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Larkin tilted her head. “I take it you didn’t tell Vine that Ronin’s been sending shadowkin after you.”
“Of course I didn’t,” Teague confirmed. “If I had, he’d have later suspected me of being responsible for Ronin’s upcoming disappearance.”
Glad he’d thought of that, Larkin gave a satisfied nod. Well, it wasn’t as if he always had his thoughts straight. His version of ‘common sense’ differed from that of most people.
Taking a knife, she began sawing open the bread buns. “Is it typical for huntsmen to be asked to come out of retirement?”
“Not as far as I know,” he replied.
“You weren’t even a little tempted to return to hell and pick up the mantle you once lowered?” Not that she’d have let him. She’d have stopped him. Somehow.
“Fuck, no. I’m good as I am.” He swept his gaze over his camp. “The life we lead is simple and unexciting, but that’s the point. I know some people seem to struggle with retirement; with having no demands on them or their time. Not us. We like it that way.” He shot her a slow, lazy smile. “Why, would you miss me if I left?”
She sniffed. “Maybe a little. At first. Then I’d get used to you being gone. Might even eventually forget your name. But I’d think back on your cock fondly.”
He chuckled. “You’d miss me.”
Totally. “Yeah, well, you’d miss me.”
“And your demon. It cracks me up.”
Her entity practically preened. “I’m pretty sure you’re the only person other than me who actually likes my demon.”
His brow knitted. “Really? People are so weird.”
Eyeing him, Larkin nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, they are.”
Stepping closer to her, he said, “I have an idea.”
“Will it disturb me?”
“Possibly.”
She reluctantly invited, “Go on.”
“I could convince Gideon to let your demon torture him,” he began, his eyes lit with excitement, “and then I’ll have a front seat to what will surely be an amazing show.”
Torture him? She placed down the knife. “How, pray tell, could you convince Gideon to agree to that?”
“I’d get him shitfaced first. That won’t be hard. He loves his whiskey. Add in a few glasses of brandy and he’ll. Be. Plastered. He doesn’t handle mixing his drinks well.” He rubbed his hands. “So, what do you think?”
She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised that he’d suggest something like this, or that he’d believe she might be up for it. “I think ‘no’.”
The light faded from his eyes as a disappointed frown pulled at his brows. “Why?”
“Why? Lots of reasons. It’s immoral. Mean. Sly.”
“I’m not seeing the issue.”
She felt her eyelid twitch. “Go help Saxon flip burgers or something.” She went back to slicing open the bread buns.
“So it’s a definite no, then?”
“A definite, huge no. Really huge. Like . . . it couldn’t be bigger.”
“A no to what?” asked Archer, sidling up to Teague.
“I said we should get Gideon so blitzed he’d agree to let her demon torture him so I can watch,” Teague explained.
Archer’s brow dented. “Why do we need his agreement?”
Dropping the knife again, Larkin flicked her gaze upward. They could not be for real.
Teague lifted his shoulders. “I thought it might make her feel better about the whole thing.”
Larkin planted her hands on the table. “What will make me feel better is if we end this conversation.”
Archer leaned into Teague. “Maybe it will help if we get her drunk, too.”
“I heard that,” she told him.
Archer gave her a reprimanding look. “It’s rude to eavesdrop.”
“It’s not eavesdropping if you’re right there, where I have no choice but to hear you,” she pointed out, admittedly snippy. “And something tells me you don’t care about ‘rude’ anyway.”
He slapped a hand to his chest. “I’m offended that you would—”
“Don’t. Just don’t.”
The asshole chuckled.
A few hours later, after the BBQ was over and she was seriously bloated, she and Teague were heading into his wagon.
Peering down at the duffel she’d pulled out of the trunk, he asked, “What’s that?”
“My overnight bag.” She dumped it on the cushioned bench.
His brows inched up. “You’re staying over?”
“No, I brought it for absolutely no reason,” she deadpanned.
He smiled. “Snarky.” The word rang with delight. “It’s like you want my demon to bite you again.”
Rolling her eyes, she took a seat at the table and placed a hand on her full stomach. As he opened the window, she glanced around. “I like your wagon.”
He shot her a sideways look of surprise. “I would have thought you’d find it confining. You’re used to your big-ass apartment.”
“I like my home. But it’s not cozy. I prefer cozy over spacious.”
He tipped his head to the side. “How come you don’t live in a smaller place, then?”
“It’s easier to have Knox as a landlord. I don’t have to pay rent or worry about human bullshit. Plus, my complex is super secure. And it means I’m near Levi, Tanner, and their mates. Though the latter isn’t always a positive, because the guys like to be up in my business, despite having busy lives.”
