entire section in the library devoted to poetry on a female’s bush.” Said by Shax as if it were a serious subject.
I gaped. “Poetry?”
Grandma snorted. “You should ask him how large the section of limericks about male prowess is.”
At the dig, Shax grinned. “Still under construction as we keep adding new ones daily.”
“You work in a library?” I asked.
“Used to. I retired.”
“Doubtful,” Grandma muttered. “I remember how much you loved your damned books.”
“I’ve changed.”
“Hmmph.”
I found this exchange fascinating. There was obviously history between the two.
“Did you guys used to date?” I asked.
“No.”
“Yes.”
I blinked. “Which one is it?”
“Shax was too busy with his job at the library to date.”
He pursed his lips. “More like too shy. And then you were a little too married.”
“She’s single now,” I offered.
“I know.” Shax bestowed a look upon Grandma that she did her best to ignore. Unfortunately, she caught the attention of someone else.
Gaston, the pirate, looking as disreputable as before, slid into the chair beside my grandma. “Hello there, my lovely.”
“Hello to you, too,” she purred, batting her lashes.
What was happening here?
It set Shax to scowling and Gaston to leering. “After breakfast, care to swab my deck?” The wink left nothing to the imagination.
And Grandma didn’t slap him.
“Excuse me!” I exclaimed. “That’s my grandma you’re talking dirty to.” I snapped my fingers, and Gaston grimaced as bubbles frothed from his lips. “As for you…” I narrowed my gaze on my grandmother. “Don’t make me recreate that spell that will put you in menopause again.”
“I’m a grown woman, Jane.” Grandma stood and threw her napkin on the table. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“You heard the lady, she— Arrgh.” The pirate’s chair tipped over, Shax appeared smug, and I just scowled.
“I should have stayed in my room.”
Beside me, Oz snickered. “But then breakfast wouldn’t have been half as entertaining.”
That earned him a stomp on the toes under the table.
The jerk didn’t even wince. Oz did, however, reach for my hand under the tablecloth.
Why? Why was he holding my hand? I stared at our fingers intertwined.
Thankfully, distraction came from a new direction. “I insist on talking to him.” The strident tone broke through the hum of conversation.
“Oh, shit,” muttered Oz. He released my hand as a beautiful woman stalked over to our table and began shrieking at Adexios, something about flowers.
Oz did his best to unobtrusively slide into the next seat over, leaving a gap between us.
It shouldn’t have hurt. I should have ignored it. Instead, I steamed.
I glared at him. “Cad.”
“It’s not what you think.”
I knew what I thought. The gorgeous woman haranguing the captain over wedding preparations must be Oz’s sister. “You’re embarrassed to be seen with me,” I hissed. The humiliation burned hot.
“Am not.”
I only had to flick my gaze at the empty seat between us for his jaw to tighten. “Trust me when I say you don’t want to be caught on my sister’s radar.”
“Ozzie!” The bride-to-be turned from the dazed captain to her brother. “Where have you been hiding? I haven’t seen you since dinner last night.”
Perhaps it was the bitch in me, or maybe I wanted to impress my lord, the devil, but I was the one to reply for Oz. “He was with me.”
“You?” Such disbelief in the one word as the woman eyed me up and down. Then laughed. “Ozzie. Come.” She snapped her fingers.
I made the sound of a whip, and while everyone watched to see what he would do, Oz sighed.
“Really, Jellia. We talked about this. I am not your little harem boy to scurry at your whim.”
“You’re my brother, and it’s my wedding.” Her lower lip stuck out in a pout.
“I’m here. Isn’t that enough?”
Judging by the storm brewing on his sister’s face? No.
“Don’t be a wet pussy. Show your sis some love,” I mocked.
“Love? Gross. Nasty. What’s love got to do with anything? Don’t tell me you invited my boring brother to this cruise.” One didn’t need the whiff of brimstone to know who’d arrived.
Lucifer, looking younger than I recalled, appeared in a puff of smoke, wearing a blue blazer, a white ascot, a jauntily tilted cap, and flip-flops etched in jellyfish. On anyone else, it might have seemed ridiculous, but the devil knew how to carry off the fashion faux pas with panache.
“My dark lord, you honor us with your presence.” Grandma gave him a small curtsy.
“What can I say? I am the best devil I can be. When I don’t have to deal with my brother. Where is he?” Lucifer spun