Cassian burst out laughing. “Izzy-Pop, meet Calder. Thorne’s estranged husband.”
I stared at him, certain I’d misheard. “I’m sorry, her what?”
“Mm-hmm.” He grinned wider, like this was the best form of entertainment he’d seen in a long time. “He’s been missing for five years. Oh, this is gonna be good.”
I turned back to find Calder rubbing his jaw. Thorne looked tiny in front of him, but that meant nothing when dealing with a werewolf. The red imprint of her palm stood out starkly against his cheek, telling me he’d felt that slap.
And then, without warning, he scooped Thorne into his arms and kissed her.
I choked on my breath, expecting her to shove him away, maybe deck him again. Instead, she fisted a hand in his hair and pulled him closer. The bar erupted into cheers, half the patrons clapping, the other half scrambling for a better view.
“Don’t let that kiss fool you,” Cassian informed me. “She hates him. Those two are like oil and vinegar.”
“Oil and water, you mean?” I asked.
“Nah,” Cassian said, chuckling. “I definitely mean oil and vinegar. She’s kissing him now, but trust me, that doesn’t mean anything with these two. Ever heard of a love-hate relationship?” He nodded at his twin. “That’s them.”
I faced Thorne and Calder. They still clung to each other, and the heat they were putting off made the patrons laugh.
Yup, Love Bites was absolutely the perfect name for our bar. Because love certainly did bite. But as I watched Thorne kissing her estranged husband back as though she’d been waiting five years for this chance, I started to think love could also save you, if you let it.
My eyes found Lucien across the bar. He was watching me, and when we smiled at each other, it felt like the whole world narrowed to just us.
Love had definitely saved us.
Maybe now it was Thorne’s turn.
