These precautions were important, because there were noses around that could pick apart his secret in a heartbeat. His pulse raced.
Hilly-Billy knocked and stepped into the room. “Here’s the transport bag. I’ll prepare the formula.”
In the smoothest move, Telos dropped Mav’s wrapped shirt into the bag and zipped it up. “Begone.”
Hilly-Billy picked up the bags. Telos watched with bated breath. He couldn’t wait to complete this mission, get home, and spend some sweet, sweet time in bed with that shirt.
Hilly-Billy was reaching for the doorknob when the door opened, and Mav stepped in.
Telos froze.This is awkward.
Mav looked from one of them to the other, his gaze dropping to the bags in Hilly-Billy’s hands.
Then he sniffed.
It wasn’t a particularly strong scent, since it was nearly a day old and wrapped in two other bags. But maybe Telos’ discomfort gave him away.
Mav’s gaze snapped to him, and he closed the distance to Hilly-Billy. “What’s in that bag?”
Hilly-Billy narrowed his eyes, shoving both bags behind him. “None of your concern.”
“Really? I believe it contains something of mine.”
Telos’ pulse stuttered. He fought to steady it, but the damage had already been done. Mav’s gaze locked onto him.
There was nothing left but to go on the offensive.
Telos lunged, only to have Mav meet him halfway, large fingers curling into Telos’ shirt.
Mav’s breath fell on his lips. Those amber eyes pierced his. Mav swung him around and shoved him up against a wall, and the heat of his body soaked into Telos.
Blood swooped between Telos’ legs. This,thiswas something from his fantasies.
He tried to tamp down his emotions.
Mav released him the next moment. Before Hilly-Billy could use the distraction to escape, Mav yanked the bags from his hands.
“These belong to me,” Mav growled.
“They don’t,” Telos blurted. “It’s all mine now.”
“But they weren’t before.”
Fuck.
Mav’s expression turned knowing. “Should I get the rest involved? I’m sure they’d be happy to judge.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Mav smiled. And Telos’ desperation climbed—more so because Mav knew what he was feeling.
It was incredibly damning.
Telos exchanged a look with Hilly-Billy. The next instant, he shifted into a raven and flew at Mav, attacking his face. At the same time, Hilly-Billy snatched the bags out of Mav’s hands, lunging for the door.
Mav ignored Telos and went for Hilly-Billy; Telos switched tactics and turned into a monkey, grabbing Mav’s face with his entire body.
Except Mav was single-minded in his pursuit of the butler, great thumping footsteps that made Telos grab fistfuls of Mav’s hair, trying to yank them out.