Page 102 of Vipers and Vendettas

I grin as he pokes his head out, but he frowns at me.

‘I have something I’ve been meaning to give you,’ he says, beckoning me as he disappears back into his private room.

I follow him in, gasping loudly when I see the paintings lining the walls. They’re all in different styles, poses, angles, and lights, but they’re all of me. There are scenes of me reading, staring out the window, in bed with my top off. In some, I look angry, and in others, my expression is happy or sultry.

I’m stunned to silence as he rummages around in the corner, and when he turns around, he only just seems to notice my shock at the subject of all of his paintings.

He snorts. ‘So, you like my new painting obsession?’

‘When did you do all these?’ I whisper.

‘While you were gone,’ he says. ‘It’s pretty much all I did for three months. I couldn’t get you out of my head, Jules. I thought if I painted you, it would help.’

‘Did it?’

He smiles. ‘Not even a little bit.’

He urges me gently back into his main bedroom and practically thrusts a painting into my hands. I take it with a questioning look, but when I tear off the paper covering it, my lip wobbles.

‘I thought … I couldn’t find it when I came back,’ I whisper. ‘I was afraid you’d destroyed it.’

He takes my hand as I look down at the painting he did of Siggy.

‘Never, Jules.’

‘I love it, you know,’ I murmur as I look down at the only evidence my friend existed. ‘And I loved her. It killed me to say those things before.’

‘I know it did, gràidh.’

I place the painting on the bed carefully and put my arms around him. He hugs me back and holds me like that for a long time while I stare at Siggy, thinking about all the times she bumped me with her head gently, or I lured a prisoner into her lair for her to suck dry. True friendship.

Later that same day, Maddox comes to find me. I’m in the kitchens with Tabitha, helping her make dinner. Though helping isn’t the right word at all unless I’m helping her to laugh because she finds my complete lack of culinary skills more than a little hilarious. But I’ve reached a new stage of pregnancy where the smell of her cooking makes me salivate rather than vomit, so I find myself drawn into her arena whenever she’s preparing food.

‘Here you are,’ Maddox says, coming up behind me and drawing me into his body.

I push my ass into his crotch surreptitiously but utterly shamelessly and am gratified when he nips my neck with a low growl.

‘No time for that, pet,’ he says into my neck. ‘We have to go out.’

They’re leaving me?

My spirits plummet even though I know I’m being ridiculous.

He draws back with a frown, then rolls his eyes. ‘You’re coming with us, darling.’ He looks at me like I’m crazy. ‘As if we’d leave you unprotected.’

‘I’m sure I’d be fine,’ I say. ‘I mean, your border spells are second to none.’

He shakes his head. ‘I love that you love my family’s ancestral home, but you can’t stay here locked away. It’s not healthy, and really, it’s no different from the fold if you’re only staying here through fear.’

‘I know,’ I murmur with a small sigh. ‘Where are we going?’

‘Only to the club you’re already familiar with. I have a meeting there with some associates. I’ve been putting it off, but I can’t any longer.’ He turns me around and kisses me, and I notice Tabitha looks away, a small smile on her lips.

‘Get dressed,’ he murmurs with a pinch to my ass that makes me jump. ‘We’re going in a few minutes.’

He leaves the kitchens, and I give Tabitha a rueful look. ‘Sorry,’ I say. ‘But do you mind if I …’

She waves me away. ‘Go, child. Go with your hot demon mates.’ She pretends to fan herself, and I laugh.