Page 10 of Rub

Plans for me?

Those three words should make me excited. The prince of pastry not only now thinks I’m the most amazing thing since…since…well, since sliced bread, he also hasplansfor me. Instead, I’m agitated. Perhaps it’s the fact he erased my dad from my baking journey? Perhaps it’s the fact he’s telling me what I can and can’t do.

I stiffen, and Kaami threads his fingers through mine on his chest and dips his head lower to mine. “Let me, master,” he whispers.

He straightens, and it might be a trick of the eye, but he suddenly seems to tower even taller. I’ve never wanted to be protected, but damn, do I like the way it feels now. “Aliana has somewhere more important to be. She will contact you when she is available.”

Jackson opens his mouth just as Japher arrives. My ex-boss flicks me a look, and my skin crawls. There is a reason I never wanted to be left alone with him in the kitchen. His gaze battles mine for a split second, and then he slides his attention to Kaami. “And you are?”

“Al’s,” Kaami replies.

Just that one word, but my heart trips over itself. It should sound ridiculous, cheesy even, but it sounds menacing. And protective. Does Kaami know what Japher is like? Can he sense the guy is a jerk? I mean,jerknesspractically oozes from Japher, after all.

Japher narrows his eyes.

Kaami holds his stare. Beside Japher, Jackson snorts. “I feel invisible. I don’t like it.”

Seriously? How bloated is this guy’s ego?

“I didn’t think Aliana knew anyone in town,” Japher says. The way he’s looking at Kaami… My stomach clenches. I thought the way he looked atmewas creepy, but the way he’s checking out Kaami is disturbing. I’m surprised he’s not drooling. “She never mentioned you.”

Kaami arches an eyebrow and flicks me a grin. “Probably for the best. Most people wouldn’t believe what we get up to together.”

Japher’s eyes narrow again. “Where did you say you come from?”

“Let’s go,” I say, taking Kaami’s hand. I’m ninety-nine point nine percent certain Kaami isn’t going to reveal he’s a djinn, but I don’t want to hang around to find out. The thought of someone like Japher getting their hands on a djinn…

Kaami brushes the fluttering pulse in my neck with his fingers, his eyes finding mine. “With you, anywhere,” he murmurs loud enough for Jackson and Japher to hear.

Without another word, I lead Kaami away from the two men. A few don’t-fuck-with-me strides later, we’re off the stage, and I realise we’re in some kind of dinner theatre venue. I don’t need to look over my shoulder to know Japher is watching us. His stare is an insidious weight I’ve experienced every shift at his café.

Night air kisses my face as we exit the building. It’s warm and heavy with the sounds of summer. A part of me wonders what happened to the rest of the day, the rest of me is glad to be nowhere near Japher anymore. And Jackson Maine, for that matter. Huh, who would have thought?

Just because he’s the best pâtissier in the country doesn’t make him a nice guy, Al.

True.

I let out a sigh and drop Kaami’s hand, studying the strange street in front of me. Where are we?

“Did I fuck up again, master?” Kaami says beside me.

The grief in his deep voice twists a knot in my chest, and I shake my head, gently touching his arm. “Not at all. I think I’m just discovering why people say you should never meet your heroes.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “One of those is your hero?”

A wry laugh falls from me, and I roll my eyes. “Sometimes we humans can be a deluded species.”

His dimple makes a wicked appearance, and the urge to rise up on my tiptoes and kiss it slams through me.

“We djinn can also be deluded sometimes. I thought my last master was a kind soul, but…” He shrugs those broad shoulders of his, and something warm tightens low in the pit of my stomach. Okay, I’m turned on. A lot. Djinn or no, Kaami is sexy and adorable and…and…vulnerable?

No, that’s not right. There’s a latent power to him that’s borderline scary, but there’s also something in the way he so quickly believes he’s failed me that makes me want to protect him.

I take his hand again and give him my own grin. “You know what? Let’s go have some fun.”

He gives me an askew inspection. “Who?”

“You and me.”

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