"If it’s nothing and it’s a trick, I’ll pay you for your time and you can leave. If there’s really a connection, help me stop him.”
Huh. Not a terrible deal. I wasn’t sure how to ask—
"I’ll still pay you for your time," he elaborated.
"Cool. Guess I’m your man."
Yeah, me being linked to a killer sucked but had to be a misunderstanding since none of this rang any bells for me. That wasn’t the catch I’d expected. There was more he wasn’t telling me, but he also had no reason to share everything right now in case this all turned out to be a dead end like I expected.
Okay then. Orion was on the hunt to stop a killer and he thought I might hold answers to bring him closer to his target. If he thought housing me and throwing money at me was best until he figured out how I got dragged into this, who was I to stop him? I’d jump through whatever hoops needed jumping through and profit until Orion was satisfied with the results.
This was the best offer I’d get anytime soon. I didn’t even have to sell a kidney.
“One more thing.” He hesitated, looking a bit uncomfortable. Since nothing that happened up to this point caused him to react like that, it really freaked me out. “I should be clear that this is purely a professional arrangement. Nothing sexual will happen between us. Not during our arrangement or afterwards.”
“So no business partners with benefits, is that what you’re saying?” I tried to joke.
“Yes, exactly.” He was totally serious.
…
Ugh, him not wanting a piece of this wasn’t exactly surprising, but hearing, ‘hey, you’re the last person I wanna sleep with’ wasn’t exactly fun. Especially when particularly gorgeous people delivered the bad news.
You know what I needed? Another not-shot. I filled the glass and drained it just as fast. “Jesus, ugh, that’s still strong as hell.”
"It’s stillnota shot.” Orion glowered, looking almost as unhappy as me. “Was I unclear?"
"Crystal.” Crystal freaking clear about how much sex we won’t be having.
What a fucking catch.
~
Orion
Rob fell asleep at the kitchen island in the morning while waiting for coffee to percolate. He’d be waiting a long time because the backup coffee maker he rested in front of wasn’t plugged in. Though entirely dependent on the counter-top to hold him up and seemingly dead to the world, he must have registered my presence because he grumbled something about my espresso maker being too complicated.
Today needed to go smoother than last night, so I wordlessly began preparing a caffeine fix for us both. However, I couldn’t help noticing his appearance.
Rob wore his own boxer shorts and an old, faded tee I lent him that swallowed him up, the fabric wrinkled terribly after only a night of sleep from tossing and turning in bed, among other things… He jerked off three times since I last saw him, possibly another time in the shower, and the frustration still clung to him.
Next to him, his still bright cell phone screen displayed part of a conversation. Seeing my name and eager for the distraction, I glanced at the messages.
Aaron looooves feelings: Orion Lennox is well-respected in the demon and supernatural communities. He isn’t who the DSA normally consults for demonic issues but he’s basically in charge of Ashvale sex demons, so it makes sense he’s taking a personal interest.
Wonderful Rob: Any parking tickets? Bad credit? Former ties to demonic cults? Gimme the real dirt.
Aaron looooves feelings: I don’t even have the power to do a full background check. Chase and Lys didn’t know about any red flags. He seems legit.
Aaron looooves feelings: Okay, Merritt growled when I mentioned Orion Lennox, but I’m pretty sure that’s only because I randomly started asking questions about some badass incubus first thing in the morning.
Wonderful Rob: Don’t tell wolfy, but I get that.
Aaron looooves feelings: Really? Looking for pics now.
Aaron looooves feelings: O.M.G.
Wonderful Rob: I know!
