Page 5

Hazel

I brought the compostable takeout bowl to my mouth and slurped the last bit of the rich umami broth. When I’d first seen the amount of food Liam had ordered, I’d thought we’d never finish it, especially since he’d ordered three separate meals for me, not knowing what I preferred to eat.

Somehow, I’d managed to fit most of it into my stomach.

The two of them had helped with the third meal, but I’d polished off the first two on my own.

I’d felt self-conscious at first, but they’d both assured me that I should eat as much as I could and that it would help me recover from whatever the spell did.

I still didn’t understand how I could have a magic hangover—which apparently happened when a magic user overextended their magical abilities—when I hadn’t been the one to cast the spell, but every bite seemed to make me feel better, so I kept eating.

It was only now that I finally stopped shoveling food into my mouth for long enough to take in the loft I was sitting in.

Seth and Liam lived in one of those newly renovated loft buildings, the ones where they kept most of the old-world factory charm intact while adding tons of luxury features, like granite countertops and real brass fixtures to complement the exposed bricks, beams, and pipes.

It was exactly the type of man cave I expected someone like Seth, with his alternative style, to be in if he had all the money. And clearly, he did.

I bet Desmon and the EA paid a lot better than the police. Or was this Liam’s old demon money? I didn’t know too much about him aside from the few times I’d met him on a call. Unlike Seth, he’d always been quite courteous, proof that you should never judge a book by its cover.

The daisies Seth had brought for me sat in a vase at the center of the table.

It didn’t seem to fit in the home at all.

This was a man’s living space, and I didn’t mean that in a bad way.

Yes, there were a few beer bottles lining the counter wall and takeout containers in the garbage, but everything else was well cared for.

The loft had super high ceilings and a floor-to-ceiling window along one wall, which also had sliding doors that opened out onto a fully furnished balcony.

The entire place was outfitted with industrial-grunge style décor; the edgy grittiness of it totally screamed Seth, but there were occasional accents that were a little softer, like the high-plush rug over the sealed concrete floors.

I wondered if those were Liam’s contribution.

There were stairs along the adjacent wall that led up to a lofted area, which I assumed were the bedrooms. The opposite wall housed a huge tropical enclosure.

I couldn’t see anything moving in it, but if I had to guess, it was probably home to a reptile of some sort.

Whatever lived in it was spoiled. The vivarium looked like a little piece of paradise, with craggy rock walls covered in moss, vines, and exotic plants.

There was something that looked like a hollowed-out log in the leaf litter below, which I assumed was where the occupant was currently hiding.

My eyes drifted up to the industrial pendant lights that illuminated the kitchen.

I found I rather liked the style even though it was the complete opposite of the place I lived in.

That was, if there was such a thing, as the opposite of no style at all.

I’d done the bare minimum after moving into my grandparents’ old place.

Here, the juxtaposition of raw and refined made grunge look expensive.

I was suddenly very self-conscious when I realized the two of them had their eyes on me.

“Feeling better, Babygirl?” Liam asked.

“I’m not your Babygirl. But I do feel a lot better. Good call on the noodles.” I finished the sentence with a yawn.

“You’re going to probably need a lot of sleep now,” Seth said, stretching his arms over his head in a way that highlighted his toned muscles, which were probably courtesy of the private gym I saw in the corner of the loft.

“Do you have anything important that you need from your place? A pet you need to take care of or electronics you need for work?”

He stood and started collecting all our trash into the takeout bag.

But when I tried to help him, he shooed me away.

Liam guided me to a leather couch that ended up being much more comfortable than it looked.

I sank into it and didn’t even complain when Liam wrapped an arm around me and pulled me against the warmth of his body.

Maybe it was the furry earmuff head massage or the fact that I’d woken up earlier from my nap cradled in his arms in the elevator, but I didn’t have it in me to tell him off for overstepping the conventional set of professional boundaries.

“I’ll need my laptop eventually,” I answered after a quick think. “But it can wait as long as there’s a charger for my phone.” I looked down at my uniform. It had been the only thing I could change into when being discharged. “Clothes. I need clothes.”

Seth sent me a grin from the kitchen that really shouldn’t have been as sexy as it was. “You don’t need clothes, Hazy Daisy. They’re overrated.”

For a moment, I swear I saw his clothes go transparent a little, showing me a glimpse of the broad, muscular shoulders and some yummy pecs underneath. Were those pierced nipples? But when I looked again, it was gone, and I wasn’t sure if it had been magic or if I’d only imagined it.

Huh, too bad I hadn’t had the foresight to check out the rest of him.

Just as I scanned his near-perfect form, it happened again. But this time, my eyes were a little lower. I didn’t get an eyeful of anything naughty though, just a set of black boxers with... pink hearts on them!

Seth was doing it on purpose!

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Now look here—”

“Oh, I’m looking... ”

“I’m sure Seth can spare some of his silk shirts for you to sleep in and hang out,” Liam said, diffusing the situation. “We’ll go pick up your stuff in the morning.” He pointed to Seth. “You, stop teasing the poor thing. She’s exhausted. You can do that tomorrow.”

“He can’t do that ever!” I huffed.

“Oh, come on,” Seth sing-songed. “You were hoping to catch more than a little glimpse. Admit it.”

I pressed my lips together. I hated that he was right. Ugh! He was so infuriating.

“Go write your report!” Liam said sternly, pointing to the large wood and metal desk that was partially behind a room divider. “I’m going to get this one settled in the guest room.”

Seth stuck his tongue out at the demon but moseyed on over to the desk.

I chuckled inwardly at their interaction. At first, I wondered if one of them would lead and the other follow, but it seemed like they took turns bossing each other around. Nothing conventional about these two.

I found myself being lifted up into Liam’s arms and carried up the stairs.

“Hey! I can walk.”

“Too late,” he said. “It’s more work to let you down now.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Doesn’t have to,” he said, dropping me off inside a bathroom that didn’t look like it got much use.

He rummaged through the cabinet and produced a towel, a new toothbrush, and a travel-sized tube of toothpaste.

“When you’re done, go to the room without the skull on the door.”

Then I was alone for the first time since my short reprieve in the hospital room.

I looked at the woman in the mirror. Eww.

I looked like hell warmed over. I couldn’t believe that those two hotties just witnessed me at my very worst. Not that anything could happen between any of us.

For one, they were a couple, and I’d be a third wheel.

And not to mention it was utterly unprofessional, though I was pretty sure that neither wizard nor demon cared about professionalism.

Still, I hated anyone seeing me so weak. Them especially.

The blend of rustic and industrial continued into the bathroom, although it was softened by several lacey ferns in pots hanging from the ceiling. I reached up to check if they were real, and they were. One of them must have a green thumb. I couldn’t keep anything alive at my place.

I jumped into the shower, making it quick as to not give either of them a reason to check on me.

I felt a million times better when I came out.

The rod where I had draped my uniform was empty, but I hadn’t noticed anyone coming in.

I glanced over at the large shower with its glass door. Whoever it was had gotten an eyeful.

I decided I was too tired today to fight that battle. Besides, they were probably not interested in someone like me like that anyway. I was fit, at least enough for my job, but I was no siren. And these two? They looked like the type who wouldn’t settle for anything other than perfection.

I brushed my teeth but found no hair dryer, so I did my best to dry my hair with the towel before stepping out into the hallway. Sure enough, I found the door with the skull on it. That must be the master bedroom. It was just this side of tacky and totally Seth.

I found Liam inside the other room. He had dropped his human guise and was now every bit the demon he was, complete with red skin and pointy horns.

He’d also dropped his clothing. I stood there, jaw dropped at the expanse of buff, naked demon skin in front of me.

His horns arched from his temple majestically, and his webbed wings folded behind him, unignorable behind his back.

I tore my eyes away, hoping he hadn’t noticed me completely ogling him.

He held out a sheer and silky black shirt. It was barely there, so wispy it probably wouldn’t leave much to the imagination. Had he found the thinnest shirt in Seth’s wardrobe?

“This one should fit you.”

I held onto my towel. “Just leave it on the bed. Um, where are my clothes?”

“Inside out and washing on cold.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

He frowned at my still-wet hair. “You can’t sleep with wet hair. You’ll catch a cold.”

“That’s an old wives’ tale,” I said, even as I realized that he was probably centuries old and believed things like that.

“Then I’m an old wife. Let me help you.” Instead of putting the indecently thin shirt down, he approached with each hand on the shoulder of the shirt.

When he realized I wasn’t going to give up my towel, a third shadowy arm appeared from behind him to grab my only piece of protection.

With one fluid motion, the towel was gone, and I was standing there clutching at nothing.

A grin crossed his face as he took me in and he licked his lips, his forked tongue darting out just long enough for me to see. I realized how stupid I’d been for thinking Liam was the safer of the two. He was a demon. And right now, I was alone with said demon.

More ghostly limbs appeared and grabbed my wrists. My heart sped up and my stupid, stupid body decided that instead of fighting, it should get turned on. Massively. Traitor!

Damn it! What the hell was wrong with me? First Seth and now Liam? Neither were available. They were so cute together, and I was not a homewrecker, no matter how hard they flirted.

But all he did was lift my arms over my head and pop on the shirt, which only had buttons on the neckline placket, over my head.

“Sit,” he ordered, pointing to the chair. “I will dry your hair.” I hesitated because my heart and expectations had been flip-flopping so much today that I no longer knew what to think or how to react. But he just sat me down, produced a blow dryer from out of nowhere, and got to work.

I was all relaxed and sleepy again by the time he was done. I found myself being tucked under warm blankets, my hair dry and fluffy.

“Good night, Babygirl.”

By the time I realized he was going to give me a goodnight kiss, it was already too late. A firm hand came to press me down by the collarbone, and I caught a flick of his forked tongue across his lips before his mouth covered mine.

This was like no other goodnight kiss I’d ever had.

Fireworks went off, and heat started racing to my fingers and toes.

Images of all the sexy, dirty things we could be doing rushed into my head.

An invisible arm slithered under the sheets and under the thin shirt to brush against my thighs.

I clenched my belly at the butterflies forming there but couldn’t stop the soft whimper that escaped my lips.

Liam chuckled, satisfied with himself, his forked tongue forcing its way into my mouth.

His hand, which had been on my collarbone, snuck up around my throat, collaring me.

The smoky tendril of his phantom fingers snaked higher, teasing at that very fine line between thigh and crotch.

By the time he let me up for air, I was going out of my ever-loving mind.

“Sleep tight.” Those were his last words as he waltzed out of the room like he hadn’t just upended my world.