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)
In total agreement, her inner entity nodded firmly. Unsurprising. Since it was evident by the lethal edge in Luka’s voice that repercussions would be due, she asked, “What are you going to do?”
“Something she won’t like,” he answered vaguely.
Naomi exhaled heavily, knowing that she couldn’t talk him out of retaliating. This was who he was. A person who’d never let a slight to his mate go unaddressed. And she wouldn’t want him any other way. Nor would her demon, who very much approved of his plan. Typical.
“Fine. Can we not talk about her any more, though?” She leaned into him, sliding her palms up his chest. “I’d rather we just finished moving this stuff to your place and then enjoyed our evening.”
His arms came around her, his hands settling on her lower back. “You’re sure you’re all right?”
“Positive. Honestly,” she assured him, but it didn’t soften his expression any.
He cast her a look of reprimand. “You should have telepathed me the moment Draya opened her mouth.”
“To what purpose? Luka, I’m not going to request you intervene to fight my every battle—especially the teensy ones. I don’t need you to do that for me. And I wouldn’t feel good about myself, about us, if I forced myself to lean on you for everything when it goes against who I am.”
He clenched his jaw. “Why did you have to word it like that?”
She stifled a smile. “Oh, I’m sorry, does it cut into your argument?”
“Yes.”
Her demon snickered, amused. “If you want a mate who’ll turn to you for every little thing . . .”
“I want you. Only you.” He nuzzled her face, his hand gliding down to rest on her ass. “I accept that this is who you are, but I reserve the right to complain when I don’t get my way in everything.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
“Does it?”
“Uh, no, but whatever.”
“And just why does that legion have his hands all over you?” demanded a new voice.
Naomi froze. Ah, hell. She very slowly turned her head. Lou stood a few feet away in a scruffy tee and faded jeans, a joint between his fingers, his angry gaze bouncing from her to Luka.
Turning to face him fully, she forced a smile. “Hello, Dad.”
He stiffened. “What . . .”
“Luka knows you’re my father. I had to tell him.”
Lou’s face scrunched up. “Why?”
“We claimed each other.”
His eyes fairly bugged out of his head. “Claimed? You claimed each other?”
“Yes.”
“When?” he demanded, a near-hysterical note to his voice that tickled her entity.
“Like . . . six days ago.”
His expression firmed. “So the same day clerics blew up your car—something you failed to mention. I had to find out from someone else, which is what I came here to whine at you about. Something I would have enjoyed. But this” —he flicked a finger from her to Luka —“I’m not so jolly about.” He peered down at his joint. “I’m hallucinating. That’s what it is. Maybe Jester dosed the weed with LSD. Sounds like something he’d do.”
Pausing, Lou inhaled deeply and then closed his eyes. “This isn’t real. My baby girl is not mated. She’s not. It’s an illusion within an illusion. When I open my eyes, the legion will be gone. Like magick.” He opened his eyes, his shoulders slumped, and he looked back at the joint. “The LSD is strong in this one.”
Oh Lord. “You’re not hallucinating. This situation is very much real. I claimed Luka. He claimed me. We’re mates.”
Lou’s joint abruptly disappeared in a ball of ultraviolet flames. His brows squishing together, he dropped his hand to his side. “How can you be mated? I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“And if I had?”
“I . . . I would have told you.”
He shot her an indignant look. “You think you’re going to get a lie past me, the ultimate connoisseur of deception? Really? And why would you date him, of all people?”
Naomi felt her brows snap together in affront. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Uh, everything,” Lou drawled. “His reputation is widely known. He’s cold-blooded. Vindictive. Lethal. Volatile. He has three inner entities—even for me that’s fucking weird.”
She folded her arms. “And if he had only one entity and was none of those things you listed, you’d be fine with this?”
“No.”
“So, basically, you wouldn’t like him no matter what?”
“Basically.”
Her demon rolled its eyes. Honestly, Lou was a total man child. “Well, that’s just too bad. Luka’s my choice. You’ll have to accept that.”
“Why?” It was a genuine question.
“As my father, you’re supposed to be supportive.”
“You continue to expect reasonable reactions from me. I have no idea why that is. We long ago established that I would always do outrageous things.”
Absolutely true. However . . . “What other option do you have but to accept this?”
Lou twisted his mouth, pensive. “I could drag him down to hell.”