Page 59 of Married to the Devil

I glare at him, at a loss for how to respond. “This influence Katarina has on you is unsettling.”

He snorts, but shrugs. “That’s true. And there’s always the possibility that Stoneheart will accept paying a hefty price when he does make his move to keep you. The Leonid territory is quite an awkward chunk to keep all together.”

I choke and bark a laugh. “You greedy bastard. That’s never going to happen. You have plenty of territory.”

I shake my head and let the mirth flow at the ridiculous notion that Stoneheart would ever pay some sort of bride price to be with me.

I’m glad for the break in tension, but that doesn’t stop my thoughts. I become serious once more. “I won’t be leaving for them. This is a temporary,” I say.

Kalos only nods, not pushing for any more details, but the whisper of my thoughts doesn’t stop.

The door to the office opens without a knock, and my boss’s pregnant mate strolls in. The only person who can get away with interrupting the territory leader.

Kalos’s attention snaps to her, his brow furrowed with concern. “What do you need? Was it too cold outside?”

Katarina is gestating a dragon and at the beginning of the pregnancy nearly died from how much heat the child was drawing from her. She’d needed to have contact with Kalos to keep from going hypothermic.

Kalos’s focus is on Katarina, but mine is solely on Stella who follows her into the room. She tilts her chin up when our gazes meet. There’s a fire there I didn’t expect. She’d been sharp with me this morning, but this confidence is different. Pointed.

Katarina smiles at her mate. “I’m fine. Stella is just ready to go, and I missed you.”

Instead of scoffing that they’d only been separated for a couple of hours at most, Kalos pulls her into his lap as if he missed her more but held himself back to give her space.

This side of my boss is always a shock to see displayed. He’s always been caring and supportive, but never showed it.

I’m happy for them if a little jealous.

I turn to Stella who has the same bit of wistful wanting on her face mine probably shows. Even though we are intimate, we will never have what they have. Our arrangement isn’t about heart feelings even if I have permission to give her “comfort.”

“You want to go already?” I ask.

“We have things to do,” she says, but doesn’t elaborate.

We take a few steps away from the happy couple, and Katarina waves a cheerful goodbye to us before I grasp Stella’s hand, and we leave. Kalos’s nod of understanding stays with me as I slip into the shadows I navigate even after we get to her workshop.

Stella doesn’t waste any time. Her eyes snap open after squeezing them shut for the trip. “I want to check out the place of the last family to go missing.”

“What?”

“Their home is probably how they left it, and I want to see if I can pick up anything.”

I shake my head. “Stoneheart isn’t going to want you wandering?—”

“Stoneheartisn’t the boss of me,” Stella says, her voice strong and level.

My brows lift. “You’re his wife.”

“Which doesn’t equate to servant. We are partners,” she says. “I am not a prisoner here.”

“And you think if you check out the scene, you’ll be able to help?” I’m trying to follow her train of thought. She’s a charm maker. She’s skilled at what she does as shown by the braceletshe gave me, but that doesn’t give her any advantages when it comes to tracking people down.

Stella keeps her response measured. “I’m a witch with a specialty in objects. I may be able to tell more than Stoneheart’s people have been able to glean. Tracking witches focus on other things.”

Stella is planning to involve herself in a search for people we may never be able to find. I want to object, to save her from the unsavory bits of this, but her eyes are steely. She won’t be deterred.

“This is my territory. I want to know what I’m working with. I need to do all I can for the people here—” Her voice breaks. The thread of vulnerability exposed pulls on my very soul. She clears her throat and glares at me. “And I’m not waiting for anyone else’s permission.”

The passion of Stella that lent so much urgency to her revenge and dimmed in the subsequent lull of victory, burns bright now.

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