you went in and watched sports. Or porn. You know, whatever you lady-killers enjoy.” She snapped her mouth shut. That response had gotten away from her a little at the end.
Devon made a masculine sound like a growl but didn’t say anything, his handsome face shut down in frustration.
He really was a gorgeous devil. With intelligence, wit, and brilliant prospects. And he was gentle, loyal, and steadfast, too. The woman who finally landed him would be lucky.
Those thoughts weren’t helping her get over him any more than her snide remarks were.
She turned to the counter. Her itching palms would have to settle for kitchen knives too dull to be plunged into the resident hot man’s chest.
A while later, as the shadows were starting to lengthen across the yard, Andy strolled into the kitchen and flopped down into one of the chairs. “What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”
“Roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and vegetables.” Charity peeked into the oven to check on it.
“Eww, vegetables.”
“They’re good for you.”
“I know, I was kidding. I actually like vegetables. Where’s our fearless alpha?”
“Wasn’t he in the living room?” Charity glanced out through the archway of the kitchen, not able to see into the living room from that angle, but giving it a try anyway.
“No.” Andy scrutinized her. “What’s up with you? You in a bad mood?”
Charity shook her head as Devon sauntered in from the direction of his bedroom. He had on his loose sweats, his face grim and determined. When he saw Andy, he said, “Roger set the extraction time for tomorrow, noon. The vampires have a good-sized host of demons watching the portals on the Brink side. We’ll probably have to cut through them.”
Charity felt her eyebrows crawl to her hairline. Demons?
Andy drummed the table, looking unconcerned. “How many are we going up against?”
Devon shook his head as he gave Charity a long, searching look. He lowered into a chair. “Roger isn’t sure. Vlad has a lot of resources.”
“What about Vlad?” Dillon asked as he entered the kitchen. Macy followed closely behind.
“What’s up?” Rod asked, following the others in like a linebacker, all shoulder and muscle. “Oh man, it smells good in here.”
“We’re smuggling Chastity out tomorrow,” Andy said with a grin at Charity.
Her stomach tightened up. Not able to help herself, she glanced at Devon. Who was glaring at Andy.
“What? Is that not funny anymore?” Andy put his hands in the air. “I’m always the last one to know things.”
Rod looked back and forth between a silent Charity and the brooding alpha. His gaze fell to the ground when Yasmine walked in. Her blonde hair was done in loose curls, falling to her mid-back. She’d put on light makeup and wore yoga clothes, perfectly outlining that excellent physique.
The scorching look Yasmine gave Devon fired up Charity’s craving to kill something.
“Right, I’m going to go…change,” Charity said. She needed a long, hot bath and a new place to live.
“You’re coming back, right?” Rod whined. “When can we take out the meat?”
“Running away?” Devon asked in a light, unaffected voice, cutting past all her defenses and stabbing her heart.
“I’m not running anywhere,” Charity said in a cool tone. “I’m simply going to put on some of the new clothes I bought. You know, to fix myself up. Isn’t that what you said? Obviously, I look like a dump and you’re offended to have me in your sight.”
He straightened. “That’s not what I meant.” His tone was angry. As usual.
“Isn’t it? Then, pray tell, what does ‘take some of that money and fix yourself up’ mean to an intelligent jackass such as yourself?”
“Yikes,” Dillon said, shrinking against the far wall. He had a girlfriend, so he was schooled in what not to say.
“That’s one way to make enemies, I suppose,” Andy murmured.
“Don’t you dare talk to the alpha like that,” Yasmine said, and crossed her arms over her chest.
Charity’s red-hot gaze swung that way, her logic on hiatus. “Who’s going to stop me? You? Let me guess, you’re going to shoot lasers out of your mostly exposed tits.”
Yasmine’s face turned red. Macy’s jaw dropped open.
“That would be so sweet,” Andy said. “I’d be down for a set of those.”
“Enough, all of you,” Devon barked. The wolves cowered, the ruthless power and command in Devon’s voice enough to remind them of their rank.
Charity waved him away. “You’re not my alpha. Stick it up your ass.”
She started to walk from the room, but Devon grabbed her arm and swung her back around.