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“Nah. Just remembered something I’ve got to do.” Jean-Luc didn’t feel like sharing what was on his mind. Even though they were quite close, as two agents of the Pit could be, there were certain things he liked to keep to himself. Like how he was hot for a human girl.
He started pondering if it was a good idea chasing Maddie in a time like this. Maybe he should wait until this matter was resolved, when he could relinquish his responsibility on Sieg’s case. Being a Hellhound wasn’t a glamorous job. Over the years, he’d managed to piss people off and they hadn’t been able to get even because no one could find some sort of leverage to use against him. But if they knew he was taken with Maddie…
Jean-Luc swallowed his food and washed it down with his drink. He shuddered from the combination of the taste. Usually, he loved the mingling flavour of perfectly charred meat and the hard liquor. Now, it almost made him gag. Jean-Luc cringed and pushed his plate away. He schooled his face to a blank under Adrian’s curious stare. The Reaper had a knack of guessing people’s thoughts.
“So.” Jean-Luc cleared his throat. “You busy lately?”
Adrian shrugged. “Usual gig. Same shit different day. I’ll have a big reap this afternoon. Twenty-car pileup on I-90. Seventeen souls. Want to tag along?”
“Your job’s depressing.”
“And yours isn’t?”
“Mine doesn’t involve reaping children’s souls.”
“Hey.” Adrian lifted his hands. “It’s a dirty job. But somebody has got to do it.”
“Sure. I’ve got to go.” Jean-Luc rose from his seat and fished into his pocket for coins.
“Where are you going?”
“Taking your advice. Hiding under the floorboard so Lilith and Jezebel can’t find me.” Jean-Luc wondered what Maddie would be doing right now. He had lifted the protection spell on her shortly before he’d left her apartment. He’d wanted her to cave in and agree to make a pact with him. Now it seemed to be a very bad idea. He should have waited until this shit storm had blown over.
Jean-Luc decided to see Maddie and place the protection back on her. There’d be plenty of time to woo her later. Problem was, each time he saw her, his cock did the thinking for him. That woman was indelibly irresistible. If he hadn’t heeded his own common sense earlier, he’d have taken her in that very bed. His cock was still stiff from their encounter. Luckily, he was able to control his lust.
“And whose floorboard do you intend to hide under?” Adrian asked.
“Not telling. You won’t be able to lie if Jezebel catches you.”
Adrian made a face. “I heard she’s a goddess bitch.”
“Buddy, you don’t know the half of it.”
* * * *
“I thought you’d changed your mind,” Jerry said.
Her new boss watched her shake off the dripping water from her umbrella. Maddie grimaced. “Fat chance. I really need this job.”
“Well, let’s get started. We just got merchandise that needs to be inventoried and entered into the system. When you’ve got that done, I’ll teach you to tend the cash register.”
“Okay.”
“You know how a cash register works?”
“Sure, I worked at a 7-Eleven before.”
“Good. Come with me, then.”
Jerry led her into the back of the store and up a narrow stairway. He kept his stock on the second floor. The place was a mess. Boxes were stacked haphazardly. The tall racks along the walls were stuffed with DVDs, magazines, books, and novelty items, to the point that they were ready to burst onto the floor.
Maddie widened her eyes. A spider web dangled from her forehead. “Whoa.” She ducked under it.
“I know. You got your work cut out for you. My last worker was a good-for-nothing lazy ass.” Jerry pulled a big box containing adult DVDs with vulgar and garish covers out of the way and stepped into the crammed room. “Tell you what. You clean this place and I’ll bump up fifty bucks on this week’s paycheque.”
“Fifty bucks?”
“Sixty. No more. We’re kinda tight on cash.”
