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“That’s what I was thinking,” said Delilah.
“Cain won’t be able to deny that our plan is a smart idea.” He’d want to, though. “Really, I’ll be surprised if Ishtar hasn’t already suggested it but he just didn’t tell me. She hates me, after all.”
Anabel leaned forward. “Have you noticed the snidey looks that Shelia keeps tossing your way?” she asked, referring to one of Ishtar’s aides.
“Oh, I noticed.” Whenever Wynter turned toward the bar and met Shelia’s glare, the woman quickly looked away. “I suspect I’m being blamed for the destruction of Ishtar’s bedchamber. Knowing how the Ancient operates, she’ll be thinking it would never have happened if I hadn’t told Cain what she said to me. It won’t even enter her mind that she should consider the whole thing to be her fault.”
“It’s surprising that anyone would be loyal enough to her to actually be outraged on her behalf,” said Delilah.
“She probably does her hirelings favors to ingratiate herself to them so they won’t betray her. Some people command respect and loyalty. Others have to buy it.” Anabel pushed aside her empty bowl of brothy soup. “Since we’ve all finished eating, can we go home now?”
“Soon. Let’s finish our drinks first.” Picking up her glass of wine, Wynter felt her lips twitch as some patrons across the tavern burst out into song. “So, Hattie, what time is your date with George tomorrow?”
The old woman smiled, straightening. “He’s picking me up at seven.”
Wynter sipped at her drink. “Where’s he taking you?”
“Bed, I should hope.”
Xavier laughed.
“We agreed we might try some light bondage this weekend,” Hattie went on. “He mentioned nipple clamps, but I’ll be vetoing those. Why anyone would want to torture their own breasts is beyond me.”
Anabel pulled a face. “God, your sex life is more adventurous than mine.”
“You don’t have anything even remotely resembling a sex life,” Delilah pointed out. “But that could change if you’d only stop closing yourself indoors.”
“I don’t like people,” said Anabel. “I like it even less when they talk to me. If I could just find a man who’d shut the fuck up and not expect me to talk . . . damn, that would be liberating.”
Hattie shrugged. “You could always find a man and have him wear a ball gag and headphones during sex. Just be careful not to press down on the ball, I almost choked poor George.”
Delilah jerked back. “TMI, Hattie.”
A female server appeared. “Anyone need more drinks?”
Xavier turned his megawatt smile on her. “You are new here,” he said, his accent now Russian.
The server blushed. “I just moved to Devil’s Cradle last week.”
“I am Viktor,” Xavier told her. “What is your name?”
“Sunny,” she replied.
Xavier tilted his head. “Ah, such a beautiful name you—”
“Feeding pretty girls lies again?” asked Will, shaking his head at Xavier in reproof. “Sunny, don’t let this sweet-talker fool you. The kid lies easier than he breathes.” The mage ushered the server away and followed her to the bar.
Xavier arched a brow at Wynter. “Did you see that? He interfered in my love life. Again.”
“It seemed like he was being protective of his waitress,” said Wynter. “I mean, you were lying to her. It makes sense that he’d warn her.”
Xavier huffed at her. “I can’t believe you’re defending him.”
“I’m not defending him per se; I’m just pointing out that he had a rational reason for interfering.”
“I really do loathe that you put so much weight in logic.”
Hinges squealed as the front door swung open. A djinn walked inside, and his eyes immediately went to a group on his left. “I just heard that keepers from Aeon are here.”
