Page 115 of The Female

“I didn’t realize how much of a snoop you are.”

“I’m not snooping. I’m organizing.” I’m quick to defend myself. “Besides, don’t act like you haven’t peeked at their things now and again.”

Despite not seeing his face, I can tell he’s scowling. Rock’s in a mood this morning.

“No. Unlike you, I have self-restraint. Besides, if you get caught going through Gray’s things, he’ll probably get you off before shoving more food down your throat. The help doesn’t get the same, easy treatment.” Rock tilts his head back and runs his thumb across his throat for emphasis.

I shrug. I’m sure Gray wouldn’t kill somebody for going through his things. That’s dramatic, even for him.

Holding in a smirk, I level my gaze with Rock and lean back in Gray’s chair.

“Somebody sounds jealous,” I tease.

“Excuse me?”

“If you want Gray to touch your penis, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to oblige. I can even put in a good word for you.” I laugh as Rock splutters and fumbles to grab his book.

I’m willing to bet his face would be beet-red if he were a human. I raise my eyebrows as Rock pretends to be so entranced by his book that he can’t even hear me. One point for me, zero for Rock.

As I begin translating the papers on Gray’s desk, I can’t help but wonder about Gray’s prior relationships with the staff. I’ve gathered that almost everybody is attracted to the sex demons. I’ve also concluded that the sex demons have no issues fulfilling those desires.

Has Gray ever been with Rock? The thought has never crossed my mind, but I hope he hasn’t. I know sex and intimacy are a necessity of survival for Gray, but it’d be nice not to constantly be surrounded by people who’ve touched his dick.

“Have you and Gray ever…?” I ask, hesitating and trailing off at the end.

Rock shakes his head.

“An incubus of his status would never be with a shadow. We can’t give him a satisfying feed, so it’d be pointless,” he explains, setting down his book. “It isn’t my place to comment on this, but I know our customs are new to you.”

Rock pauses and clears his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “Incubi are sought after, especially to the lower demons like me. Giving them away for an evening is a common gift among demons. I respect you enough to treat your offer as the joke I know you intended it to be, but most won’t.”

I grimace and look away, thoroughly embarrassed. I had no idea.

“Gray’s got enough weight with Aziel and Silas backing him that I’m sure he could get out of a promise without too much backlash, but it’d still reflect poorly on the house,” Rock continues, each word only furthering my shame.

The silence in the room is deafening as he returns to his book and I return to my translating, both of us pretending this conversation never happened. I’m thankful Rock knew it was only a lighthearted joke.

Gray would kill me if I offered him up and got him stuck in that position.

I glance at the clock again before returning to Gray’s papers. What are they talking about? Maybe Aziel is trying to convince them to send me back to the auction house.

I trust Gray wouldn’t let them do that, but the thought still sends shivers down my spine.

My spirits lift as I continue stacking and organizing Gray’s messy desk, the hardwood surface slowly coming into view. Either he will be happy I’ve taken the time to do this or annoyed I messed with his stuff, but that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I get to it.

I bend and pull open the drawers beneath his desk to look over the folders within them. My need to type everything into the translator slows me considerably, but thankfully, Gray isn’t one for decorative language. He’s straight to the point in his notes and labels.

My lips curl as the translator comes back with the word FEMALES, and I glance at Rock to ensure he isn’t looking before grabbing the file. I do my best to remain stealthy as I pull out the papers and begin to translate the headlines.

Gray’s been avoiding talking about it, but this is too perfect of an opportunity to pass up.

The headlines line up closely with what Silas told me the other day, and I let out a sigh of relief before continuing to flip through the stack. There are a few charts and lists that are quick to translate, and each one raises my spirits.

I don’t quite understand all the science, but from what I’m seeing, these odds don’t look too bad for most breeds. Some will go extinct, but most will see a full recovery if action is taken soon.

I’m practically bouncing as I resist the urge to squeal. I’ll ask Gray can read this to me later so I can hear all the intricate details. I’m sure I’m missing a ton by only getting the headlines.

My excitement grows as I continue my way through the stack. There’s an extensive timeline filling two pages near the middle, and I place them next to one another so I can view it in its entirety. My lips twitch as I try to make sense of it.

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