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“Nat,” I said into my phone, pitching my voice low, because Brian’s werewolf hearing was ridiculously good. But I couldn’t stop the piercing squeal that left me. “Guess. What. Just. Happened.”

Chapter 19

Seriously, They’re Back Again?

Klaus

Nat responded with a voice note of his own just a minute or two later, and it began with a squeal as piercing as mine had been.

“Okay, look, babe, if it wasn’t so hot it could be a little weird, but it is really hot so I’ll allow it. Plus he sounds kinda sweet? But also really sexy in, like, a quiet way or something? And he defended you against that asshole customer? Excuse me while I just fucking swoon myself to death in my bowl of cereal.” I could actually hear him crunching down on his cereal and slurping up the milk while he spoke through mouthfuls. “I want to see what he looks like. I’m gonna look up Goliaths online so I can at least see his big wolf daddy form.”

I was about to respond when another voice note from Nat popped up, this one just a few seconds long.

“How much did he come?” The casually posed question blared from my phone speaker just as the door opened and I saw two figures walk in from the corner of my eye. “Did it go everywhere or did you swallow?”

Heat flooded my entire body as I frantically jabbed at the pause button and looked up, wanting to hide behind the desk when I saw none other than High Lord Crossbody and the Rolling Rimmer. They were usually my favourite customers to see, but their timing could’ve been better. Nat always seemed to send me the most inappropriate voice notes at the worst times. Although maybe it was my fault for listening to them in public.

“That sounded interesting.” Vince chucked while his fae boyfriend raised a haughty brow, his expression decidedly unimpressed.

Ugh, so hot.

“You’re back already.” I put my phone down and grinned at them, already reaching behind me to feel across the hooks for room fifteen’s key.

“Yeah, well.” As they got to the counter, Vince leaned an elbow on it and drummed his long, thin fingers. “We went to an arcade because Crossbody’s never been to one before, but he got a little too competitive. Slammed his mallet down too hard when he lost at air hockey and made a big crack in the table. It started hissing, so we left very quickly.”

“You’ve never been to an arcade before?” I asked in surprise as I booked them into room fifteen without even asking.

Crossbody sniffed. “I grew up in Otherworld.”

“Oh man.” I gave him a sympathetic smile. “So no internet or anything? Or, like… cars and hamburgers and stuff? That must’ve been really hard. Oh my Lucifer.” I clutched at my throat in horror. “Please tell me you at least had a blow-dryer.”

Now both of them were giving me extremely unimpressed looks.

“No,” the fae said. “I did not have a blow-dryer.”

“Wow, that must’ve been a nightmare to maintain.” I gestured at his waterfall of shimmering golden hair.

“I grew up here and I didn’t have a blow-dryer either,” Vince said dryly.

“Yeah but you have this whole…” I waved at him. “Punkish thing going. Like, your hair’s meant to look like that.”

He straightened, lifting a hand to his mane of unruly dark hair. “Like what?”

“You know, like all… fwoosh.” I gestured at him again, but I didn’t think it helped clarify what I meant. “Like you just rolled out of bed from a night of drinking and fucking and whatever.”

“Oh.” The ghoul relaxed again, smirking at Crossbody. “Okay. That’s fine.”

After a pause, the fae cleared his throat. “Anyway, it was my first time playing air hockey. That’s the only reason I lost.”

Vince snickered, slipping a hand under the back of the fae’s shirt as he leaned in to kiss his neck. “Sure, Vivi.”

“Vivi?” I asked. Honestly, these two fascinated me. And not just because they were a ridiculously hot couple. Who were professional wrestlers.

Those were the main reasons, though.

“Just a nickname,” Vince replied easily, straightening and pulling his wallet out of his pocket.

“That’s so cute. Doesn’t it get confusing, though? Vince and Vivi?”