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Balls. Of course, Stevie would catch it. I’m sure nothing much gets by her growing up in a house with multiple dads.
“It’s not important.” I aim at indifference and miss by a few orders of magnitude.
“Wait, don’t ask her that,” Jess says, brows pinched together in concentration. “She asked us not to keep pushing. We need to respect that, especially because of her word-vomit issue.”
I could kiss her. Right on the mouth. Maybe even with the tongue if she asked nicely.
“Yeah, but...” Austin grumbles. “How can we protect her from those… demons… if she won’t be honest with us?”
I lock eyes with him. “It’s not your job. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the sentiment, but I can’t tell you. I won’t risk it.”
Austin pushes his tray of meat with a side of meat away. “Fine. But I don’t like it.”
Stevie takes my hand. “You’re sure you’re OK? They aren’t hurting you? No brainwashing? No sex cult?”
“That’s twice you’ve mentioned a sex cult now. I’m starting to wonder if you’re the one involved in one.”
The three of them glance at each other, all trying their best not to look guilty.
“What? Please don’t tell me I’m right.”
Stevie scrunches her face. “Ew, no. It’s just…” She trails off, chewing her lip.
“What. Tell me!”
She huffs out a sigh. “The Auction Axe personally invited you to? Yeah, it’s kind of like a sex cult situation.”
“Oh, that. Yeah. I got that impression from my research. I’ll be fine.”
The moment the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch, the demon boys descend. I don’t have to turn around to see them. The trio of angry faces in front of me says it all.
The heirs are probably forming a semi-circle at my back right about now.
But…
Since Jess’s sound barrier is still up, I can’t hear any of the demons complaining, much less any of their orders.
A wicked grin spreads across my face as I decide to have a little fun.
Slowly, and I mean slow like right after my first flight lesson slow, I turn and feign surprise at the four demons behind me.
Axe’s mouth hitches up into half a snarl as he says…
Something.
I give him an exaggerated shrug and point to my ear. “Sorry. Can’t hear you.”
His pupils dilate, and the tips of his ears flush with anger as he over-enunciates for the benefit of lipreading. “Let’s go. Now.”
“Ugh. You’re no fun,” I say to myself since he can’t hear me, and promptly turn back to face my friends. “It’s uncomfortable for you. I understand that. I know what I’m doing, and I promise to be careful. OK?”
Stevie purses her lips but offers a single nod.
Jess does as well. “As long as you’re sure.”
“I am.”
I turn to Austin. He’s still got a snarl on his face as he stares down the demons behind me. “If you need anything, any time, I’m a message away.”
