Page 85 of Laid Bare

“Baney?” Zane snorts. “You’re just one letter off from being that big, stupid purple dinosaur.”

“Shut up.” Bane shoves at Zane, sending him flying off the couch and onto the floor. His big red body hits with a loud thump, and for a moment, I worry the vibration of the floor will bother whoever lives below us, but then I realize I don’t give a shit.

Normally, I would. But the assholes at this school don’t deserve my worry.

“Snow?” I hum in acknowledgement. “You ready?”

“Yep.” I pop the “P”.

“Okay. I dare you to make a deal with me. An honest, crossroad deal.”

Zane sucks in a sharp breath, eyeing his brother for a moment before turning those inquiring eyes toward me.

“Okay.” I shrug; no big deal. “But I don’t have a dick, so no showing or growing here.” Zane cackles, probably remembering how we got the fae wine in the first place.

“It can be anything, snow. Anything your heart desires.”

“You sound like that genie from theDisneymovie. What was the name of it?” I ponder for a minute before snapping my fingers. “Aladdin.”

“Close. But this isn’t a three wishes kind of thing.”

“Potato, tomato.” I wave my hand. “Okay. Okay.”Ugh, why is this so hard?“Oh, oh. I got it.” I shimmy in my seat, super excited at the prospect. “I want a year’s supply of that old coffee they used to make. Star…Starbucks.We learned in the human sector that it used to be really popular before the veil shattered, and the company collapsed not long after.”

Bane arches his brow, his forked tongue licking his lips. “You want to put your soul in my hands for… coffee?”

“Yeppers. You underestimate my love ofMr. Tall, Dark, and Steamy. Now, are we making the deal or not?”

“If that’s what you want…” he trails off, shaking his head, before holding out his gray hand. “Deal?”

I slap my hand into his, shaking it happily. Best deal ever.

“Deal.”

I wait with bated breath for something to happen. My coffee to pop up out of nowhere. His hand to shock mine. Something.

My lips turn down in a pout a few minutes later after nothing happens. Because yes, I’ll wait minutes for coffee to materialize out of thin air.

“I think your dealmaker’s broken. Poor form, Baney.”

“Sorry, snow. I think you’re right.” But he shares a weird ass look with Zane, their eyebrows waggling like they’re having a silent conversation.

Rude.

I can do that, too, though. I turn to Aero on the couch across the room and wiggle my eyebrows up and down, trying to tell him that the demons are rude for not including me in whatever they’re talking about.

Only, he doesn’t reply. Hell, my own damn pony ignores me, turning over on the couch and burying his head in the cushion.

Jerk.

“Alright, pinky girl, your turn,” Zane cackles, sloshing the precious Fae wine over the edge of the cup. “Oops.” His forked tongue snakes out and licks up the side of the glass.

Damn. Just thinking of things that tongue could do has heat pooling in my belly and wetness soaking through my boyshorts.

“Snow? You good?”

I flinch at the hand waving in my face. Damn wine is making me think dirty thoughts. I wonder if they did this shit on purpose.

Sneaky demons.

---