”

The bathroom door opened, and through a waft of steam, Zee strode out, tiny towel clinging to his hips, water droplets gleaming on his chest, and his purple hair almost black from being wet. He flopped onto his massive bed, bouncing a little as he landed. Somehow, the small towel covered up that generous part of him the tattoo arrow pointed to . . . but only just.

“You look fine as fuck in that suit, Fancy Fangs.” Zee flashed a hungry, lingering smile. “Both of you do.”

I caught my reflection in the wall-length mirror. We did look good. The expensive fabric clung to me in all the right places, and a thrill ran through me at the sight of Victor watching me closely. His cool gaze reminded me of his Reynard Technologies days, when he’d been powerful, feared, and utterly untouchable.

Except by me and Zee.

We’d touched him. A lot.

I kinda wanted to touch him now too.

I caught Victor’s reflection looking me over, then Zee’s.

We had a little time to kill.

“I believe,” Victor said, unwinding his tie with deliberate slowness. “We have several hours to fill at our leisure.”