Page 37 of The Baby Hex
“Yep. Thanks, Mare,” Pierce said.
I opened my mouth to say that I wished he would’ve woken me up to order too but we were already pulling around the building. The lady at that window scanned something on Pierce’s phone and told him to have a nice day. Did he even realize I was awake or was he so intent on eating that he’d forgotten about me dozing in his front seat?
“I got you the chicken tenders. I never know how people take their burgers and since this is a vampyric establishment, bloody is usually the go to. If you want something else, we can swing around again or they’ll bring it out.”
“Oh,” I blinked, embarrassed of the pang in my stomach when I thought he’d forgotten me. “Has this place always been here?” I asked to change the subject.
“Yeah but it’s technically on private property. I know, I know. All businesses are on private property, but this is on ‘personal property.’ You have to have a code to get into the community.”
“Your estate?” I arched a brow and sat up to look around.
“No,” Pierce shook his head as I took in the busy mini-shopping center. There were ‘blood’ cafes, shoe stores, and even a ballet studio. Other business fronts were unlabeled, and I wondered what went on there.
“I take it this isn’t a place where anyone could just come up and order.”
“Well, I mean, they could if they could get into the community. Vampires bring guests all the time,” he said, as the car in front of us moved forward. “We’re not anti-nonvampires. This place was founded before vampires were more widely accepted. It’s just evolved over time. We’re only about ten minutes from the house and I figured we should eat before going anywhere near a bedroom together. Plus, I wanted to put in for a few extra deliveries of bloodshake mix. My parents are in Greece, your friends are back in London or stateside, and I don’t expect the grounds keepers to baby us and drop stuff off for our matingmoon.”
“And your friends?”
“Are mostly Moonscale Guards,” he chuckled. “Drone delivery is a thing and delivery apps too. I’m not counting on either of us making the best choices once your heat kicks up.”
When we finally made it to the window where the worker hands out the food, we were greeted by a ginger haired woman who smiled a little too much for my liking. Was she flirting? Did she smell my heat? Was she trying for a tip? Did you tip at fast food places? Did Londoners tip at all?
Pierce double-checked the bags she handed out and told her to have a nice day before leaving.
“Did you know her?”
“Yes.”
“Is she your ex?”
“No.”
“Well, you became a glued shut book awfully damn quickly,” I said, holding the fast food bags in my lap.
“I’m not,” Pierce shook his head.
“But you won’t tell me how you know her.”
“You didn’t ask that,” Pierce shrugged. “It’s complicated and best not talked about in public. I’ll tell you at home.”
The words at home buzzed around my brain. Sooner or later we’d have to decide where to officially call home. For me, that would always be Old New York back in the Raven Hollow Wolf Pack Territory. Not that I had plans of moving back there any time soon. Still, I liked the sound of Pierce calling his house my home too.
“What? Are you part of the same serial killer club or something?”
“Or something,” Pierce nodded.
“If you’re hoping I’ll forget, it’s a fifty-fifty chance depending on how good the food is and how fast my heat kicks up,” I teased him.
“Some things are family secrets and I’ll tell you after our claiming vows.”
Goosebumps shimmied up my arms and I fought hard not to rub them. Every family had secrets. The gods knew my family had more than its fair share of skeletons in the closet.
“Don’t smell so damn nervous about it,” Pierce said, keeping his hands on the wheel. “She’s family more or less.”
“Is that why she kept smiling like that?”
“She was telling me that you were cute and that she hoped she was invited to our mating feast. Which of course, Jasel is.”
