Page 19 of Reluctant Rebel

“No, Sabre,” Jinx interrupted firmly. “You have no say in this. The only person who gets to have some input is Mikhail. And he already has.”

She held her breath, waiting for her friend’s reaction. Gage stepped beside her, offering silent support. She leaned into his side, burrowing a little when he lifted his arm and wrapped it around her. A moment later, Eric claimed her other side, and the three of them huddled in silence.

Sabre was the first to break.

She threw her arms into the air and began grumbling. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. The three of you look ridiculous with your sad puppy eyes. Quit it. I get it. End of discussion.”

Jinx didn’t know if she could trust the easy acquiescence. Sabre hadn’t so much as reached for a weapon. “Really?”

“Yes. Really,” Sabre said grumpily. Her expression softened between one breath and the next, and she reached for Jinx, pulling her into her arms. “I just want you to be happy. Both of you.”

Jinx grabbed a handful of Sabre’s shirt at the back, hanging on for dear life. “I will be,” she promised, hoping she wasn’t lying.

The assassin gave her one last squeeze before taking hold of her shoulders and giving her a little shake. “Damn right, you will. Repeat after me: I am a bad bitch. Not a sad bitch.”

Jinx shook her head, a smile slowly spreading across her face. “Sabre …”

Sabre raised a single eyebrow haughtily. “I’m waiting.”

Jinx gave it a shot. “I am a bad bitch. Not a sad bitch.”

“Pathetic!” Sabre declared, refusing to release Jinx. “Again. Like you mean it.”

Jinx rolled her eyes but repeated the words with more vigour.

“That’s better. Good job,” Sabre praised, patting her on the back. “Ain’t nobody got time for sad bitches.”

Jinx laughed. And if it was a little watery, no one commented on it. “Thank you.”

“Always,” Sabre vowed.

9

“Never!” Sabre proclaimed dramatically.

“Never what?” Brax asked, looking over his shoulder. He was digging around in the chest freezer for Styx’s dinner.

“Never will I believe the absolute garbage Mikhail and Jinx are spouting,” Sabre explained. “I’m sure we can come up with something.”

Brax stepped back, holding up a huge, meaty bone. Styx whined, the drool hanging from his mouth stretched and stretched until it hit the floor. Brax shot the beast a disgusted look. “You better clean that up.”

“He doesn’t have opposable thumbs,” Sabre reminded Brax, patting Styx as she passed.

“Well, he better grow some if he’s going to keep drooling like that,” Brax complained. “It’s gross.” He tossed the bone to Styx, who caught it in his massive jaws before trotting happily to his bed with his prize.

Brax stared at the drool as if he could make it disappear with the power of thought. When that didn’t work, he grumbled and reached for the paper towels. Sabre’s head tilted to the left, hereyes glued to Brax’s exceptionally fine arse as he bent to wipe the floor. Her palms tingled with the urge to caress those firm cheeks.

When he wiggled from side to side, Sabre knew she’d been caught ogling. She merely grinned unapologetically when he looked at her. “How do you feel about wearing a naughty maid uniform?”

Brax straightened and eyed her from head to toe. His gaze heated, and a low rumble vibrated in his chest. “I feel confident I have the calves to pull it off.”

She agreed wholeheartedly. “Yeah, ya do.”

Brax tossed the soiled paper towel into the bin before pinning her to the wall with his body. Sabre was all for sexy times with her demon, but they hadn’t agreed to a plan yet. When he tugged on her ear with his teeth, sending shivers down her entire right side, she ducked under his arm and darted away. “Wait. We need to talk first.”

“Talk?” Brax pointed at the large bulge in his pants. “What about my dick?”

“It’s very nice,” Sabre complimented him. “It’s also not going anywhere. Talk first. Dick-play later.”

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