Page 68 of Unleashing Mayhem
“My arms are fine.”
Sascha dug around and then came out with a sleeveless black shirt with a high neckline. “This and jeans, then. I have a loose-fitting pair. Comfy and veryinright now, the oversize look. With your coloring and that black eyeliner, you’re going to look hot as fuck.” He winced in Nightmare’s direction. “You know, objectively speaking.”
Matty grinned at him. “That sounds nice.” He reached out and grasped Sascha’s wrist gently. “You’vebeen nice. Thank you for taking me in. And for being so patient. You’ve been very good to a stray.”
Sascha glared at him. “You’re not a stray, Matty. You’re family. Fuck the Carusos. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a Kozlov.” He handed Matty the shirt and dug out a pair of jeans. “Okay, I’m going to find something bright and slutty for myself.” And he disappeared fully into his closet.
Matty rose from his stool and walked over to Nightmare. His demon stayed seated, but he wrapped his big hands around Matty’s hips, his face hidden by his shadows.
“Come with me to get changed?” Matty asked.
“Of course.”
“Wait!”
Matty turned to find Sascha had returned, and he swiped something wet across Matty’s cheeks.
“A little glitter. I can’t resist. There!” And he walked away again.
Matty tilted his head at Nightmare. “What do you think?”
Nightmare’s lips curled up at the corners. “Like the night sky.”
Matty let out a long breath. “I’m nervous, but not as nervous as I could be. Because you’re here.” He tapped his chest, at the spot he could feel Nightmare’s soul connection the strongest.
It had been Matty’s one comfort throughout this long, tense day: his connection with his demon, and the emotions that had been filtering through their bond. Not just the dark devotion that was always there, wrapped around Matty like a blanket, but the bloodthirsty rage that had been growing by the minute.
Nightmare’s rage.
“You’re going to kill him for me,” Matty said now. He wanted to hear it once more from his shadow-wrapped demon.
Nightmare didn’t hesitate. “Yes, little mate.”
Matty felt words bubbling up inside him. Important words. Words he wanted to say out loud more than anything. But he held them back.
For now.
There were ghosts and monsters to put down first.
Matty wasa little surprised to see the town’s regular bouncer at the door to the Lighthouse.
Mostly because the town’s regular bouncer was Benny, and Matty was fairly certain Nightmare had been a real bro and told Helio to take him and flee.
But here was Benny, in a sleeveless shirt he filled out very differently from how Matty filled out the one Sascha had given him. Helio was lurking beside him, glowering at every single person Benny let into the bar.
Benny’s eyes lit up when he caught sight of their group. He pointed to Sascha and then Matty. “Little dude and little dude!”
So, yeah, maybe his nicknames weren’t the most original in the world. Matty liked him anyway.
“You finally came to dance!” Benny held his fist up for a bump, and this time Matty got one in before Helio tugged his boyfriend’s arm back down.
“Hey, um, Benny?” Matty stepped closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Weren’t you supposed to be gone by now? You know, for the danger?”
“Oh, is that tonight?” Benny asked.
When Matty nodded, Helio hissed, “I knew it!” and Benny scratched at his head. “Well, I’m supposed to be the bar’s protection. It would be kind of shitty of me to leave right when things got rough.” He crossed his arms, his biceps bulging kind of obscenely. “Helio and I can make sure everyone gets out if things go down.”
“I will do no such thing,” Helio sneered.
