Angel Blood

35- No You Don't (18+)

18+

My fingers comb through my still-wet hair from the shower, pausing mid-motion at the array of men shuffling around the room.

"What the hell?" I move forward as a man begins rifling through the dresser drawer filled with my clothing. "What are you doing?"

"He's packing your things," Theo says from the couch, watching them with interest but making no attempt to step forward and help. The man doesn't even spare me a glance as he takes handfuls of my panties and shoves them into the suitcase.

"Packing my things." I narrow my eyes in a way that I hope comes off as intimidating. "What do you know that I don't?"

Theo makes a sound of thought. "That's a question for your...," he pauses for a thoughtful moment. "Boyfriend? Is that what you would call him?"

I wrinkle my nose. Such a casual term doesn't seem befitting of a man like Sinclair Black.

Theo nods his head in agreement. "Whatever. Your man-toy. He should be downstairs."

"Or you could tell me." I slide into the spot next to him and poke his arm, smiling hesitantly. Something tells me this isn't going to be something I'll like and Sin won't even bother giving my two-cents a listen. "I'll take you up on your movie offer. What do you say, Adam Sandler and Chinese food tonight?"

"I'm serious, Calli-girl." He bends his head closer to mine and speaks so softly I have to strain to make out his words. "He'll threaten to kill me again. He's been doing that a lot lately." His brow furrows. "It's more annoying than anything, but I guess I should probably hear him out."

"Threatening you?" I'm not surprised but the knowledge displeases me all the same. "Shouldn't you be more concerned than that?"

He shrugs a shoulder, the crooked smile flitting over his lips flashing the dimple on his left cheek. "Just between you and me, I think he has a soft spot for his men. He usually only kills the really disobedient ones."

"What qualifies as 'really' disobedient?" I ask.

"Gossiping, for one," a dark voice rumbles from behind me. Theo straightens, the lighted-hearted expression melting from his face. "And not taking their duties seriously. You're dismissed, Theodore."

I frown, glancing back at Sinclair. He leans against the doorframe of the stairwell, tapping his fingers impatiently on his muscled forearm as he waits for Theo to leave.

Once he's gone, I sigh. "You don't have to be such a grump."

"A grump." His eyebrows pull together. "I've been called many things in my life—bastard, the devil, murderer," he says darkly. "But grump is certainly a first."

"It's hard to be scared of a man when I know he has a perpetual habit of leaving the seat up and likes to cuddle before bedtime." I walk forward and wrap my arms around his waist even though his face is still tense with agitation. "So grump it is."

He makes a sound of displeasure even as he relaxes against me and reaches up to brush his fingers through my messy waves.

"By the way, stop threatening my friends," I murmur into his chest.

"Your friends are my men. In case you've forgotten, I employ them," he says. "So I'll do what I please."

"Hard-ass." I frown, turning my chin up so I can look at his face. "Are you going to tell me what's going on here?"

He's silent for a moment, then says, "We're moving."

"Moving?" I blink. "Why?"

"Because it's not safe here anymore."