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This part of North Las Vegas was far from a good area, but there were worse neighborhoods. The complex might need some major TLC, but it was structurally sound. Sort of.
“Thanks for the ride.” She hopped out of the Audi before he could say a word. It was just as she skirted the hood of the car that he slid out of the driver’s door, his body uncoiling like a snake.
“I want to give the place a once-over,” he said.
She blinked. “What’s that now?”
“There’s a chance that the broker’s men came here. I want to check there aren’t any surprises waiting for you up there.”
Devon’s mouth thinned. “No one who is a threat to me could get inside the walls of my apartment. An incantor from my lair pretty much lavished protective wards all over it.”
“Wards can be undone—I’ve seen it happen.” He prowled toward the building before she could argue further.
Cursing to herself, she followed him. “This really isn’t necessary.”
Stopping outside the main door, he said, “Humor me.”
She went to object again, but then she snapped her mouth shut, knowing she’d be wasting her breath; there was no way of shooing along someone like Tanner Cole. “Fine—have at it.”
Devon unlocked the door, and in they went. As the scents of pot, alcohol, urine, and mouse shit wafted over them, a lick of shame brushed over her skin. She’d never seen Tanner’s home, but she knew from Harper that he lived in one of Knox’s swanky apartment buildings. She’d bet his stairwells weren’t littered with empty beer bottles, cigarette butts, and other debris. Would bet the paint wasn’t peeling from the walls that were riddled with cracks, holes, and splotches of black mildew. Would bet he wouldn’t hear rodents skittering, see doors chained shut, or find squatters here and there.
She spared him a brief glance; his jaw was tight, and his eyes were hard as he scanned their surroundings. Her pride took a hit, but she kept her head high as she led him up the stairwell to her floor and then over to her apartment. She unlocked the door, stepped onto the beige carpet, and then moved aside for him to pass.
He came in and closed the door behind him, his nostrils flaring. “There’s a lot of powerful magick here. I can feel it. Smell it. The incantor sits high on the power spectrum. Just where do you sit on it, kitten?”
Devon snorted. “Do I look slow to you?” Unless they were stupid, no demon revealed something so personal. To answer “low” or even “in the center” was to admit to being vulnerable on some level. Demons were predators. You didn’t admit weakness to a predator. Even to answer “high” wasn’t good. It would intrigue the predator, who might then see them as a potential challenge or feel the need to establish themselves as the dominant figure.
As such, Tanner’s question was the equivalent of asking her to strip naked.
Not that she’d have been particularly opposed to stripping naked for Tanner if things had been different and his demon didn’t ache to gut her open.
“Wait here while I do a walk-through of the place.” He stalked off before she could respond, fully expecting her to do as he’d told her.
Devon snorted and headed into the kitchen/dining area. It was too late for coffee, so she’d settle for hot chocolate. Preparing the drink would give her something to do and distract her from the annoying fact that Tanner was in her apartment.
It made her antsy to have him there. For years she’d made a point of keeping him out of her world as much of possible. Which hadn’t been easy, given that he was not only her friend’s bodyguard, he was ridiculously nosy and seemed to orbit around her … as if testing her defenses or something. And now he was in her private sanctuary, searching every room, probably touching her things. She didn’t like it.
Having added toppings to her drink, she propped herself on the counter and picked up her mug. It wasn’t long before he entered. She didn’t hear him—Tanner rarely made a sound as he moved. But she smelled him, felt his energy charge the air around her. Her inner demon swished its tail at him in a put-out gesture. It didn’t like having people in its territory.
Devon spooned some marshmallows and whipped cream. “I take it you didn’t find any intruders hiding in my wardrobe or anything.”
“The place is clear.” Propping his hip against the counter, Tanner felt his cock twitch as her tongue lapped the cream from her spoon. He could think of far better things she could do with that tongue, but he kept that thought to himself. He just settled in and enjoyed the show as she ate the marshmallows and cream, not even caring that she was pointedly ignoring him. Tanner was just content to have finally made his way into her home.
