in the air right now. First, she and Devon need to heal. After that, I’ll see.”
Steve got up slowly, half stretching as he did so. He scratched his stomach with a grin as he said, “All I’m saying is, if you need bodyguard detail, I’m your man.”
Roger huffed out a laugh as soon as Steve was out of the room. He was a handful, plain and simple, but he was a good guy. More importantly, he was a pack guy who could navigate the wilds. Tempting.
Roger stared down at his papers, thinking.
There was no way he was going to present Charity to the Flush unless they were a hundred percent sure of her heritage. Right now there weren’t many other options, but still. He’d hate to make a fool of himself. That meant taking a trip to Charity’s family house and trying to locate her mom.
He had no doubt of what they’d find—he’d seen her fight out there—which led him to his next problem. How would he get her back if they sent her to the Flush to train? She’d suddenly have family, money, and a real sense of community. How many girls turned down a chance to be a princess?
Roger scratched his chin in irritation.
She had the bond with Devon. The best-case scenario would be if that bond turned into love. Given what Roger had heard of the warrior fae and their inclusive community, possibly the only thing that could tear a princess away from her throne was the man who held her heart.
He hoped Devon was up to the task.
Chapter Forty-Three
Devon stirred, followed by a wince. Every part of his body seemed to hurt. That old vamp had beaten the hell out of him. Devon had held his own against a mid-level, but…well, now he knew his own limits.
He flexed his toes, followed by his fingers, making sure everything worked. It was then he felt the small, delicate hand clinging to his.
In a moment of panic, he thought it was Yasmine. She was persistent, and a girl like her would absolutely sit by her alpha’s bed to stake her claim and get in good with her desired mate. Marry the same girl, though, and she’d turn distant in a flash, having gotten what she was after.
Devon let his head fall to the side. An ethereal beauty marred with cuts and scrapes lay next to him. Her hair fell around her face in thick brownish-red waves, her lower lip was swollen, and her cheek was black and blue. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life.
He squeezed her hand, willing her awake. Her breathing was deep and heavy, not like her. Usually, she was an extremely light sleeper who’d stir if he so much as shifted.
“Don’t worry. She’s fine.”
Devon’s gaze snapped to the door. His neck protested painfully at the sudden movement.
Roger stood in the frame dressed in a T-shirt that strained at the shoulders and hung loose at the waist. He didn’t bother coming further into the room.
“How do you feel?” he asked in his customary calm tone.
“I hurt, for the most part, but I’ll be fine. That old vamp was something else. He was… I’ve never seen anything move so fast and react so savagely.”
“Puts hair on your chest.”
Devon wheezed out a laugh. “Exactly. I should be as fuzzy as you.”
Roger’s gaze drifted to Devon and Charity’s entwined fingers. “Girls like to know how you feel about them. They like to know where they stand.”
Relationship advice from his boss? How’d Devon get so unlucky?
“Got it,” Devon said absently. Then, because he didn’t know what the hell he was doing, he added, “But she doesn’t ever bring that stuff up. I’d feel like an idiot saying anything.”
Roger shifted, getting more comfortable. “Well, you’re a ladies’ man, and she’s smart. She probably doesn’t want to feel like a fool. You have to suck this one up.”
“Nice pep talk, coach.”
Roger grinned. “Take it from a failed pro. She’ll eat it up.”
Devon shook his head and looked back at Charity. “She saved my life.”
“You saved hers.”
“Nah, I was trying to give her some time to run. Or give you an opening to force her away. But she went and saved me. For the second time.”
“I did try to force her away. I also tried to keep her in her room to heal. You’re alive, and she’s next to you. A smart man knows what that means.”
“When have I been a smart man?” Devon whispered, drinking in the