Lucius (Acquisition Series #4) - Celia Aaron Page 0,61
a good idea. Your mom might not like it.”
“She knows I can take care of myself.” Teddy takes Evie’s hand. “I killed like ten guys yesterday with a crossbow.”
“What?” Evie frowns.
“Target practice. You know. I’m getting better. Mom says so, and she’s the best shot ever.”
“I have no doubt of that. She means business.”
“Come on. I promise I won’t shoot you.” Teddy pulls on her hand.
“Go ahead. Just don’t let him steal you from me.” I kiss her neck and release her other hand.
“Teddy, go easy.”
“Okay.” He grins and pulls her over to the stairs.
As she climbs behind him, she gives me a worried look.
I blow her a kiss and stride down to the kitchen.
Sin and Stella are inside, both deep in conversation. Sin has a swollen cheek and a black eye from our run-in yesterday.
“Yikes, you look like shit.” I lean against the pantry door.
“Lift up your shirt.” He points at my side.
“I beg your pardon. I’m a gentleman.”
“You’ve never been a gentleman a day in your life.” Stella angrily yanks a pan of baby potatoes from the oven.
“Those smell amazing.”
“Rosemary and garlic.” She slams the pan on the trivet and whirls on me. “What the hell are you thinking bringing her here?” She leans over to look past me. “And where the fuck is she?”
“Teddy dragged her to his lair.”
Stella’s eyes widen. “You let her go with—”
“Teddy will be fine. Besides, if anything happens, his scream is supersonic.” I hold my hands up. “Just trust me, okay?”
Sin glowers. “I’ll go check on them.” He lumbers off, his resting bitch face doing double time with all those bruises.
Stella walks to the ovens and stares at whatever is cooking in the top one. “I haven’t seen her since that night. She looks … different.”
“Blonde hair is weird on her, right?”
“Not just that.” She puts her hands on her hips, her black tank top and workout pants making her look like an angry assassin. “She’s been through shit. Not like me. Not that horrible.” She hangs her head. “But I can tell what happened changed her.”
“She’s strong now.”
Stella turns, her green eyes looking tired. “What are you doing, Lucius? Since when have you wanted just one woman? Since when have you actually thought about a real future?”
“I guess taking a slug to the chest makes you reconsider things.” I reach over and grab one of the hot potato halves and toss it into my mouth. “There’s just something about her. It was instant. Even before I spoke to her, when I only knew her as a ghost at the edge of my property. It’s like we’re linked. I can’t describe it. I really wish I could.”
“You sure you aren’t just turned on by the idea of her killing you or some twisted crap like that?” She rubs her temples and closes her eyes. “Because that’s you to a ‘t’—just looking for some sort of bizarre thrill.”
“It’s not like that, though, I mean yeah. That’ll be a great story to tell our grandchildren one day.”
Her eyes pop open. “What. The. Fuck? Did you just say grandchildren? You’ve never talked about wanting kids. Not one damn day of your life! What the hell has she done to you? Are you drugged or something?” She steps closer and peers up at me.
“In a way, yes. I’m in love.”
She stands for a moment, her eyes searching my face. But I’ve laid my cards on the table, and there’s nothing I can do to change them. Evie has gotten to me in a way no one ever has, and I know that no one else ever will.
“Holy shit.” She backs up and sits on a stool by the island. “You’re serious.”
“Very.”
“Does she love you?” she asks.
“She said ‘I think I love you’ and I’m sort of going on faith that it will eventually turn into a full ‘I love you’ replete with adoration and blowjobs.”
“God, she doesn’t even know what she’s getting herself into. Your drinking, your sarcasm, your fatalism.” She stops rubbing her temples and sits up. “Someone should warn her.”
“She’s been stalking me for weeks, months even. I think she knows about all those things.”
She holds up a finger. “Okay, so how do you know she isn’t just playing you? Hmm?”
“I know you’re deprived because you married my brother, but trust me, Stella, when you give a woman as many orgasms as I’ve already given Evie, you can taste the truth on her.”
“Gross.” She stands right as the oven starts beeping. “I hope you’re