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“I’m going to be late for Mass.”
Her feet touched down on the wooden floor, but I didn’t let go of her hand. I had a feeling if I did, she’d run out of the apartment in my shirt and with no pants.
“What time is Mass?”
“Usually nine, but I can go to the one at ten thirty instead. But it’s twenty minutes from here.”
“Which means you still have more than an hour to take a shower and tame your hair so everyone at your church doesn’t know exactly what you were up to last night.” As I dragged my eyes from her soul to her face, my gaze caught on a reddish bruise on her neck where I’d sucked last night. “You’ve also got a hickey on your neck.”
Personally, I’d rather she leave that for the whole world to see. I liked the mark that told everyone else that she was taken, that she was mine. The way Siren’s hand flew to her neck made me think that wasn’t going to happen though.
“Shit,” she muttered again. “Can you let go of my hand now?”
“No.”
I climbed out of bed with her and tugged her out of my room to the bathroom. I wanted to stay and shower with her, but I knew that would involve a lot more making out than actual showering. Considering I was already walking on thin ice with Father, it was probably best I let Siren actually make it to Mass this morning.
“I’ll make us breakfast,” I murmured and forced myself to back out of the bathroom.
Back in my room, I started texting, first Daphne to bring me Sunday clothes for Siren and then Jules for an emergency meeting in my kitchen.
“Should I be scared?” Jules asked when I opened the door for him three minutes later. It was a valid question. In all the years Jules had lived in this building, he’d never been invited to my apartment. No one had except Micah and Joriel.
I turned back to the pancake batter I was mixing. “You remember when I asked if you could play bodyguard to Piper?” I nearly stumbled over Siren’s name, but if Jules noticed, he didn’t show it.
“Yeah.”
“That job starts today. I’m not expecting anything, but I’m not one to underestimate demons. She’ll be coming through the lobby in about forty-five minutes to go to church. I want you with her.”
Jules nodded. “And after church?”
“Find an excuse to stay with her. Thomas or I will take over eventually. If you lose her for any reason, I want to hear about it immediately. Don’t wait while you try to find her.”
“I understand.”
“Good. Now go do whatever you need to to get ready.” I waved him off while I ladled batter onto a griddle.
“Sam?”
“Yeah?”
“What kind of danger is Piper in? What should I be expecting?”
I looked up from the breakfast I was making to meet his eyes and told him the truth. “I’m afraid anyone who wants to get at me will go after her.”
Jules swallowed. “You really care about her, don’t you?”
“She doesn’t deserve to get hurt because of who and what I am.” It wasn’t an answer, but it was as good as Jules was going to get. I wasn’t about to lay my weaknesses out between us no matter what Jules might suspect or how much he cared about Siren.
“She’s not going to get hurt,” Jules promised.
Five minutes later, Daphne showed up with a long sunset-colored skirt, black top, and a pair of sequined sandals.
“You owe me,” she said, dumping the pile onto a chair in my dining room.
“Letting you live here rent free and buying you eight years’ worth of clothes, food, and gadgets doesn’t warrant one favor?”
“A favor is being your date to a party or picking up your takeout order. Buying your girlfriend clothes because she spent the night before you cleared out a drawer for her in your place is outside the realm offavor.”
