Page 19 of Dark OZ

Chapter 9

Dannypulledaveryexpensive-looking bottle from an upper shelf, making a shooing motion at me like I was a stray dog who’d taken a shit on his lawn.

Oh, fuck no.I ground my teeth, fighting the impulse to break something he’d miss. I probably shouldn’t provoke him further…probably.

“Ignore him, Thea. I’ll get you whatever you want downstairs.” Crowe started walking down a back hall. Swallowing the bitterness down, I did the smart thing and followed him.

Ice clinked off glass and there was the dull pop of a cork being pulled. The sound grated against my nerves, making a muscle behind my eye twitch.

“Heh, of course you will,” Danny scoffed. “Typical spoiled princess. I bet men kiss your feet everywhere you go.”

I spun on my heel. Who needed safe? Who needed smart, when this asshole was begging to be put in his place?

With a few quick steps, I snatched the glass from Danny’s fingers just as it was raised to his lips. There was a healthy two-finger pour of what smelled like whiskey in the glass, not that it mattered. He could have been drinking battery acid, and I still would have downed the entire amount in one long swallow. It burned going down, warming my stomach and already making my muscles feel more relaxed.

Danny’s hand hovered where it had held the glass only a second ago, blinking slowly while trying to process what I’d just done.

“Heh,” I said, mocking his dismissive and completely unnecessary exhale, “I’ve had better.” I slid the glass across the counter to him.Fuck, that felt good.

“That was a fifty-year-old scotch you just threw back like it was some watered-down rail drink.”

Of course he cared more about the manner in which I drank my pilfered liquor, rather than the fact I’d stolen his expensive booze at all.

I picked up the decanter and refilled his glass. The scotch rolled in a slow pour, showing just how smooth it was. How much had that liquid gold cost him? Was that a hundred-dollar swallow? Two hundred?

“That’s better.” Danny seemed pleased that I’d taken the time to replace what was stolen, but I’d never really been the accommodating type. I lifted the glass and tipped the liquid heat down my throat before he could utter so much as a word in protest.

Bracing both hands on the counter, Danny’s long torso easily leaned over the island. Maybe one stolen drink was permissible, but two? The menace in his eyes made them look molten. His hand came forward, and I braced for the slap that surely was coming.

“You aren’t scared of anything, are you, Princess?”

Where I steeled myself for violence, there was none. He slowly swiped his thumb over my lip, catching a bead of scotch on his finger. With laser focus, I watched the way the tip of his tongue laved at the surface, teeth raking the side. From the way his lips twisted into a smirk, I knew he was aware of exactly how sensuous that small gesture had been.

“You coming?” Crowe said, dispelling the charge that had filled the air between us. He pulled open a door, triggering an automatic light that filled the hallway with a cool blue glow.

“Run along.” Danny looked like he’d just won some unspoken challenge. Fucker.

“Thanks for the drink,” I said with a smile, quickly rejoining Crowe.

“Be careful, Princess. This is me playing nice,” Danny called to me. “Though something tells me you don’t really want it nice.”

“I wouldn’t know what nice looks like,” I replied, not bothering to turn around.

Low enough so that only I could hear him, Crowe whispered, “I’ll have to see what I can do about that.”

His arm protectively circled around my shoulders, doing little to dispel the unease slithering through me.

“Downstairs?” I said, trying not to let my anxiety make my voice shake. Nothing good ever came of being brought below ground. I definitely didn’t like the idea of trapping myself in a place with only one way out.

“Yeah, I’ve got the downstairs. Nick has the loft. Danny has the suite on the main floor behind the den. You’ll like it. It’s cozy. The basement has my room, a gym, and… well, it’s not important what all is down there.” He extended his hand to me, waiting for me to take it. His smile seemed gentle enough.

After meeting the rest of them and seeing a glimpse of what they do, I wondered if this nice guy routine was all a mask he used to lure prey. Whatever it was, it was working. Consider me lured. Despite knowing better, I took his hand. Because, fuck it.

“Color me curious. This place is pretty nice for three guys whodrive cabs.”

“Sure, it is…AndI’m sure Em’s farm has all those electrified fences and men armed with semi-automatics to keep the cows safe.”

“Touché.”

---