Page 127 of Mercy & Her Devils

Study, Devil Estate

“I’m sorry that this is the best that I can offer as a date night, beloved.” Kai grips my hand between his much larger one. “It’s not how I expected our first one to go. There’s a storm warning, however, and we’re waiting on Gabriel pulling together the loose threads of the biggest mission so far. I don’t think that we’ll get any sleep. I’ll make it up to you.”

“It’s cozy.” I smile. “We’re the Devils, right? So, for us, this is perfect.”

Rain lashes against the arched windows of Kai and Gabriel’s joint study. Wind howls around the cabin, while branches scratch the glass like claws.

The storm isn’t yet at its height, even if it’s battering the cabin.

But it’s coming.

It’ll soon be here.

I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself.

I’m dressed in silk chestnut colored pajamas. They have a stag coat of arms sewn on over my heart and match the ones that Lark is wearing.

Is the coat of arms the one for the Scottish royal family?

I trace my finger over it.

Lark and I insisted that we were going to stay up and pull the same all-nighter as the rest of the pack (who still look sleek in their day clothes), when we realized that they were trying to get us to rest, while they worked.

Antonio excitedly called it our first date night.

It makes me wonder even more about his experiences, if working on a mission that would mark us as the most wanted criminals in America and possibly lead to our deaths, is his equivalent of snuggling under a blanket and stargazing, while asking questions like if your life was a rom-com, which famous Alpha would take the starring role?

Although, I have a sense that Antonio’s ideal date would be naked primal play through the forest, where he’s hunted, caught, then ravished.

Actually, I bet that he’s already done that with Gabriel.

Now, Antonio is sprawled out on the tan leather couch, which is pushed against the back wall of the study, underneath the golden light of a lamp that’s shaped like a leaf.

He looks even more roguish and rumpled than normal.

I didn’t think that was possible.

Antonio’s head is ducked over his iPhone, and his curls fall over it. He’s chuckling wickedly, and it pulls at something deep inside me.

The rich, rumbling sound also makes me feel warm all over.

What’s he watching?

Knowing Antonio it could be anything from recordings of his mafia rivals being pranked to funny cat videos.

Lark sits next to him with his arm casually thrown around his shoulder. The men’s thighs are touching.

Lark’s head is close to Antonio’s, as he crowds to see the small screen.

I love that Lark is laughing too.

Antonio is working hard to distract Lark from the nerves of waiting to find out the fate of his daughter.

The study is divided into two halves.

On one side of a crackling hearth, which spits up embers and smoke that stings my eyes, is an entire wall of built-in bookcases. They don’t appear to be ordered but are messy with papers and random files shoved on top.

Boxes of extra files are piled up in front of them, as well as around an overstuffed armchair by the fire.

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