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The warmth that kissed at the nape of my neck was similar to the warmth that spread out from my chest. None of this was easy, but at least this sun-drenched moment framed by an ivy-coated castle and skinny palm trees made it all seem worth it.
Because things were going to be all right. They always were.
Laughter filled the living room. “Ah shit, this sucks,” Xavier said. He dropped the card back onto the table and leaned back on the couch, his hair growing out from the buzz-cut he normally wore it to long, purple waves that fell down to his feet.
“It’s honestly not a bad look,” I said.
Claire chuckled before drawing a card. “You’ve got the facial structure for it.”
“Better than my enchantment,” Maddox said. He sat next to me on the floor, knees touching. I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t.
“Seriously,” Xavier said, throwing the bundles of shiny purple hair over his shoulder. In the process, he smacked our new guest in the face. “Shit, sorry.”
Blake spat out a couple stray purple strands, picking at his tongue. He was Xavier’s new charge, and one of his most high-profile one’s at that. He had a charmingly crooked smile that wasn’t as sleazy as the politicians he was constantly surrounded by, but still could be just as weaponized. The smile was framed by an oval face that very much resembled his father’s: Richard King, the Vice President of the United States and a well-known camera whore. He never missed a photo-op, the wolf shifter’s striking amber yellow eyes always leaping from any photo he took.
Just like his son’s.
He’d only been here about a month— arrived the day after the paintings were destroyed— but he fit in pretty well, considering he was so important he needed to be guarded twenty-four seven by a time-manipulating dragon shifter.
He sat noticeably close to Xavier on the couch. The annoyed look he shot his bodyguard about the hair didn’t do much to hide the grin that followed. “Is it my turn?” He asked.
“No,” Claire said, holding a hand out over the cards, her bracelets clinking together. “It’s Mr. Icy Balls over there.” She took one look at him and started cracking up.
I turned to Maddox. Had to. His face was untouched but his ears were extra dangly because of his enchantment. Not only that, they had swollen to resemble what looked like two little ball sacs hanging from his ears.
The laughter burst out of me. He rolled his eyes and joined in. His ear-balls would shake with the movement of his head, making it even funnier. I fell against him, laughing as I leaned my head on his shoulder. One of his ear-balls grazed the side of my face. I jerked back up, laughing some more, the entire room joining in.
Just as we were getting back under control, Maddox’s enchantment made an audible pop and his ears returned back to normal. “I’m never playing this game again,” Madds said as he stood up. He un-bunched his light blue shorts from between his thighs and stretched his arms over his head. “Blake, have my turn. Anyone want refills?”
“I’ll take one,” Warrick said. He reached over and handed his empty glass to Madds. I stood up with mine.
“I’ll help,” I said, grabbing Claire’s cup before I followed Maddox out of the living room and into the hallway. Repairs on the castle were nearly complete although it would take years for Maddox to rebuild his match collection. He promised to retread all his steps and take me with him, collecting our match boxes as we went.
“Blake seems pretty nice,” I said once we were out of ear-shot.
“He does. And it looks like Xavier thinks the same thing.”
“You noticed that, too, huh?”
Maddox nodded, smiled. We walked underneath the painted dome ceiling and into another wide hallway. “We’ll see. Xavier’s had terrible luck with relationships, and going for the Vice President’s son sounds like it could get complicated.”
“I guess.” A ding from my pocket distracted me. I’d been waiting for an email or a call all day. Ever since I had my interview that morning. I’d been out of a job since Peter parted ways with me. Although Maddox assured me that he had our backs, I still didn’t like not having a job. The agency I interviewed with was one of the top in California, and a huge upgrade to the shitty office and lackluster team I’d been with these last few years.
“Hello?” I answered my phone, stopping in the hallway just outside the kitchen.
“Hey, Caleb, it’s James with Stonewall Investigations. I just wanted to give you the good news: you’re officially part of the team.
I leaned against the wall, my face cracking into a huge smile. Maddox scanned my expression. His brows inched together.
“You’ll be starting next week. Is that ok?”
