Page 3 of Laverna

"He's fine," Laverna said flatly, making the waitress flush and hurry away.

"She's only doing her job."

Laverna gave him an unimpressed stare. "Falling all over you is not her job."

Rom smirked. "Don't be jealous."

"Don't be ridiculous," she snapped back. "Is there a point to me being here, or do you want to just waste my time some more? I have a murderer to hunt. I don't have time to fuck about."

Rom leaned forward in his chair and kept his voice low, "The markings on the body were strange. Definitely animal, but not any of my wolves. There was no scent on them anywhere that was a beast, which is odd in and of itself. There was, however, a lingering aura of magic."

Laverna let out a breath. "Fuck. You sensed that too? I was hoping it was just my imagination."

A different waitress arrived with Laverna's breakfast, and Rom lifted a brow. "You might want to check that latte for spit."

Laverna shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time I had a girl's spit in my mouth, Romulus. What else did you pick up from the bodies?"

Rom unclenched his jaw. He really needed to get his irrational jealousy under control. "I think the magic on them was to wipe out all other identifying markers. I haven`t seen that kind of magic since we dealt with the witches in…shit, when was that?"

"30 B.C.E." Laverna scowled into the apricot-filled cornetto she was tearing into like she hadn't eaten in a week. "I fucking hate witches."

Rom bit back his smile. "I remember. The bodies were wiped of scents, but if you take me out to the site where they were found, then I might be able to pick up something more useful."

"I suppose if Claudius isn't busy, I can show him," Laverna said, going back to her breakfast.

"Not Claudius. Me."

"Since when do you do your own dirty work?" she said, raising a crooked eyebrow.

"Since witches are involved, and you almost cut my dick off, thinking I would kill your people. It made it personal. So I will personally deal with it. With you. Until we are done," Rom replied, the growl of the wolf in his voice. It really didn't want her anywhere near Claudius or anyone else, for that matter.

"I haven't agreed to that," she said, starting on her other pastry. "How about I take you out there, and if you find something useful, I will consider joining forces. If not, I will find the killer on my own. I don't need your big nose in my business more than necessary."

"You never know. You might enjoy my nose right up in your business if you gave it a try sometime," he said, unable to resist jabbing at her.

"I'm not in the mood for your hostile flirting today, Romulus." Laverna shot him a threatening glare and went back to her breakfast.

Rom noticed the red in her cheeks but didn't push it. It really was so cute when she tried to be tough with him. She was the only one who had ever been able to get away with running roughshod all over him. His wolves were smart enough never to mention it.

"If witches are involved, I think it would be better to combine forces regardless. They are always bad for business, and the city has had enough drama dealing with Bellona's fiasco," Rom said and sipped his coffee. "I have to say that I'm surprised you got out of it so unscathed. Bellona must really like you because I saw what she did to everyone else."

"The kidnapping was a mistake, and she knew it. She's not talking to me, but I'm hoping she will get over it soon," Laverna replied. She sounded sad, and the wolf inside of him clawed at him to comfort her.

"I'm sure she will. You barely scratched him."

"That's what I said! She didn't see it that way. Honestly, I think it was the cross thing that set her off."

Rom choked on his coffee. "You put him on a cross? Laverna..." He didn't want to think about Bellona vaporizing her for the insult. If it had been anyone else, she probably would have.

"I know. But he was a wriggler, and I couldn't have him wandering off in the catacombs and getting lost! We never would have found him again," Laverna pointed out with a scowl. "Don't you dare judge me! Wait, who am I kidding? All you do is judge me."

"That's not true," he said softly.

Laverna wiped her fingers on her napkin and tossed it on her empty plate. "I don't care if it is. Let's get this over with, shall we?" she said, storming back down the alley toward his car.

"Your girlfriend seems like a handful," the cashier said when he paid a few moments later.

Rom tapped his card against the machine and managed to smile. "You don't know the half of it."

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