Page 59 of Kin of the Wolf

“Are you thinking of the time you woke up with your hand on my boob?”

“I think of it often. Is that inappropriate?”

“Completely.”

“Do you mind?”

“Not as much as I should.”

His eyelids drooped further. Damn if he didn’t look sexy, especially with his shirt off.

He also looked like he was about two seconds from inviting me inside, mussed bed or not, so that we could explore each other’s bodies without any of my relatives nearby. For a moment, I considered accepting such an offer, but… I needed to deal with Augustus and ensure the complex wouldn’t be threatened again by werewolves or thugs hopped up on potions. It was only a few days until my son arrived, and who knew the Sylvans’ timeline and how seriously they were considering selling the apartments? The gravity of everything I needed to do weighed on me.

“Rue called me,” I said. “Your chocolates are poisoned.”

Duncan nodded without surprise. “She called me too. I understand you’re a tough negotiator, but she’ll be moving in this weekend. It’ll be handy to have her close for all the future times I need gifts analyzed.”

“Are you planning to stay in my parking lot long-term enough to receive a lot of dubious gifts?”

“My sex appeal and fame as a treasure-hunting YouTuber ensures a steady stream of such.”

“Given that you don’t have a mailing address, I’m skeptical of that. It’s a wonder that delivery person found you.”

“Your cousins know exactly where I am. I assume you believe they were responsible?”

“Yeah.” I told him about the family dessert maker. “I’ve got Rue preparing antidotes for the poison.”

“You didn’t think I’d be able to resist eating the chocolates even knowing they’re poisoned?”

“I want to be prepared in case Augustus tries again. In themeantime, you might want to avoid accepting food from random people off the street.”

“I’m currently drinking coffee thatyougave me.”

“I’m from an apartment, not off the street. You’re probably safe.”

“True. And I trust you want to keep me alive. Were I to die horribly at your feet, nobody as handsome as I would fantasize over fondling your anatomy.”

“That would be heartrending.”

“Yes.” His lazy smile filled me with warmth and made me think again of trysts in his van, but the roar of multiple motorcycles came from the street.

I grimaced. “What now?”

Two riders without helmets drove Harleys slowly past the parking lot. I didn’t think they were any of the men who’d troubled us before—facing off against Duncan had to have deterred some of those guys—but they had the same vibe, straight down to the drugged bloodshot eyes. The pair didn’t scope out the cars as if they had vandalism in mind. Instead, they looked straight at Duncan and me, holding our gazes for long moments before they rode out of view.

“Were they to give me gifts, I would not consume them,” Duncan said. “No matter how appetizing.”

I shook my head, thoughts of morning interludes replaced by bleakness. I had a feeling the local criminal element knew we’d been responsible for stopping that robbery and didn’t appreciate having me in the neighborhood nearly as much as the store owners did.

18

My phone restedon the kitchen table next to eight vials of liquid. Four were red and four bluish-purple. They weren’t labeled, but when Rue had brought them by, at the same time requesting a tour of her future home, she’d made sure to identify which were the truth elixirs and which the antidotes for the poison. After sniffing disdainfully only a few times at the half-cleaned apartment—fortunately, after my previous day’s work and the removal of the stained and odiferous furniture, it didn’t look or smell that bad—she’d departed, looking cheerful.

With the potions delivered, I had a plan, but each time I reached for my phone, sweat broke out on my palms and I paused. What if this didn’t work? I wasn’t a thespian.

“I only have to fool Augustus,” I told myself. “He’s not that bright.”

I was about to dial his number when a knock at the door startled me. Duncan? No, I sensed Jasmine.

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