Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“I don’t, but thanks.”
“You sure?”
She ate another fry. “Positive. I mean, why would I talk to someone who likes feeding me a bunch of bullshit, Daniel?”
He paused mid chew, his amiable expression freezing.
“Yes, I know your real name. I knew it the day I met you, just as I also learned you’re a PI.”
His eyes flickering, the frozen friendly look on his face faded fast and turned hard. “How?”
“Imps can find out pretty much anything. The one at Urban Ink took your photo and sent it to a contact of hers—they telepathed her your identity in moments. She passed it on to me.”
“Since when do receptionists check people’s identities?” he bit off.
Her entity smiled, loving the aggravation in his tone. “They don’t. But you’re not as good a liar as you think you are—everything about your tone, body language, and word choices tweaked my instincts. I asked her to do me a solid and find out who you really were.”
He tightened his grip on his burger, oblivious to the sauce oozing out of it.
Naomi tossed a fry into her mouth. “Now, going by how you like dragging the conversation round to Tobe, I’d say you have a client who wants info about him. You’re wasting your time trying to get anything out of me, and you’ll struggle just as much when it comes to anyone else in my lair.”
His nostrils flared. “I’ll pay you.”
“Not interested.” She shook her mostly empty cup, hearing the ice rattle, and then drank more soda through her straw. “Even if I knew the answers to your questions, I wouldn’t tell you—not for anything.”
“It’s not like I’m asking for information that would do him harm.”
“Doesn’t matter. His business is his business to share or not to share. Go to him.”
“I would if he’d tell me anything.” He squinted, as if something had occurred to him. “Have you telepathed Tobe? Is he on his way?”
“No. I’m not going to drag him into your orbit. You want to talk to him, you need to approach him like a big boy.” Done with her food, she used a napkin to wipe the salt and grease from her fingers. “You also need to stop watching and following me.”
An ugly smirk graced his face. “When either you or Tobe tell me what I want to know, I’ll back off. Until then, you’ll just have to deal with me.”
She eyed him intently. “I didn’t peg you for stupid. Hmm. I guess you never can tell.” She dabbed her mouth with her napkin and then tossed it in her empty burger box.
“I should be worried about what a little siren can do to me?”
“Yes, actually. But it’s mostly me you need to worry about.”
Naomi went rigid. Because those words hadn’t come from her.
CHAPTER TEN
Naomi looked up slowly. There beside her table was Luka, glaring down at Daniel through eyes that were pure frost. A slight chill went down her spine, sending a sweep of goosebumps up her arms. And not in a good way.
Shit.
She had hoped to keep him out of this situation, but she’d known there was a chance that Konstantin would spot Daniel following her if the PI was still around. She’d been prepared for this moment. She just wished that it hadn’t arrived, because Luka would likely insist on involving himself in the situation.
Her demon wasn’t quite so bothered by that. But that was mostly because it was curious as to what he would do. The entity wanted a peek at his merciless streak.
Freaking typical.
Naomi became aware that the volume in the restaurant had lowered slightly. Demons would recognize the legion in an instant. Humans wouldn’t, but considering everything about him at that moment screamed “threat”, she understood why some might sit up and take notice.
Luka’s gaze slid to her . . . and their chemistry aimed and fired. The crackling force tautened the air as it hit. Every synapse in her system seemed to go electric. Her body never failed to come alive around him, even at moments like these.
Needing a reprieve from it, she returned her attention to Daniel. He was gaping up at Luka in shock, his face slack, his previous smirk nowhere to be found. That the PI seemed so surprised to see the legion would suggest he hadn’t yet heard she was sleeping with him.
“Luka Belinsky,” he breathed.
“You have me at a disadvantage,” said Luka, his voice low and smooth even as danger looped through every word. “You clearly know who I am. I have no fucking idea who you are.”
“D-Daniel Phillips.”
“And you’re bothering Naomi because?”
Daniel hesitated, clearly scrambling to come up with some bullshit excuse.
“You do not want to lie to me,” Luka recommended.
“I wasn’t harassing her or anything. I just had some questions for her. I’m a PI.”
“Hired by whom and to do what?”