Page 228 of Trick or Stalk

That Penny adores him.

And that he chased a masked psychopath through Hollow Creek because the man scared me.

Yet despite the things I don’t know about him, I believe him.

I smile. “I should make coffee.”

“Now?”

I stare at him. “Do you have something against coffee?”

“Not at all.”

“Because you've questioned my coffee consumption twice in less than twelve hours.”

“I'm gathering information.”

I pause. Something about the words sends the faintest shiver down my spine.

Hades’s eyes darken. “About your coffee habits.”

I exhale. “Good clarification.”

His mouth curves.

I climb off him.

This time he lets me.

By the time I've consumed enough caffeine to become a functioning member of society, the morning has turned beautiful. Cold, but beautiful.

Sunlight filters through the trees behind the house, turning the remaining leaves into shades of orange and gold.

Penny scratches at the back door.

“You need out?”

She scratches again.

“I'll take that as a yes.”

I reach for my jacket, then shove my feet into a pair of boots.

Hades stands.

“You don't have to come.”

“I know.”

There's that answer again.

I smile despite myself.

We step onto the back porch. The air smells like damp leaves, pine, and the faint trace of woodsmoke still clinging to my clothes.

Penny charges into the yard like she's been imprisoned for six months instead of approximately eight hours.

Hades watches her. “She always like this?”