Page 5 of His Ruthless Match

I smirked after him, setting the sprayer back among the foliage. “Looks like youcanbe trained.”

2

JARETH

When I stepped into my cottage the day after the wedding, my boots were caked with enough blood to make a coroner nervous. Dark streaks smeared across the polished wood floor, and I winced when I glanced back. It looked like I’d dragged a corpse inside, which, to be fair, wasn’t far from the truth. Last night’s job had been a mess. Quick and efficient, yes, but bloody as hell. Even by my standards.

Sighing, I tossed my keys onto the side table. The dullclinkechoed in the quiet space, the only other noise the muffled roar of the waves crashing against the shoreline outside. I craved—no,needed—the solitude here after jobs like this. No bustling city. No lingering eyes. Just the sand, the ocean, and the occasional seagull screaming at the void.

My cottage was perched on the edge of The Shadow’s territory, far enough from his mansion to give us complete privacy, but close enough to be at his beck and call every hour of every day.

The Shadow called it a tactical outpost. I called it a sanctuary.

I glanced down again at the floor and grimaced. Grelth was going to lose his shit. He always did. I swore under my breath, bracing myself for the inevitable tirade as I stripped off my jacket.

Right on cue, the little bastard materialized in the doorway, his shadowy form rippling before settling into something solid. He was barely three feet tall, his wiry frame hunched slightly as he stalked forward like a predator assessing its prey. Wispy brown hair jutted out at wild angles, and his sharp, wide-set eyes immediately darted to the floor. His long, pointed ears twitched with irritation as he took in the carnage.

“What is wrong with you?” he demanded. “You think this is a flop house? A barn? Are you trying to summon a demon with this mess?”

“Nice to see you, too,” I muttered, stepping out of my boots and tossing them toward the corner. Blood flaked off them and splattered against the wall. That earned a full-body twitch from Grelth.

“Do you even know what a mop is?” he snapped, gesturing wildly at the floor. “Or a towel? Or basic decency? You got blood on the rug, Master Jareth. Therug.That’s enchanted silk. Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean enchanted silk?”

I ignored him as I peeled off my shirt and tossed it into the hamper near the laundry closet. The hamper snapped shut with a mechanical clink, the faint hum of magic pulling the blood and grime into its depths. It would be clean and pressed by morning—if Grelth didn’t torch it out of spite first.

He was still pacing and muttering about respect being needed in shared spaces. “You think just because you’re The Shadow’s golden boy you can drag your murder parties in here without a thought for the mess? This is ahome,Master Jareth, not a butchery!”

I turned to him, arching a brow. “You done?”

Grelth scowled, his shadowy form flickering as he crossed his arms. “You’re lucky I don’t quit.”

That earned a snort. “Where else would you go? You’d miss me.”

He grumbled under his breath, but I didn’t push it. Grelth was a pain in the ass—obsessive, bossy, and constantly muttering about standards—but I had a soft spot for him. He’d been here since I first took over the cottage, cleaning up my messes and making sure I didn’t drown in my own chaos. He pretended to hate it, but I knew better. The bastard thrived on order and control. If I didn’t give him something to complain about, he’d probably die of boredom.

I stepped out onto the deck, letting the ocean breeze wash over me. The sun dipped lower, painting the horizon in gold and crimson and casting shimmering streaks over the water. The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, and the soothing sound eased the tension in my chest. I sank onto one of the cushioned chairs with a groan, letting my head fall back as I finally let myself relax.

“Of course,” Grelth muttered, materializing behind me. “Now you’re sweating all over the furniture. No one wants to sit where your swampy ass has been, Master Jareth.”

“We don’t have guests,” I pointed out lazily. “No one but me ever sits out here.”

He wasn’t impressed. “What ifMaster Grelthwanted to sit here? Should I have to sit on your ass sweat?”

I chuckled, getting to my feet with exaggerated effort. “Fine. Have at it.”

The second I stood, Grelth snapped his fingers. Magic shimmered over the chair, cleaning it instantly. He inspected his handiwork with a satisfied nod before shooting me a glare.

“Happy now?” I asked, smirking.

“Ecstatic,” he snapped, already disappearing back into the house with a muttered, “Why do I even bother?”

Shaking my head, I made my way toward the shower, peeling off the rest of my bloodied clothes as I went. My muscles ached with the familiar burn of exertion, but the promise of hot water and soap was enough to keep me moving.

I was halfway there when my phone buzzed on the counter. I debated ignoring it since it was probably nothing urgent, but curiosity won out. I picked it up, already scowling.

Boss man:Need to see you ASAP.

Of course. Apparently even his honeymoon wasn’t enough to stop him from summoning me like an obedient lapdog.