SEVENTEEN 7 страница

I retrieved one of his fallen whips and cracked it for punctuation. Bones had thought I couldn’t handle seeing what he dished out to Max, but I could prove that I wasn’t too squeamish when it came to doing necessary dirty work.

“Give me the names of your other playmates, Anre. Refuse and, well…you have a lot of mean‑ looking toys here. Tried any of them out on yourself lately? ”

An hour later I was in possession of a name‑ Slash. He was here somewhere, scouting out his potential dinner. With all the noise from above, I doubted he even knew what had happened to Anre.

I made my way through the dancers, seeking a man with the tattoo of a silver dragon along his jaw. Along the way, I was bumped, jostled, and even slapped by an overzealous woman whose partner turned away at the last moment. She didn’t even apologize, either. Just glared at me and snapped, “That wasn’t your gift! ”

“I’ll give it back, then, ” I responded, and whacked her a good one. Honestly, whatever happened to saying, Excuse me?

Someone grabbed me from behind. Cool hands moved over my breasts in a rough caress. I stiffened but didn’t slam my elbow into their rib cage. Not yet.

“I’m better from the front, ” I purred in my best bondage‑ tramp imitation.

My head was jerked back next, so hard there would be strands of it in his grip. I gritted my teeth. This better be Slash, or I was going to stomp the shit out of the unknown asshole.

That cool hand made its way from my breast down my stomach‑ and didn’t stop. Okay, enough being Little Miss Submissive!

I whirled around, losing more hair, and smashed my knee up at the same time. Tall, Dark, and Depraved, who didnot have a silver dragon tattoo on his jaw, doubled over. Then I shoved him into the gyrating mass of revelers surrounding us.

“Isaid I’m better from thefront. ”

There was laughter by the other dancers close enough to witness this. I gave Tall, Dark, and Depraved another nasty glare before scouting around again for Slash. He had to be here. I didn’t want to come back tomorrow if I couldn’t find him. In fact, I’d be pretty happy if I never set foot in this place again.

Two more cool hands slid along my waist, pulling me back against a hard chest. I clenched my fist, about to let loose a roundhouse punch, when something out of the corner of my eye stopped me. Were those scales etched on the side of my new Romeo’s face?

I turned around…and smiled. “You look good enough to eat, handsome. ”

The man grinned, stretching the dragon’s tail that curled from his jaw to the side of his mouth. “Funny you should say that. I was thinking the same thing about you. ”

We began to dance. Slash was about my height, and he used the alignment of our bodies to his greatest advantage. I let it go on for a few minutes. Right up until he unzipped his leather pants and pulled out Mr. One Eye.

“Whoa, ” I said, twisting away as he attempted to find a home for his stiff friend. “Isn’t there somewhere we can be…alone? ”

Slash glanced at his cock, as if expecting it to voice an objection. Then he tugged my arm.

“Come with me. I know just the place. ”

I saw with relief that I was being pulled toward the fake bar. If he’d gone in the opposite direction, all hell would have broken loose. Slash never bothered to tuck his dick back in his drawers, either. That thing stuck out the whole time like it was pointing the way.

“Oohh, how exciting, ” I said as he lifted the faux counter to reveal that hidden staircase.

Slash took my hand, almost yanking me beside him. The narrowness made for a very uncomfortable walk as we went down. Mental note: Shower as soon as possible.

“I think you’ll be surprised, ” he said as he opened the door. Then he stopped short. “What the‑? ”

I shoved him in with all my strength. Slash went sprawling. He skidded to a halt at that awful pole, which now had the very bloody form of Anre shackled to it.

I closed the door behind me. Bones went over to Slash, raised a brow at his rapidly deflating erection, and then gave him an icy smile.

“No, mate, I expectyou’re the one who’s surprised. ”

“If we can leave quietly, I think we won’t have to call in the team, ” Tate said as he piled Slash’s body on top of Anre’s. Priscilla and the other nameless vampire were stacked next to them.

“Skulk out the back with our tails between our legs? ” Bones snorted. “Fear’s a valuable motivator. If we sneak away, then there’s nothing to give someone pause who might consider setting up shop in this place again, is there? ”

I considered that. In most of our operations, we had a smash‑ and‑ grab approach. Smash the bad guys (or girls! ), grab the evidence (meaning bodies) and then leave. Maybe that strategy needed rethinking. Bones was right about fear being an excellent motivator. Patra was using that tactic against us now. Maybe we needed to highlight that we played for keeps, too.

I glanced at Dave. He gave me an almost imperceptible nod. Tate, however, was incensed.

“Brilliant plan, Crypt Keeper. You want us to bring up those heads like souvenirs, then shake our fingers at them and say, ‘They were naughty’ at all the freaks out there? You’re out of your mind! ”

“Foolish. Coward. ”

Bones bit out both words precisely. Tate snarled, and I tripped him as he stalked toward Bones.

“You must have slipped, because Iknow you weren’t about to do anything, were you? ”

Tate glared up at me, and then must have seen the consequences of following through with that intention in my gaze, because he lost his angry posture.

“Your call, Cat. What’s it gonna be? ”

Oddly enough, it’s what happened when I’d pushed off Tall, Dark, and Depraved that made my decision. The people around us, human and otherwise, had just laughed. Not jumped in and helped him beat me into submission.

“We give a warning and show the proof. Like you said, Tate‑ I’ll use those heads as props. ”

“All units, stand by, ” Tate said into his radio. It didn’t escape me that he sounded both pissed and resigned.

We made our way single file back up the stairs. Bones went first, followed by me, Tate, Dave, and our rescued couple, who hadn’t said much all night. When we were all out, Bones lifted me up onto the counter of the fake bar, since my hands were full, and let out a whistle that pierced even over the loud music.

“Shut that noise off, ” he barked, giving a menacing green glare to the puzzled vampire in what I assumed was the DJ box.

The pumping techno beat was silenced. There were sounds of protest that cut off when people saw me. You could say I stood out, what with being perched on a bar holding four severed heads by their hair.

“I’ll make this quick so you can get back to your fun. I’m the Red Reaper, and these four”‑ I held the heads up for better viewing‑ “took their games too far by killing my kind. If it happens again here, I’ll come back. ”

Two hundred pairs of eyes stared at us, and most of them didn’t come with heartbeats. Inside I tensed. Who knew how this would go? Things could get very unpleasant very fast.

Bones held out his hand to help me down, and I dropped my grisly trophies and took it.

Maybe some of them recognized who he was, or could guess. Or maybe it was simple apathy. Either way, one by one, the humans and nonhumans pulled back until there was a clear path from our position to the door. Bones set me down from the bar, and all of us walked uninterrupted to the exit.

“Un‑ fucking‑ real, ” Tate muttered when we reached the parking lot.

“Which just shows you how much you have to learn, ” Bones replied.

THIRTEEN

BONES ANDIDROVE TO DENISE’S THE NEXT day. I hadn’t seen my best friend in a while, what with gearing up for Tate’s change and then the whole aftermath of my kidnapping. So just to hang out with her and relax was nice. Denise also knew everything about me, Bones, vampires, ghouls, and even the war we were in. I had to call her and explain the reason behind her abrupt relocation, after all. Don probably just told her and her husband, Randy, to pack without giving any reason why.

Their new house was on the outskirts of Memphis. It was a good thing Randy was a private computer consultant and could work wherever, because I would have hated to be the cause of him losing his job. Denise had quit her job shortly after they got married, so again, I was spared some guilt. They hadn’t said anything, but I thought they were trying for a baby. It would explain her sudden interest in things she’d never bothered with before. Case in point, she made dinner for us instead of ordering out. Definitely a new trait.

“This is really good, ” I enthused, helping myself to more pot roast. “We’ll have to come here for the holidays. As you know, I burn water. ”

Denise grinned. “Or you could have your own party and let Rodney cook. Didn’t you tell me he was amazing in the kitchen? ”

“Oh, he is, ” I answered, mouth still full. Then I cocked my head. “Bones, how dangerous would it be for us to have a Christmas party? ”

He considered the question. “Have to only invite a few people, but I don’t think it would be cause for any real alarm. ”

I swallowed as the idea grew in my mind. “I’ve never done that kind of thing before. My grandparents weren’t social butterflies and I didn’t much feel like entertaining during the years we were apart. Our guesthouse is finished, so we’d have plenty of room. We can’t have our wedding right now, but we can have a small holiday party. It’ll be our first Christmas together, Bones. ”

He smiled at me. “That’s an excellent reason to celebrate, and I know Rodney would be delighted to come and cook. It’s his favorite pastime. ”

Denise clapped her hands. “Oh, it’ll be so cool. I’ve never celebrated a holiday with dead people before! ”

Randy rolled his eyes, but Bones just laughed. “Yes, that usually does make for a more interesting time than a midnight Mass at church, I suspect. ”

“We’ll have to invite my mother, too, ” I said. “In fact, she’s not that far from here. Rodney’s place is what? About an hour away? ”

Bones nodded. “Yes. Want to visit her next? ”

I considered my options. If she knew I’d been this close to her and hadn’t stopped by, I’d never hear the end of it. Okay, so that was settled.

“We’ll drop by. God knows she’ll be there. The woman never goes out. ”

“When’s her new place going to be ready? ” Denise asked.

“Next week. I think Don deliberately took a while relocating her out of Rodney’s to pay her back for some of the grief she’s heaped over him in the past. There’s no reason it should have taken so long to get her a safe place, not that I’ll tell her that. ”

Denise got up, rummaged in her pantry for a minute, and then came out with an unopened bottle of gin.

“Here. If you’re going to your mother’s, you’ll need this. ”

We said our goodbyes to Denise and Randy an hour later and headed off to my mother’s temporary residence. It had been a pleasant drive through the country, very relaxing‑ until suddenly Bones cocked his head to the side as if concentrating, and then stomped on the gas pedal.

“What’s wrong? ”

He’d said moments ago that we were almost there. Alarmed, I strained my ears, but my range wasn’t as far as his. All I could hear were the sounds from various families as we whizzed by their homes.

“Don’t bleedin’ believe it, ” Bones chuckled.

“What! ”

He continued to streak through the streets at a high rate of speed. “Oh, you’ll see. And you’ll need that bottle Denise gave you. ”

I figured there wasn’t a bloodbath going on, because he still grinned with maniacal humor. Hopefully the sound of my mother being axed to death wouldn’t make him so gleeful. When we pulled up in the driveway of what I assumed had to be Rodney’s house, all I heard was her fumbling around and muttering curses. What was unusual about that?

Bones darted out of the car without even turning the engine off and pounded on the door hard enough to rattle the windows.

“Open up, Justina, or I’ll break down this door! ”

The front door flung open as I approached at a slower rate than Bones had. Someone had to turn the car off, after all.

Bones went right past my mother, ignoring her demands to stay out. He gave her a wicked rake of the eyes, and his lips twitched uncontrollably.

“Well. As I don’t live and breathe. Justina, hair’s a bit disheveled, luv, been cleaning house? No? And your face…if I didn’t know better, I’d say it was flushed. Back when I was a degenerate whore, as you like to say, I’d see women look like you do all the time. After they wereshagging. ”

My mouth dropped and I took in her appearance. She was wearing only a robe, her brown hair was indeed going every which way, her face was distinctly colored, and holy shit, was that ahickey on her neck?

“You filthy animal, get out of here, ” she commanded Bones.

He laughed so hard it bent him double. “Really, that’s a bit of the pot calling the kettle black now, isn’t it? And to think how Kitten used to be terrified about you finding out she was shagging a vampire. You can’t say much about that anymore, can you? Come on down, mate, take a bow! I stand in abject awe. ”

“Bones, ” Rodney’s voice called out gratingly from upstairs. “Just get out of here. ”

I staggered. “Mom? You andRodney? ”

A scarlet blush graced my mother’s features. “He was making me dinner, ” she sputtered.

I found my voice amid the astonishment. “And dessert, too, apparently! I don’t believe you. All those years, you crucified me for sleeping with a vampire, and look at you. Rodney’s a ghoul, you hypocrite! ”

“He doesn’t kill people, they’re dead when he gets to them! ” she thundered back with questionable logic. “And I am forty‑ five years old and don’t need to be explaining myself to my daughter. ”

I stared at her like I’d never seen her before. “Did Rodney like them? ” I asked.

She huffed. “Did he like what, Catherine? ”

“The balls on you, that’s what! ”

Bones laughed again and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “Let’s go, Kitten. Just had to rub it in, I couldn’t resist. Justina, good on you, and Rodney”‑ another decadent chuckle‑ “admirablecourage. ”

Bones propelled me, still bitching, from the house. The door slammed behind us.

Bones still couldn’t contain his laughter as we drove away at safer speeds. “I’m delighted you didn’t ring her in advance, luv. That was priceless. ”

I didn’t answer, just settled back in my chair and broke the seal on the gin.

My dress was silver. It hung to my feet in a clinging line from the waist, two ties forming a halter at the neck. The back was bare, and the front had a deep V that made a bra impossible. Those stick‑ on ones didn’t do the trick, either.

I frowned at my reflection. “You’ll be able to tell right off if I get cold. I’m the hostess, I’m not supposed to look cheap. ”

Bones appeared behind me in the mirror. “You don’t look cheap, you’re stunning. ”

A brush of his lips on my back punctuated his compliment, and as if on cue, both my nipples puckered. Yeah, it looked indecent, all right.

“Ravishing, ” he whispered into my skin.

He should like the dress, he picked it out. Bones always chose more revealing outfits than I did. At least I had on underwear, minuscule though it was. Some things I insisted on despite his limitless powers of persuasion.

Bones tilted his head to the side for a second. “Your mum’s here. ”

I went downstairs to greet her, since Bones wasn’t dressed yet. I hadn’t seen her since that unbelievable night at Rodney’s, and I didn’t even want to know if they were now, um, dating. Rodney, being a gentleman, hadn’t mentioned the incident when he showed up this morning to prep for the evening’s meal, but I’d heard Bones greet him with an “All hail the dragon slayer! ” salute.

I opened the door…and my smile froze. Thiscouldn’t be my mother.

Her brown hair was free of gray and had new lighter highlights. Whether it was makeup or a chemical peel that seemed to have taken ten years off her in less than three weeks was anyone’s guess. Her dark amethyst velvet dress was tighter than mine, and cut high on one leg before draping down to her ankle on the other side. One shoulder was bared in Grecian style, and her hair was swept half up with stray pieces trailing. Her blue eyes were the only thing familiar about her.

“Catherine. ” She swept by me without a hug. Okay, that was familiar, too. “You really should wear something warmer, it’s freezing out. ”

Hello to you, too, Mom. Or whoever the hell you are, because you sure don’t look like the woman who raised me.

“You should talk, ” I managed. “I can see all the way up to your thigh. My God, if Grandma saw you now, she’d come right out of her grave! ”

My mother opened her mouth, paused, and then smiled. “I won’t tell if you won’t. ”

I was going directly to the kitchen to fall to my knees in awe before Rodney. Lo and behold, he’d managed to give her a sense of humor, and here I’d figured that would take voodoo, several headless chickens, and a lot of gris‑ gris.

“Let’s get you some eggnog, Mom, ” I said, recovering from my shock enough to steer her into the living room. “It’s spiked. ”

FOURTEEN

OUR LIST OF GUESTS WAS SMALL DUE TO THE unfestive circumstances of being at war. There were Rodney, Spade, Rattler, Tick Tock, Ian, Zero, and another vampire Annette brought as her date named Doc. Mencheres wasn’t here, and that was fine by me. My guests consisted of Denise, Randy, my mother, Don, Cooper, Dave, Juan, and Tate.

Bones had invited Ian at the last minute. He hadn’t been on my original list of people I wanted to spend time with, but since he’d thrown in his side with ours, Bones felt he’d deserved the nod. I’d been hoping he wouldn’t show, but that was in vain. In fact, I wondered if the reason Ian came was because he knew he was here against my preference‑ and got a kick out of that.

We were sitting in the dining room. Ian had arrived late and as soon as he crossed the threshold, my mother and Don had gotten up from the table. They were lingering near the porch with Dave, Cooper, and Juan, who also had reason not to like the chestnut‑ haired vampire across from me.

“Why, Cat, you seem edgy, ” Ian baited me after my silence at the table grew pointed. “You’re not still cross at me over kidnapping your ex‑ boyfriend last summer, are you? ”

I resisted the urge to hurl my plate at him. “Of course not, Ian. It’s just that normally at this hour, Bones and I are fucking like rabbits, so I get twitchy when I have to wait for him to climb aboard. ”

Ian wasn’t amused. “Do you let her insult me when I have come in goodwill, Crispin? ” he demanded.

Bones lifted a brow. “You’re not insulted in the least, and bringing up reference to how you attempted to force Cat into your line was extremely ill‑ mannered. Let it be the last time you speak of it. ”

The words were mild‑ his eyes weren’t. They were swimming with green.

Ian leaned back in his chair. “Well, mate, look at you. Claws come shooting out straightaway, and here I was barely even being rude. At first I thought you snatched her away from me out of spite, but that’s not it, is it? You of all people to fall prey to love. ”

They had over two hundred and twenty years of history between them, both good and bad. The air seemed to thicken around the table.

“You didn’t come here just to discuss my wife, did you? ”

Ian leaned forward. “It was Max’s treatment of her that prompted you to declare violent retribution to any who had a part in it. Why wouldn’t I want to see how committed you were before I stuck my own neck out farther than I already have? If you were merely angry out of a sense of pride, well…” Ian dangled the sen tence with a careless flick of his hand. “Why endanger me and mine over ruffled feathers? ”

“Do you remember the time I jammed a silver knife into your heart, Ian? ” I asked brightly. “You can’t count how many times I’ve wished I’d twisted it. Ruffled feathers over my kidnapping, torture, and attempted murder? Fuck you! ”

“I’m not downplaying what happened to you, Cat, ” Ian said at once. “Only stating my interest in Crispin’s reaction to it. What he’s done to Max is deserved, but that could have been the smart response of a leader showing his mettle, nothing more. You do appreciate the difference? ”

Ian’s piercing turquoise eyes met mine. He was a cold bastard, I knew that from experience, but there must be more to him than I saw. Or Bones would have killed him decades ago.

Bones inclined his head. “You have your answer, Ian. My response is entirely personal when it comes to her. ”

“Lucky for you that Mencheres merged lines with you and gave you more power. And speaking of your new alliance, I can’t imagine why Mencheres chose you over me, considering of the two of us, I’m not the one who shagged his wife. ”

I froze even as Bones let out a vicious curse. Ian, catching my expression, began to laugh.

“What, didn’t Crispin tell you about that? Don’t know why, happened before your parents were even born. ”

I got up from the table. Discussing this in front of Ian was not going to happen. Bones followed me as I went outside on the porch. Once we were alone, I rounded on him.

“Why? I know you didn’t think much of screwing around before me, but Patra was your grandsire’s wife! ”

His jaw clenched. “I didn’t know who she was when it happened. Mencheres and Patra hadn’t been on good terms since before I became a vampire. A few decades ago, I met a woman, spent the night, and then a week later I found out she was Mencheres’s wife. Patra knew whoI was. She did it to hurt Mencheres, bloody hell, who do you think told him about it? I didn’t understand why he didn’t kill me back then, but after what’s happened recently, I suppose he knew one day he’d need me around. ”

By having sex with another vampire’s wife, Bones would be under a death sentence‑ if the wronged spouse chose to claim it.

“Is there anything else I don’t know? Because I better not find out there was something more you decided to keep from me. ”

“There’s nothing else. I promise. ”

I stopped my pacing to look at Bones. He was gorgeous, and the longer I was with him, the more I was reminded that many women had shared that opinion. I was sure there’d be a lot more ex‑ flings of his popping up, but here’s hoping they wouldn’t be powerful, homicidal ones like Patra.

“All right. Let’s go back in. I’m sure Ian misses us. ”

Bones ignored my sarcasm and pulled me into his arms. “Do you know it’s nearly midnight? ” he whispered. “Only two more days until Christmas Eve. ”

So much had happened since last Christmas. What would the next year bring?

“Better things, ” Bones answered low. “I promise. ”

He kissed me, his lips cooler than usual, but who needed ninety‑ eight degrees when he made me feel this way? In fact, I began to feel warmer as his hands slid lower on my back.

A branch snapping nearby doused my mood and put me on instant alert. Bones straightened, breaking the kiss.

“Well, mate. I wondered how long you’d spy on us. ”

His sardonic tone confirmed what my belated senses finally picked up on. God, Bones distracted me to a dangerous level when we kissed. Good thing he could still pay attention, even though I suppose that wasn’t an endorsement ofmy allure. Also good was that the vampire in the trees didn’t want to kill us.

Tate came through the trees with more cracking of branches. “Hi, Cat. God, you look beautiful. ”

Uh oh. Why couldn’t he just say, Happy Holidays?

Dave broke the loaded hostile atmosphere by coming onto the porch. “Buddy, you made it! ”

Another confrontation delayed.

“Dave. ” Tate smiled as he received a bear hug from his friend. Juan came out next, followed by my uncle. Don’s normally stoic features changed into a smile as he came forward and embraced Tate. Bones made a cynical noise and led me back inside with a parting comment to Tate.

“I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding your way to the cottage at the bottom of the hill. That’s where you’re staying. ”

Ian, ever tactless, chose that moment to sidle up to me. “You and Crispin resolved your differences, I hope? ”

“Yes. Now you’ll be able to sleep tonight. ”

Ian laughed. My mother wandered past us, and Ian eyed her with more than casual appreciation. “I say, Cat, I can see what led Max to his eventual downfall. ”

I gave him a black look. “Would you mind not bringing Max up in front of what’s left of my family? ”

Ian smiled without a touch of remorse. “Why would they be cross with me? I am owed no small amount of gratitude. If I hadn’t changed Max, then there wouldn’t be you. ”

That whipped my mother’s head around. How like Ian not to have lowered his voice. I could have rammed my fist straight through his stupid mouth.

“Good one, ” I growled. “She didn’t know you were his sire. ”

Bones appeared from behind him. “Mate, come with me for a moment. ”

He didn’t wait for Ian’s reply, but propelled him onto the porch. I went in the opposite direction to intercept my mother’s furious beeline.

“Catherine! ” she snapped as I blocked her path. “Get out of my way. I need to have a word with that thing. ”

Since she usually called Bones “filthy animal, ” I assumed “thing” meant Ian.

“Mom, I know you’re upset. ”

She continued to shove her way past me. “Don’t worry, I won’t make a scene, ” she said with a final push by me. For her, that was the height of consideration.

“You. ” She marched straight up to Ian and jabbed a finger in his chest. He gave it an amused glance. “You created her father? Didn’t you know what kind of filth he was? Or are you brainless, oblivious, and uncaring about the monsters you make? ”

Bones let out a grim snort. “Clean up your mess, mate, but no matter how rude she gets, don’t be insulting. ”

Ian rolled his eyes. “No, Justina, I’m not brainless, oblivious, or uncaring about those I sire. But if I’m responsible for every action my offspring does, then the same goes for you. Your daughter murdered my friend the day I met her. What do you owe me for that? ”

I was nearly as taken aback as my mother was by Ian’s cool turning of the tables.

“Another filthy vampire? ” my mother purred when she regrouped. “One of many who tried to feast on her neck? ”

“A ghoul doing his duty to defend me against a woman who tried to kill me in my own home, ” Ian countered. “Ask Cat. She’ll tell you I never even attempted to bite her before she beheaded my friend. ”

I shuffled uncomfortably. How did I know Don had ulterior motives in sending me after Ian? I’d thought I was on just another job taking out the bad guys, not being the unwitting murderer of someone who’d done nothing wrong.

“I’m sorry about your friend, but I thought he was a killer, and he was sneaking up behind me to knock me out, ” I replied. “Besides, before that, you admitted you’d killed two people, Ian. Your employees. ”

“Who stole from me, ” was Ian’s response. “Really, Crispin, what would you do to a couple of blokes who raided your home and tried to hawk your valuables on eBay? ”

Bones shrugged. “The same. If you can’t trust a chap with something as small as your possessions, how can you trust them not to betray you in a more serious manner? ”

“Even so, ” Ian agreed, before giving my mother another measured look. “Then with Max we’re more than even, poppet, so what else are you riled at me about? ”

She appeared rattled, but then gestured at Bones. “Him. You made him, and he’s the reason my parents were murdered, so we’re hardly even, vampire. ”

A shadow flickered across Bones’s face. You weren’t responsible for that, I told him. She’s wrong.

“Yet he also taught Cat how to fight, making her stronger, faster, and deadlier. Without that, do you think she’d still be alive? Furthermore, didn’t he just save her lifeand yours recently? Are you telling me that’s worth less than your parents? ”

My mother stared at him in an odd way. Like she didn’t know what to make of him. Ian returned her gaze, unblinking and unapologetic. Finally, after a tense silence, she turned on her heel and walked away.

“Glad we had a chance to talk, ” he called after her.

She didn’t reply.

Ian clapped a hand across Bones’s shoulders. “Shall we return inside? It’s chilly out, and your wife is clearly cold. ” His eyes roamed over me and he laughed. “Clearly. ”

“Sod off, ” Bones snapped.

Ian walked away, whistling. I snorted. “Told you I should have worn a bra. ” Then I changed the subject, not wanting anything else to dampen our evening. “If you ask nicely, I’ll let you open one of your presents, even though it’s early. ”

Bones’s lips curled. “What must I say? Please? Ah, Kitten, please, I implore you, beseech you‑ ”

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