Page 17 of Hell on Wheels

She wrinkles her nose. “Yes, then wemighthave to say something. My belongings would give it away. Is that smart after…?”

“Fuck if I care.”

That’s gonna bite me later, but I’m willing to risk it.

Last Friday Night

Mother of Zeus, the sun is bright.

Stretching my limbs, I yawn broadly, trying to figure out why I left the curtains open when gravity pulls me to the ground with a thud.

What the fuck?

The hard jolt forces me to awaken completely, and I realize that it’s blindingly bright because I’m outside. For a second, I’m confused, but then I remember the game last night and it all rushes back. I must have passed out. I hope it wasn’t first, or Reb probably drew a big ass dick on my face like he always does to the first to fall in a drinking game.

Wait. Rogue was with us.

Looking around, I see Archie sprawled in the corner where he’d been sitting with her, Rebel curled on a fat ottoman, and Angelo snoring with his head pillowed on his hands. I smack his feet, hoping to wake him before the others realize our girl isnowhere to be found.

“Dude, what the hell? My back is killing me…” Angelo grumbles as he rolls over and sits up. He looks around then at me, suddenly realizing our dilemma. “Oh shit! Where is she? Hell, where isDamon?”

His words hit and I realize I missed that his twin is also MIA. “I don’t know! I woke up and fell off the fucking couch only to figure out we’re missing people,” I hiss.

“No one gets past Damon’s security, man. His shit protectsmuchbigger assets than anything in this place. They have to be here somewhere.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Okay. Then we have to find them before these assholes get up and sound the alarm. Maybe they went inside for breakfast? Damon’s an early riser.”

It was stupid not to consider that from the beginning, but with the threat against Rogue, I’m touchy.

Angelo stands, holding his hand out to me, and I use it to pull myself up. Rubbing the spot that’s going to be a spectacular bruise on my ass, I follow him as he prowls towards the house quietly. Something catches his eye, and he stops at the corner of the pool, reaching down to pick up a pair of lacy panties floating near the filter.

“Christ, how long have these been in there? Our pool cleaner isfired,” he mutters as he tosses them onto a lounge chair. “Archerneeds to stop bringing bimbos home. They leave shit everywhere and he never cleans up the mess.”

“Agreed,” I say as we slide open the back doors and walk into the kitchen. A frown forms as I look around the empty kitchen, not seeing a dish out of place. I run my hand through my hair, looking at the demon with a shrug.

“The gym maybe? She likes to spar.”

One by one, we eliminate the gym, the game room, Damon’s techno lair, and the downstairs guest rooms. Each time, Angelo comes up with a different reason they might be somewhere and I go along, but I’m getting the feeling we’re missing something obvious. When we finally head upstairs to check her room, our blind spot becomes immediately obvious.

Damon is as naked as the day he emerged from the flames to his mama, half covering an equally naked Rogue as they snooze. Angelo’s mouth drops open, and I have to cover mine with my hand to keep the laughter in. Of all the people I expected to make their move on our girl, Damon would have been the verylastI would have guessed. He’s the most reserved and he almost never makes a move without Angelo in tow.

The chaos demon strides over to the bed, slapping his brother’s bare ass as he whisper-yells, “What thehell, man?!”

Damon opens his eyes, taking the scene in blearily, and glares at his brother. “Not here. I don’t want to wake her.”

“Then get your skinny ass out of her bed and explain yourself before I drop kick it into the ocean!”

My chuckle finally breaks free, and they turn murderous stares on me. I shrug. “Come on, guys. You can’t expect to always share, every time, especially not if you’re both hung up onthisgirl.”

“Who said I’m going to share?” Damon’s grin is evil and Angelo reaches up, grabbing him by one of the horns he’s still sporting, to drag him out of the room.

Taking one last look at the blue and purple-haired girl swathed in surf colored satin, I sigh and walk out, closing the door behind me. The twins are already at each other’s throats, having a whisper-shouting match in Latin. I can only follow it a little—my parents insisted on a classical education, but I never cared for dead languages. Demons, of course, love that shit, and when the twins get angry, they switch to it immediately.

“Proditor!” Angelo grunts as he punches Damon in the gut.

“Bro, I’m not a traitor. Would you listen instead of being an asshole for five seconds?” Damon ducks another punch, then parries the tail coming at him with his own.

They end up in a pile of punches and kicks, cursing at one another as I lean against the wall. If they wake up Rogue, she’s going to be pissed, and if they wake up Arch and Reb, this pile will get bigger. I have to get them to stop so they can actually discuss the issue. They’d planned to share her if they won her, anyway; Damon’s jab was only to make his twin mad. But they enjoy this shit, and normally, we let them indulge so they get it out of their system.

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