Chapter 22 #2
“Don’t worry about it, you’re still my favorite cougar,” Andreas said with a wink.
I crossed my arms over my chest to stop myself from touching Kaso. “Here I thought all mafia bad boys were the alpha type—”
“Yeah, I don’t wanna watch this.” Zuriel sighed and looked to us. “While they did invent the mafia unintentionally, they weren’t the bad ones. Those were the humans. These two took out a lot of bad guys when you two were short handed.”
Kaso grinned. “See, he’s gettin’ it.”
Zuriel glared at him. “What I get is that while you four have been playing this little game you think I'm unaware of, Christopher just killed someone.”
All four of us flinched and gasped.
“Oh, do I have your attention now?” Zuriel took the time to glare at each one of us one by one.
“Good, keep listening. Christopher has killed someone, now, it was his piece of shit henchmen who was also bound to be exiled so no loss but still…
point is, Christopher seems to be your hardest target yet.
And you still haven't caught him. It's been months.
Guys, it's your fault the girls didn't catch him months ago. Girls, it’s your fault you still haven’t caught him.
So the way I see it, the four of you are gonna work together and you're gonna catch him. Nod if you understand.”
We all nodded.
He reached forward and grabbed the handcuffed mage by the collar and started for the portal. “By any means necessary, people. I won’t ask again.”
In true Zuriel style, he was gone before any of us could respond or react.
For a moment, all four of us just stood there staring at the now closed portal into Second Realm.
I was flabbergasted. Zuriel was demanding we work with the guys.
I did not see that coming. Regan seethed beside me, her turquoise magic coiled up her arms. Kaso and Andreas looked to each other then back to us, something about the looks in their eyes told me I didn’t want to hear what they were about to say.
“Okay, look, look, look.” I held my hands up and took a deep breath.
Kaso’s golden gaze slid down my body slowly. “Oh, I’m lookin’.”
“I will rip your eyeballs out.” I didn’t need him looking at me like that and distracting me even more.
“Only if you promise to keep them in your bra,” Kaso said with a chuckle.
My jaw dropped and my stupid body got all warm and squirmy. Very unhelpful.
“The nerve of this guy.” Andreas pinched the bridge of his nose. “Christopher killed Donny–”
“I know, I know. We better pull our shit together.” Kaso held his hands up in surrender. “I just can’t help myself sometimes.”
Regan narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
I put my hand on her shoulder to hold her in place. “He’s right, this is serious. It’s been serious but if he’s now killed his own henchmen—”
“The henchmen,” Andreas added with a rough voice. “Donny did all his dirty work. He was the executive assistant of your nightmares.”
Kaso whistled and shook his head. “If he killed Donny then shit has hit the fan and it’s only a matter of time before he makes bigger, messier moves.”
“So we,” I paused to gesture to the four of us, “need to hit pause on all this fuckery. We need a truce, okay?”
Kaso smiled at me but for once it wasn’t that flirty, devious sideways grin but an actual soft smile. “Yeah we know what we gotta do now. I’ll try to resist how temptin’ you are and keep it on the up and up from now on.”
That made me smile. “Fair. But no more suspenders—”
He gasped. “Heyyyy, come on now.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Leave them at home until Christopher is dead or gone. You know damn well what they do to me and I need to keep my head on straight.”
His cheeks flushed a soft pink and it made me weak in the knees. “All right, just until he gets what’s comin’ to him. I’ll do my best to tone it down.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You mean like…jeans?”
“Yeah alright. . . jeans.” He chuckled. “Modern shit it is. That work for you?”
“Yes…thank you,” I said softly.
“If I gotta wear jeans, what are you gonna do about all that . . . leather and skin.” He motioned to my body. “You gotta do somethin’ about that.”
I grinned. “So…head, shoulders, knees, and toes are all good?”
He held one finger up and closed his eyes. “Don’t…I’m only so strong, woman.”
I snort laughed. “Sorry. Yes, I agree to your terms.” I held my hand out to shake and tried to ignore the rush of tingly heat that swept through my body just from our skin touching. My pulse quickened.
“We have a truce." He squeezed my hand gently then slowly pulled his hand from mine, letting our fingers slide against each other.
Regan cleared her throat pointedly and arched one eyebrow at Andreas.
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “They’re glasses, Regan. I need them to see.”
Regan cursed. “What about contacts?”
“I might be old but I ain’t stickin’ my finger in my eye.” He frowned then snapped his fingers. “But I got somethin’ for ya. I’ll break out my old ones, no one would like those things..”
She pursed her lips. “That could be worse but I’m willing to try anything at this point. And please lose the suit it’s just too much to resist.”
“The things I do for you. I’m thinkin’ you’re gonna owe me.” Andreas glared at his brother before turning back to Regan. “Now what’s in it for me?”
“I will refrain from threatening you. . . mostly.”
Andreas grinned. “I can’t tell you how much I like that you got that answer right.”
Regan rolled her eyes but she blushed.
“I’m thinkin’ I might need a bit more than that, love. No black sounds good to me too.”
She flinched but so did I. “What? No black?”
“Nope. You look delicious in black.” He gestured to her body. “Might recommend a nice shit colored brown?”
“Brown? You want me to wear brown clothes?” When he nodded she put her hands on her hips. “So if I show up next time in a brown leather corset and mini skirt ensemble you’re gonna be okay with that?”
“It ain’t your parts that affect me the most, it’s the overall…” he paused “murderous vibe that does it for me.”
Unable to help myself, I glanced to Kaso.
He grinned. “Have you seen you? Come on, I’m only so strong.”
I hung my head and laughed. “Okay. All right. So we agree? All four of us? Truce? We’re gonna work together to catch this son of a bitch?”
“Yeah,” all three of them said in unison.
I took a deep breath of relief.
“So … you two are the experts in Christopher…” Regan gestured to the brothers, which I knew took a lot for her to say. “What do you propose we do?”
“You’re not gonna like this answer but you gotta trust us.” Andreas held his hands up. “I say it’s about time for a little meetin’. He’s got no idea what’s up with us. We’ll figure out his next play. Then the four of us can be ready to bag an’tag.”
Kaso nodded and rubbed his hands together. “Yous two gotta act like nothin’ has changed. Give ‘em a show, be the Vitrues. And we’ll find you, don’t go lookin’ for us. It’s gotta be business as usual.”
“Deal.” Regan cursed. “Chanegan has two shows this week, the 27th and 30th, over in Hawaii so we’ll be out of your hair.”
“Shit I forgot about those shows.” I ran my hands through my hair. “Aren’t we also putting the fear of God, or Lucifer, into that gang of sirens?”
That made Regan grin. “We all have something to look forward to.”