Page 66 of Spy With Me

“Dude, no. I did not bring C-4 on the plane we recentlytraveled on,” TJ said, catching up to her. “I don’t, like, keep it on me at alltimes.”

“And that is why you fail,” Kala announced.

“I didn’t fail,” her brother replied.

Devi followed behind, noting that Lou and Cooper werewhispering to each other. “Uhm, who are we talking about? Because Lacey isBritish. Definitely not from Colorado. She’s from Liverpool.”

“She’s from the bowels of hell.” Kala approached the mainhouse, climbing the steps with purpose. “Also, changing her accent is one ofher talents. If you heard her real voice you would turn to stone. Kind of likewhat happens when you look her in the eyes.”

“I’m confused,” Devi admitted. Her cousin could make somesnap judgments about people, but this seemed extra even for Kala. “What ishappening?”

“How about chicken or turkey?” TJ fell in step beside her.“Or cheese maybe. You make an awesome grilled cheese, sis.”

“There is nothing good in this house,” Kala announced.“Lucifer only eats the earth’s excrement.”

“She calls them vegetables.” She had seen her cousin actweird, but this was a lot. She looked back to her brother. “Lacey is vegan andpretty hard core about it. But I think we have some tofu scramble left overfrom breakfast.”

TJ went pale. “Tofu?”

Her brother was going to have to go with the flow. “I alsohave some protein bars. You’ll be fine. It wouldn’t hurt for you to eat a saladevery now and then.”

“I eat salad,” TJ protested. “Lou makes me, but she putsmeat on it. Maybe some fried chicken.”

“We are not frying up Miss Rachel,” Devi swore.

“I didn’t say we should fry up that chicken.” TJ followedKala inside. “Just maybeachicken. Like one from the grocery store.”

“There’s no animal products allowed. Zach still eats like ahorse. You’ll be fine,” Devi promised. “Hey, Kala, I think we should let Zachhandle Lacey.”

Her cousin turned on her, an unholy gleam in her eyes. “Zachcan’t even smell the stench of brimstone. He is useless.”

Devi didn’t smell anything.

The lights came back on, and she heard the sound of a dooropening upstairs.

“Zach, what’s going on?” Lacey asked, her voice tight. “IsDevi okay?”

“She’s fine, but we have company,” Zach was saying as hemoved down the stairs.

Lacey rounded the corner. Her hair had come out of its neatbun, like she’d been working furiously. Probably trying to get out of the saferoom that became a cage. “Get rid of the… What the actual fuck?”

Oh, Lacey started off in the same British accent she’dalways used around Devi, but the last part of that sentence had been said witha flat, American accent, and Lacey’s normally placid face turned distinctly…What was the right word? Not exactly angry. Volcanic rage would be moredescriptive.

Kala matched her dangerous vibe on every level, and suddenlyDevi was almost certain this was how the world ended. Not with a bang but agirl fight.

“You.” Lacey said the word like it was a warning. Or athreat.

“You,” Kala said back.

Devi took a seat. This looked like it was going to be someexcellent drama because she was pretty sure now she knew what she was dealingwith. Was popcorn vegan? She glanced up and Zach looked every bit as shocked asshe was.

Whatever was about to happen, he hadn’t kept it from her. Hehadn’t known the secret. He wasn’t going to take this well, and she was goingto have to calm her Dom down. It was her job. He gave her wild pleasure andindulged her fantasies, and she calmed him down when he found everyone aroundhim was lying about who they were. It seemed to happen a lot.

The one thing she did know was now that her family was here,their time was running out.

* * * *

Zach heard Lacey’s accent slip.