Page 42 of Doubts & Fears

“We still aren’t sure who sent you that package. Not to mention the casing business. You can return to those activities when we know more. Now sit down,” I told her.

Anger flashed in her eyes. “I have bills to pay, you know, and they’ll give my positions away if I’m gone too long. It’s not like I have Daddy Warbucks to call to float me.” She flopped into her seat.

“Damn right, you don’t have a Daddy Warbucks. I thought while I was spanking your sweet ass last night, we established I was your—”

“Don’t you say another word.” She flushed a beautiful red. We laughed as a sinful smile spread across his face. “You’re all a bunch of weirdos.”

“Ivan said you will sing for us later. Is that true?” Nik asked, leaning closer to her.

“He also said something about hanging from a hammock. I think I’d like to see that. We have one at the club, you know.” Alek smiled.

“Perfect. You can put me to work there when I lose my real jobs. At least I could earn my own money.”

“I’ll bet you’d be good at lap dances. The way you rode mine was literal perfection. You could try out for us tonight, if you’d like,” Nik teased.

“My ass still hurts from my beating last night, so I think I will hold off on that, big daddy.” She spat her tongue out at him, and he erupted in a roar of laughter.

“Beating? We need to work on your desire to dramatize everything, young lady,” I said between bites.

“Well, when you leave bruises, that typically indicates a beating. Of course, it doesn’t help that I have new ones, too, thanks to your monster hands.”

“Wow, really? Earlier, you said you’d die if you couldn’t sing or dance. Here we are trying to accommodate you, and you call us weirdos and monsters.” I pretended to be offended.

“I didn’t call you monsters, although all of you certainly are. I said monsterhands.”

“As long as you don’t forget who you’re dealing with,” I said.

“How could I forget when I’ve drank the blood of the Blade? The Reaper Creeper sneaks into my bed when I’m sleeping. And the Crow declares himself my Daddy? It’s not possible to forget. I know exactly who you all are.”

“You were the one who licked my thumb. I had no intention of asking you to suck me clean. I just wanted to see your reaction to blood. The licking and sucking, that was all you.”

“I’m so done with you. Suck you clean…You’re—ugh! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“I do, actually. Every Wednesday, to be exact, when we go to dinner. So keep it up, and I’ll bring you along, and you can suck me clean there too.”

“You just going to whip it out at the dinner table, then?”

“If the occasion calls for it. But don’t worry we can practice before the big day,” I said to her.

“Who says I need practice, Blade?”

“Oh, little love, that sounds like a challenge, and you’re with me tonight. Might want to rethink your attitude,” I warned.

“What do you mean, I’m with you tonight?” She went white.

“Yes, since you can’t seem to be trusted, we’ll babysit you at night as well as during the day,” Alek said.

“And your doctor friend approves of this?”

“Well, you’d know that if you had called him, but since you’re so stubborn, I guess you’ll never know, will you?” I said, taking another bite.

She whipped out her phone with a smug look on her face. She put it on the table, dialed, and put it on speaker. It rang twice, and Marcel answered, sounding sleepy and surprised.

“Ms. Taylor, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to ask you something, clarify a few things. You’re currently on speakerphone. Say hello to your fellow deathies.” She smiled as I shook my head. Alek watched her closely, and Nik laughed.

We exchanged hellos, and she launched right into her question for him. “Is it safe for me to assume that you follow the laws concerning patient privacy, Dr. Marcel?”

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