Page 60 of Lucifer's Hounds

“Thank you.”

Shorty bows and waves his hand. “You’re welcome. Are you hanging out for a little while or are you going on a search for Cass?”

I take a long sip of my drink, sigh, and turn toward Shorty. “I have no idea. I’m not going on a manhunt, that’s for sure.”

I take another sip and scan the bar. Everyone is talking and the place actually has welcoming feel about it. Shorty walks back to the crowd he was in the middle of earlier, leaving me to sit alone at the bar. Closing time is right around the corner and although I’m not tired, I don’t feel like sitting in a bar alone any longer.

I leave my drink sitting on the bar and make my way through the crowd until I find Shorty. “I’m going to get out of here. I don’t feel like being out and socializing.”

Shorty wraps me into a hug. “Okay. How are you getting back to your hotel?” he asks.

“Calling a cab. The same way that I got here,” I say, as if it’s blatantly obvious and he should know.

“No ma’am. I have a cage. I will bring you. Cass would kill me if I let you leave out of here alone in a town that you don’t know anyone in.”

Shorty grabs me by the arm and leads me to the door. I don’t protest. I hate being alone, especially in an unfamiliar town. I stop at the driver door of a gray Toyota Corolla.

“Hop in,” he says, plopping down in the driver’s seat. The drive from the bar to the hotel is short and quiet. Shorty doesn’t say much and because he knows where the hotel is, I don’t have to try and give him directions.

It’s two o’clock on the dot when I walk into the hotel room. It’s in the exact same condition I left it, messy and empty. I let out a sigh and lay across the bed in the dark. Where is he? This sucks. I just want to be held, and I want my spot. I want to be curled up in his arms, my head on his chest. I lie here in the dark, while I contemplate my life.

Just as I am drifting off to sleep, the sound of a key card in the door draws my attention. The door clicks open. I roll over to see a very sleepy looking Cass. He must think I’m asleep as he walks quietly to his suitcase. After rummaging through it, he walks quietly into the bathroom. A few minutes later, the sound of the shower turning on filters through the thin walls. I swear it only takes him a solid minute before the shower is turning off and Cass is walking out of the bathroom and crawling into bed beside me.

He has to be exhausted. He didn’t sleep last night aside from the cat nap he got at the airport, I’m sure. Cass wraps an arm around my waist, his hand resting on my lower stomach just between my hip and my thigh. I lift my hand to cover his and inch back until my back is flush against Cass.

“I missed you today,” I whisper, all of my anger dissipating at just the feel of his skin on mine.

“Ditto, baby.” And just like that, every worry and negative thought I had throughout the evening is gone and the only thing in the world that matters is being right where I am. Home.

Chapter Nine

In the early hours of the morning, I wake to Cass rubbing my back. His fingers lightly skim over my skin in circles, sending chills up and down my spine. I fight the urge to shiver beneath his touch. My mind wanders to the events of last night. I have so many questions. Where has he been? What was he doing? He said he was working but I’m not buying it. Was he doing things with the club?

I also don’t want to ruin the mood of this morning before it even begins, so I lay here silently for a few minutes, allowing Cass to believe I’m asleep before I begin stirring.

I shift beneath his fingertips as they trace that spot on my neck and make me shiver. I roll over to face him. He’s lying on his side with one hand on his cheek and the other around my waist.

“Good morning,” he says, his voice cracking.

“Good morning,” I turn my head to say it, breathing away from him.

“What are you doing?” Cass gives me a puzzled look.

“I don’t want you to endure my morning breath.”

“Oh, come on. I bet it’s not that bad,” he says.

“Oh no. It is bad. So bad.”

Cass leans over and puts his face over mine. “Let me see.”

I shake my head in protest. “Mm-mm,” I hum, turning my face to the side, mouth shut tight.

Cass slides his hand down to my ribs, poking me.

I let out a laugh. “Stop!”

Cass rolls away, chuckling.

---