Demon's Trust (The Chronicles of Arcayos #1) - Raven Dark Page 0,71

head but dropping her arms, she walks briskly over to the table where coffee and cups are laid out.

I glance behind me at the desks. Julie is wearing a wide, Cheshire cat grin.

Cassidy pours a cup of coffee for herself. She sniffs it and wrinkles her nose. I can smell that it’s burned from here.

“Why am I the only one who thinks the coffee isn’t going to run out or burn black?” She dumps the half-filled carafe out and sets up both pots with a fresh brew. “You men are all programmed to forget how to use coffee makers until they’re full.”

A few chuckles ripple through the room.

Cassidy starts for the hall.

I lean against the table. “Aren’t you going to pour me one?”

If looks could kill, I’d be dead, demon or not, Champion or not. She shoots me a glare, her face turned so only I see it, and snatches a cup from the tower of them.

“You offered,” I say, holding back a smile.

Tyrone’s brows go up, his mustache twitching, and he wipes away a smirk with his palm.

Cassidy’s teeth are bared as she pours me a hot cup and sets it in my hand with a lividly sweet smile.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” I say.

Her eyes flash. “Come on, Hawk.” She says my name with arctic flatness. “Let’s go.”

She marches for the stairs to the main floor without waiting for me to follow.

I grab a lid for my coffee, give the room at large a shrug, and follow her with a bounce in my step. If she thinks I’m going to let her lead me around like a dog on a leash, she has a lot to learn.

“Better watch yourself,” Max says. “She’s a handful.”

Oh, yes. And that’s just the way I like it.

15

Partners

“That went rather well, don’t you think?” Arcayos keeps pace with me as we make our way down the front steps outside the stationhouse, headed for my car.

Uh. I can’t figure out if I’m madder at him or with myself. I almost called him by his real name in front of the whole squad.

“You won them over,” I agree, “Good job.”

He raises a brow, probably for the tightness in my voice.

I fish my keys out of my pocket.

“I like them,” he says, putting on a bright smile that tells me he’s trying to be upbeat in spite of my surliness. “Except Max Harding. I don’t like him.”

I smile, some of my anger mollified. “No one likes Max.”

“I don’t like the way he looks at you. He looked at you like he was picturing you naked.”

A laugh bubbles up from me. The possession in his grumbling tone should annoy me, but I can’t help liking that it pissed him off to have another man ogle me, and especially Max.

“Why don’t you say anything to Colburn?” Arcayos asks.

“Guys like Max are part of the job, Hawk.” Even if there weren’t dozens of officers making their way across the lot and in and out of the station, I’d have still used his persona’s name. Best to keep his two identities separate and not risk making another fatal mistake. “I don’t like it, but it’s just something women have to deal with.”

“If he keeps doing it, I’ll break his nose.”

Much as I’d love to see Max Harding get his nose busted by my new unwanted partner, the last thing we need is for him to be written up for assault on a fellow officer. I open my mouth to say as much.

“I’ll take those.” Arcayos snatches the keys to my car out of my hand.

“Oh, no you won’t. Give those back, Hawk.” I move in front of him, holding out my palm.

Smirking, his eyes flick to the other officers, some of whom are looking at us with amusement. I grab for the keys, and he holds them out of reach.

“Are you kidding me right now?” I hiss. “No one drives my car but me.”

“First time for everything.”

I hate that he says that saying so naturally, without the slightest awkwardness. And that he walks around me still smiling, headed for my car.

There is an annoying bounce in his overgrown steps, and I have to run to keep up.

“You barely even know how to drive!” I hiss lividly. Picturing my car wrapped around a pole makes me panicky.

“I know enough. You taught me well. Don’t worry—I’ll be careful.” He unlocks the passenger’s side door and opens it, waiting patiently for me to get in.

It’s true. I did teach him that first day after we made