Page 15 of D'Vaire or Nothing
“It’s dangerous to be in a room with you without my clothes, despite the presence of any strangers nearby.”
Mitchell laughed evilly. “Live on the edge, Pierce.”
“Fine. If they have a place and can squeeze us in, we can get a massage. But you better pay attention so you can rub me down at home.”
“Even if I don’t pay attention, I’m still willing to massage any part of you whenever you want.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Pierson muttered.
“Need any shoes?”
“Shoes?”
“Yeah, Blondie. They go on your feet. There is a shoe store up ahead.”
“I wear a uniform most of the time, which means I’m in boots or dress shoes. At home, I prefer to be barefoot.”
“I don’t have a fetish or anything, but you have surprisingly sexy feet.”
“Okay, I don’t have a clue how to respond to that.”
Mitchell smiled winningly. “Obviously, this is where you compliment my feet.”
“I’ll go into the shoe store with you if we can move past this inane conversation.”
“Now you’re hurting my feelings.”
With an epic eyeroll, Pierson allowed himself to be dragged into the shoe store and immediately noticed that he and Mitchell weren’t the lone Juris Knights in the establishment.
“Toby, it’s our bosses,” Juris Knight Jackson Licitra hissed. “Quickly. Scatter before they spot us.”
“This is why you aren’t capable of being a regular fallen knight, Licitra,” Mitchell drawled. “Clearly, I can see you, and we’re close enough to hear you too. You lack subtlety and probably survival instincts as well.”
Jackson cocked his head and glared. “For your information, I’m a Juris Knight because I’m incredibly intelligent. So is Toby.”
Juris Knight Tobias Patterson-Kinsler was the first—and thus far, only—fallen knight to make the leap from a tranquilizer gun-toting street officer to the select group of men and women who studied case law, argued in front of judges, and made difficult decisions about guilt and innocence.
Pierson was thankful that Toby had agreed to sign on to a pilot program inspired by him to aid fallen knights with testing difficulties. Toby’s dedication and willingness to speak openly about his problems had allowed them to create an environmentwhere fallen knights like him could take their tests without anxiety overwhelming them. His scores had eventually earned him his role as a Juris Knight, and Pierson enjoyed working with the sweet, often shy man.
“Toby is,” Mitchell agreed. “I don’t know about you. There’s a chance your scores were swapped with someone else’s.”
Jackson pursed his lips. “Someone should do their homework and realize that my test scores were higher than yours, Master Juris Knight.”
“Why is Licitra our friend?” Mitchell asked Pierson.
“I blame you. Before we became Master Juris Knights, I didn’t have friends. You did. So that makes Jackson’s presence in our lives your fault.”
“To think I was about to point out that Mitchell got his title because he’s sleeping with the most talented Juris Knight ever resurrected,” Jackson muttered. “I take it back. You two deserve each other.”
“He’s so getting a giant workload on Tuesday morning,” Mitchell said.
“I’d say don’t threaten me with a good time, but I already have too much work to do as it is,” Jackson remarked. “Now, go away so Toby can lecture me on why I don’t need another pair of boots.”
“If you want to buy them, I’m not going to stop you,” Toby commented, his grin lighting up his blue gaze.
“Where’s Gentry?” Mitchell asked Toby. “Wouldn’t you rather spend time with your mate than Licitra?”
“I don’t want to hurt Jack’s feelings, but yeah, I always want to be with Gentry,” Toby said. “Gentry and our friends are heading to Hearts bar. Jack wanted to pop in here to check out the shoes, then we’re meeting up with everyone else.”
