Page 66 of Unleashing Mayhem
Everyone seemed to be getting along, although Ivan was eyeing Chaos warily. But Chaos was too busy nuzzling Cooper in his lap to take notice.
Nix’s eyebrows rose at Matty and Nightmare’s appearance in the doorway. “Well, well,” he purred, shooting Matty a wink. “We were told not to disturb you. I wonder why?”
Matty’s cheeks went hot, and Chaos let out a taunting, “Ooh! You’re asking for it, Nix!”
All eyes were on Matty and Nightmare now, and Ivan’s gaze was particularly appraising as he took in Nightmare’s tall, antlered form. “Thatis what I was hoping to summon,” he said after a moment. “That air of menace.”
“Vanya!” Nix scolded. “You’ll hurt my feelings.” He dug his toes into Ivan’s thigh. “And I guarantee Nightmare wouldn’t let you bend him over any office desks, even at your most charming.”
Sascha let out a disgusted noise. “When is Ivan ever charming?”
Nix graced him with a catlike smile. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”
Ivan wrapped a hand around Nix’s foot, his gaze molten. “There’s only one demon I’ll be bending over anything, and he’s already mine to have.”
For some reason, Matty couldn’t make himself take a seat in their midst. He was suddenly frozen there in the doorway, unsure of himself. Everyone here had so much history together, related by blood or a bond. And they were so beautiful, the demons and humans both. He felt small and inexperienced and wholly inadequate.
But then Nightmare’s arms wrapped around him, lifting Matty with ease until Nightmare was sitting cross-legged on the floor, facing the others with Matty tucked in his lap.
The room went silent, even Nix’s purple eyes widening in surprise.
“Comfortable, sweet?” Nightmare asked quietly.
“Yes.” Matty snuggled deeper into Nightmare’s lap, his momentary uncertainty gone. These were his friends, Sascha and Kai at the very least. And this was his mate. And Matty belonged. “Thank you, Scary.”
Nix choked on air, the opposite of his usual elegant poise, and Chaos cackled.
“I tooold you,” he sang.
Nix seemed to take a moment to get his bearings, and then he cocked his head at Ivan. “Well, maybe if you were Matty, Nightmarewouldlet you bend—”
“Incubus,” Nightmare warned.
Nix immediately held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Sorry, sorry. Shutting up now.”
“Are we clear on tomorrow night?” Ivan asked, and Matty realized with a start that the mobster had directed the question at him.
He took comfort in Nightmare’s warmth as he answered, “Um, yes. Sascha and I will go out with Kai and Nightmare.Presumably Dominico has already realized I’m staying with Sascha, so it’s not like we have to be discreet. Cooper and Chaos will arrive separately—Dominico won’t know about them yet. And you and Nix…?” Matty trailed off.
“We’ll be close enough to help out if necessary but not be seen,” Ivan finished for him. “My presence poses too much of a risk of Dominico pulling out.”
“What if Dominico doesn’t show?” Nix asked, looking at Matty with what might have been concern. “What if he just sends one of his men to grab you?”
Matty let out a breath, reminding himself he was safe. He and Nightmare had discussed this already, and he knew the answer.
“Then we let me be taken,” he said. “Nightmare will sense if you need to intervene before we get to him. And I won’t be alone.” He pulled down the collar of his T-shirt just enough to show where one of Nightmare’s shadows was nestled. Matty wasn’t sure if it was the same little guy as before or if they’d switched out. It kind offeltlike the same one though.
Sascha frowned, twisting his hands in his lap. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t like the idea of you getting taken elsewhere. And if this Dominicodoesshow…?”
“Then he’s mine,” Nightmare rasped, and the naked violence in his voice sent a shiver down Matty’s spine.
He gathered himself just in time to see Nix pinch Ivan’s thigh viciously. “Stop ogling him. You got what you got, and you should begrateful.”
Huh. Maybe it wasn’t Nix’s attention Matty needed to worry about. His demon had so many admirers—Matty just hadn’t expected Ivan to be one of them.
20
Matty
