Page 32 of Raising Hell

“That would be scratchy and irritating,” I say.

“And gross,” Amon adds, and Rory sighs again. He watches the building where humans walk in and out, like he’s having doubts.

Not for the first time, fear of disappointing him churns in my belly. It’s an unfamiliar sensation that I’m unsure how to handle.

My hand lands on Rory’s shoulder and his attention returns to me. “I’m sorry I have disappointed you,” I say, voicequiet as I lower my gaze to my lap. “It was not intentional, Rory, but I will try harder to adapt to your human world. I won’t ask so many questions.”

As our eyes meet again, his have softened, and he gently covers my hand with his. “No, it’s me who should apologize. Everything is new to you, and I should be more patient. You’re here because of me, and it’s unfair for me to get short with you.”

“But you already are short,” I whisper, and his lips curl into a beautiful smile, although I’m not sure why.

“Don’t stop asking questions, Cas, okay? You’re curious, and I love that about you.”

Another foreign feeling swirls deep inside me as I stare into his bright green eyes, my pulse speeding up. I rush forward, pressing my mouth to his as he lets out the sweetest gasp against my kiss. The discomfort of my contorted position in this tiny car fades away, replaced by the pure pleasure of his soft and malleable lips.

“If you want me to continue to begood,” Amon purrs, stressing the word as Rory’s eyes fly open, darting to his wicked smile. “You might reconsider the show you’re giving me right now.” Rory’s eyes drop and he squeaks at the growing erection in Amon’s pants.

The break in the tension is a relief, because my mind is swirling with confusing emotions that cloud my judgement. A distraction is just what I need.

Chapter 14

Amon

No one is more surprised than me to make it through our excursion incident free.

Well… mostly.

Casimir used multiple vegetables as a pretend dick and Rory ignored it until two tomatoes became the balls to his cucumber penis, and then he hissed and forbade him from touching anything. Rory’s ‘rules’ in the car had no real command behind them, so Cas was handsy and curious as we walked through the store.

The questions were endless.What type of trees grow spaghetti? Why do so many sodas have formal titles?Mister Thunder, Sir Pebbler, even a strange one named Physician Lightning. Humans are… odd.Why is this called an eggplant when it doesn’t resemble an egg?Cas was so fixated on that one, Rory had to show him a picture of a young eggplant.

It did, in fact, look like an egg.

And then we stood in line—notbattling for our place. My fingers itched to fight the man in front of us, with his puny shoulders and soft middle. I made it clear to Rory multiple times that I could swiftly defeat him and eliminate his need to wait.

But no. I was agood boy.

My only blip came from growling at the man standing behind us when he got too close. The idea crossed my mind to use my aura to make him piss himself, but I knew Rory wouldn’t approve.

For reasons I’m not ready to unpack, I’m becoming quite possessive of this human. It must be a side effect of the bond created when he summoned me—a natural response to protect him as my master. An inconvenience, but unavoidable.

It’s certainly not because I’m…fondof him.

I shudder at the thought.

“You’re sure you don’t want any help?” Cas brings me back to the present. He’s been shadowing Rory like a lost puppy, acting strange ever since we returned from our trip.

Rory smiles at him, a genuine warmth in his expression that’s a stark contrast to the guarded, tight-lipped smile he reserves for me. Something ugly and territorial roils under my skin, and I release another scoff at the ridiculousness of it.

I’m not jealous.

I don’tgetjealous.

Rory glances in my direction before refocusing on Cas. “No, but thank you for asking. If I let you put them away, something tells me there’d be milk in the cupboard and raw meat in places I don’t even want to consider.”

Cas’s smile is dazzling, and their intense eye contact makes me feel like an unwelcome intruder… like I’m watching through the window, a spectator in someone’s life with no way to be a part of it. This is private—something I shouldn’t witness.Something not meant for me. Ignoring the tight knot in my gut, I back out of the room, unnoticed.

Rory’s inexperienced and innocent enough that he forgot to restore the spell confining us to the house. I could go outside, wander off into the distance. Disappear. He could command my return, but would he?

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