Should I say yes if he did? I did just download dating apps to my phone.
The idea made my skin crawl and something at the pit of my stomach longed for the feel of someone else’s lips. My already pumping blood ran hotter. The way he groaned echoed in my ears. My mouth hungered for his salty masculine tongue sliding against mine. How he pulled me closer even as it sunk the blade in further. Like I was worth all the pain in the world, if he could get me a little wild. A throbbing kicked up at my center like a heartbeat.
Nope. I’m choosing to ignore all pangs of desire for a completely off-limits immortal.
The pangs didn’t fucking listen.
“Then if I break one of your bags, you owe me a month of one-on-ones,” I said, trying to bargain.
Amos squinted at me. “Deal.” Then he turned back to his clipboard and walked off, leaving me to it.
My clothes clung to my soaked body, and my muscles had turned into overcooked noodles. Not to mention the buzz of arousal still ran through me. It was time to throw in the towel. I checked the big clock hanging over the sparring ring.
Two fucking PM? Would this day ever end? Maybe I could just go into work?
No. I needed to try and relax. I promised Jamal before he left that I would try to have some fun. I’d humored him at the time, but now I realized how spot on my eleven-year-old son was.
Flipping open one of the dating apps, I easily set up a profile. Three pictures, one of me in a dress for church last Easter, one of me and Jamal at the beach, though I cropped out his face as it was thrown back in laughter, and the last an old one of me in my army fatigues. I found men were often bothered by my service, so it was best to weed those ones out right away. I quickly typed that I enjoyed working, working out, and hanging out with my son. In no time at all, I was swiping on the faces of men who lived in the area.
Thankfully, I was far away enough from the Strip to get actual residents of Vegas, but still, none of them really piqued my interest. None of them had burning sapphire eyes or a presence that jumped out of my phone. None of them had a smirk that both irritated and excited me.
Realizing I was being too picky, I swiped right on a couple I found mildly attractive. Almost instantly I got matched. I had no idea what came next. Messaging? Dates? I clicked off my screen. I’d figure it out later.
But first, I needed to swing by Sinopolis and take care of the business of the day. Killing a god. Releasing my braids so they could dry, I grabbed my bag and headed out. The Vegas sun-baked air immediately began drying the sweat on my body.
My eye caught on the back of someone slim in an orange hoodie near my car. Wait, they were trying to breakintomy car.
“Hey!” I called out.
Something clanged to the ground as the person bolted. I broke into a run after them but stopped at my car. One minute the hooded person had been there and next, they’d disappeared. On the asphalt lay a slim jim.
“Fucking car jackers.” I picked up the flat piece of metal. “I never cussed this much before Jamal left. Guess that means I’m chilling out.”
“What was that?”
I jerked my head up. A guy getting into his vehicle a couple cars away stood by his opened door. He thought I’d been talking to him.
“Uh, nothing. Just talking to myself.” I hadn’t done it this much since Rashon passed away. Another sign my stress was getting the best of me.
The guy gave me a strange look before getting into his car.
I sagged against my Jeep, feeling the weight of more than I could express into words. Glancing through the windows of my car, it occurred to me the attempted jacking might not have been about taking my vehicle.
Bob lay in their sheath, on the back seat.
Are you an idiot, Miranda? Leaving something that important out in the open?
I slid into the front seat, putting Bob up in the passenger side next to me. I managed to resist the urge to buckle them in. Now that would have been crazy.
I turned the engine on.
Side-eyeing the blade, I reached over and snapped the buckle in.
As I pulled out of my parking spot, I said, “I really am fucking losing my mind.” Though something told me Bob was grateful to be extra secure.
ChapterFifteen
THE BEAST
