“Shit, you’re telling me,” Sam muttered.
The knockout redhead standing next to Sam elbowed him in the ribs with enough force to make him groan. “What my clueless cousin really meant to say is he’s happy to see you. He even brought you flowers.” The woman glanced expectantly at Sam, and her grin fizzled. “Where are the flowers and candy?”
“I thought you grabbed them.” Sam scowled. “Are you telling me I dished out twenty bucks for no damn good reason?”
“Well, at least the cabbie will feel extra special today,” his cousin offered with a sigh.
More than stunned at Sam’s sweet, albeit failed attempt to bring her flowers, Marabella blinked and returned her attention to the pretty redhead. “You and Sam are related?” There was no reason that announcement should fill her with relief. It’s not like she’d been jealous thinking they might be an item.
“Yep. I’m Cass.” Sam’s cousin extended her hand with a warm, genuine smile.
She accepted the shake. “Marabella Blanchard.”
Cass clasped her hand for longer than necessary. That, added with the curious way she was looking at her, made Marabella uncomfortable. After an awkward hesitation, Cass finally let her go. “Damn, still nothing.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s very important that we talk to you.” Cass glanced around the store. “Is there someplace private we can do this?”
“Err, not to be rude or anything, but I don’t exactly have time to chat right now. Not to mention I’m expecting a visitor any second who’ll be more than a little freaked out to discover two demons standing in the middle of my shop.”
“Actually, I’m only half demon.”
Oh, well in that case… Somehow Marabella stifled the urge to laugh hysterically. “I’m sorry, truly. But you have to go. Both of you.”
Cass’s expression turned apologetic. “That’s going to be a wee bit of a problem.”
Panic and frustration welling within her, Marabella slid her gaze to Sam. He offered her no reasonable way out of the situation. Of course not.
A defeated exhale leaked from her. “Fine. You can wait in my apartment. But whatever you do, stay put until I come up there.”
Hurrying ahead of Sam and Cass, she ushered them toward the rear of the store. She practically wrenched the door from its frame and shoved her unexpected guests into the stairway vestibule. The chimes dinged again, and she slammed the door shut. Oh goddess. Talk about a close call. Woozy from the adrenaline pumping through her, she rushed back toward the front entrance just in time to meet Findley.
“Forgive me for not getting these to you sooner, my dear.” The older woman placed the small box of cords on the nearby demilune table before offering Marabella a hug.
“N-no worries. I’m sure it’s been hectic getting everything situated after the ball.”
“You can say that again. But it was a roaring success, so you’ll get no complaints from me.”
For the next several minutes, Marabella patiently listened to Findley’s recounting of some of the more entertaining moments from the party, but the whole time she couldn’t stop thinking about Sam and Cass upstairs in the apartment. Oh goddess, did I put my laundry away from earlier? A visual of Sam fingering her bras and panties floated through her mind, and her cheeks heated.
“Well, I really must be going. I left Russell puttering away on one of his alchemist potions. Can’t have him blowing up the potting shed again.” After a hurried final exchange of hugs, Findley trotted through the door.
Her pent-up breath whooshing free, Marabella locked the entrance and flipped the sign to Closed. Scurrying as fast as her high heels would allow, she made it to the rear stairway and barreled up to the apartment. Cass was parked on the couch, her hands folded demurely in her lap. Judging from the noises coming from the small kitchen, Sam was busy rummaging through the refrigerator. Well, on the bright side, there weren’t any bras or panties for him to fondle in there.
Cass’s smile appeared pained. “I told him it was rude to raid someone else’s fridge.”
“Tough. After the day I’ve had, I need a damn beer,” Sam called.
“Sorry, I don’t have any. There might be a wine cooler somewhere in there though.” Another bubble of hysterical laughter threatened to overtake her. Any moment she expected to wake up and discover this was all just a surreal dream. Wringing her hands, she glanced at Cass. “W-would you care for anything to drink?”
Cass grinned. “You’re unbelievably polite and gracious for someone who’s been blindsided with uninvited guests.”
“You can thank my mom for that.” Oh goddess. Domino. If she ever found out about this…
“I’m fine, but you look like you could possibly stand a shot of something,” Cass said softly. “I always recommend whiskey in cases like this.”
Sam ventured from the kitchen and leaned in the archway. “I’ll second that.”
It was almost impossible to tear her gaze from the tempting visual of his T-shirt pulled snug across his broad chest. It wasn’t fair for a demon and self-proclaimed bastard to be gifted with such a mouth-watering physique. With great effort, she returned her focus to Cass. “I think it’s best if you tell me why you’re both here.” And then leave before I do something stupid. Like jump Sam and have her wicked way with him.
Her expression pensive, Cass scooted closer to the edge of the couch cushion. “We have reason to believe you’re in danger.”
Somehow Marabella doubted that was in reference to her immense desire to lick Sam from head to foot. Though goddess knows, that was certainly a danger to her sanity. “I’m afraid I don’t follow your meaning.”
Cass smoothed her palms over her jeans. “There’s a woman with considerable influence, power and dubious motives who’s developed a shady interest in you.”
“Don’t forget soulless, greedy bitch with lousy taste in goons,” Sam added with a snort. “No self-respecting description of Pricilla is complete without that one.”
“Thank you for those helpful clarifiers, Sam.” Her lips twitching, Cass hugged her knees. “So do you see why it was important for us to speak with you?”
“Not really. For starters, why would this woman—who I don’t think I even know—be interested in me?”
“Because you were able to break Sam’s seal.”
She frowned. “His what?”
“My seal.” Sam took a swig from the wine cooler before continuing. “It’s what made me a soul collector.”
She gaped at him. “How in the world did I do that?”
“By having sex with me. Or more specifically, coming your brains out.”
Marabella’s cheeks burned in embarrassment. It was tempting to smack the smirk from Sam’s face. Even if he was only speaking the mortifying truth.
A reproving sound issued from Cass. “Sam, this isn’t the time to be blunt.”
Shrugging, he chugged another swallow from the bottle clutched in his fist.
Her own cheeks slightly pink, Cass cleared her throat delicately. “Sam is technically right, though. It was the energy spike from your, uh, union, that fried through his seal. Although I’ve got to say, we weren’t expecting some of the odd side effects that came along with it.”
Expecting? Marabella ping-ponged her stare between Cass and Sam. “Wait a minute. Did…did you guys plan this whole thing?” Without warning, Sam’s answer to why he wouldn’t leave the ball ghosted through her mind. Not until I get what I came for.
Oh goddess. Just like a fool, she’d stepped smack-dab into the middle of the trap he’d laid out. She glared at Cass and received a shamed look in exchange, but when she leveled her narrow-eyed gaze onto Sam, he had the despicable indecency to lift the wine cooler in salute. “Congratulations, babe. You’ve figured it out.”