Page 97 of Blood and Bonbons

Anchor waved us into the house a moment later.

As Vena and I headed inside, I was both relieved and let down that Cross wasn’t there, which made me pause. Since when did I miss him?

Anchor had dropped his bag near the couch and was already double-checking that the windows were locked when I shut the door behind us.

Part of the kitchen curtain had been jostled to the side. As I shifted it back into place, movement beyond the tracks caught my attention.

Cross stood in the shadows near the rail line, his hands tucked into the pockets of his relaxed jeans. The dark color of his t-shirt made him blend even more with the background but didn’t hide the chiseled expanse of his chest. His eyes reflected a hint of light as he nodded at me.

I started to smile in return until he suddenly disappeared.

“What has you smiling like that?” Anchor asked from nearby. “I think that’s the first real smile I’ve ever seen.”

My brows rose, and I turned to face him.

“What do you mean? I’m smiling all the time at work.”

“Right. All the time. That’s your work smile. Your ‘here’s another drink, sir’ smile. That’s not the same smile you had right now.”

“Wow, Anchor,” Vena said, emerging from her bedroom. “That’s a lot of personal detail there. Makes a girl wonder why you’ve been paying her best friend any level of attention. Do you have feelings for Everly?”

Heat flooded my face, and I glared at her. “Vena, cut it out.”

“No, it’s okay,” Anchor said, looking surprisingly collected. “I pay attention because it’s my job to make sure Everly is safe. I notice every little detail so I know if she’s distressed and needs my help. Her scent. Her body language. The words she uses. I don’t only use my eyes, ears, and nose. I use my brain, Vena, to know when I’m needed and when I’m not.”

The steady way he held her gaze for that last line had her looking away uncomfortably.

“So, no personal interest then?” she asked.

“There’s absolutely interest,” he said before clearing his throat. “Everly is like my sister. Mine to protect but not to control.”

“You like control?” Vena asked.

“Nope! Stop. We are not going to treat Everly like she isn’t in the room,” I said, speaking of myself in the third person to make a point.

I turned to Anchor and jabbed a finger at him. “Do not tell her you have control issues. She’ll try handcuffing you at some point just to test it.”

I started for my bedroom.

“You’re both going to drive me insane. And, Vena, I’m officially instating the roommate clause.”

The roommate clause was a pact Vena and I had made when we’d first moved in together. On any given night, when evoked, there was nothing but silence from the other roommate. No shenanigans. No drinking and watchingThe Other Houseat full blast after a failed date (that one was me) or knife throwing at a target setup with a range buzzer (that one was Vena). Nothing but silence.

“Aw! Ev, don’t–”

“Goodnight!” I slammed my door on her objections and stripped out of my work clothes, safe in the knowledge that I wouldnotwake up to the sounds of those two going at it like rabbits.

After changing into my pajamas, I ducked into the bathroom to wash my face. Being a good hostess, I checked on Anchor one last time once I was done.

“Sorry about that,” he said quietly from his place on the couch. “She has a way of getting under my skin.”

I snorted.

“She has that ability with a lot of people.” I gave him a sad smile. “Just protect your heart, Anchor. I’ve never had a big brother and wouldn’t mind keeping you around.”

He flashed a smile at me.

“I’ll do my best. Night.”

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