Page 43 of Fangs and Fudge

He held up four fingers even though both our doors were closed.

I started up my engine, waved, and pulled out of the lot.

“I bet that’s why he went electric. He can hear better,” Vena said softly. As soon as we hit the main highway, she turned to me.

“Okay. Spill it. What happened to make Mr. Crybaby storm off before our shift?”

“Mr. Crybaby?” I echoed.

“MC.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Hey, it’s a work in progress. Now, talk. I know you heard something.”

“MC wasn’t supposed to have his guys watching our house. Shepard called him out on it and told MC he either obeys his commands or challenges him. Not sure what a challenge is, but it didn’t sound good. Oh, and before he talked to MC, Shepard told me he was worried because he could smell vampire on me.” I sighed. “Should I just tell him what’s going on?”

“I mean, if you do and they kill Cross for being their natural enemies, you’d be rich so…” She shrugged as she grinned at me.

“You are so unhelpful. But good job ignoring MC tonight.”

“You have no idea how badly I wanted to see if I could toss a werewolf over my shoulder.”

“With the way he was looking at you, he probably would have let you do anything you wanted to him.”

“Ew.”

I grinned, loving tormenting Vena for a change. We arrived home too soon to continue, though. We waited in the car for Doc to do his thing then went inside. Vena claimed the bathroom first this time, which gave me time to get Doc settled and check my ingredients in the kitchen.

By the time my head hit the pillow, I knew my list and had my alarm set for seven.

A light knock pulled me from my sleep prematurely.

“Ev, it’s me,” Doc said. “I’m heading out.”

I gave a mumble of acknowledgment and sank back to sleep.

“I told her she’d be rich if someone ends up killing you.” Vena’s words teased my foggy mind. “You know what her answer was? She didn’t want to deal with the tax audit. Her laces can’t get any straighter, Cross. What do you think she’s going to do when she finds you in her bed…again?”

I opened my eyes and stared into Cross’ amber ones.

“Good morning,” he said with his sexy light accent.

“Morning.”

I heard Vena snort and move away from my bedroom.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“I did. Why are–”

He pressed a finger to my lips as he lifted his head from my pillow. His eyes flickered black. Then he leaned in, kissed my forehead, and disappeared out my bedroom window.

I frowned at the now ripped screen and got out of bed.

Seriously, men caused more problems than they solved.

Just as I was leaving my bedroom, someone knocked on our front door.

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