Page 26 of Cheater Slicks

“And she’s made it plain she wants to get naked with you.”

“Are you telling me I should have sex with your sister to get me out of her system?”

“I try not to think about my sister having sex, so no. All I’m saying is, if you don’t want her, then you need to do yourself a favor and pack her up while she’s gone. Leave her things at the shop. I’ll give you a code to get into my office.” I lamented only having crumbs left in the bottom of my bag. I could have used a distraction to get through this conversation. “Make a clean break.”

“She can’t go back to her apartment.”

“She can room with me, or we’ll rent her an apartment until she’s ready to move home.”

“I have the space, and I don’t need the money. It makes more sense for her to stay with me.”

“Financially, yes. Emotionally? No. Keep going like this, and one of you is going to get hurt.”

And, as much as I liked Carter, as much as Carter had tried to do right by Josie, Josie was still my sister.

“Yeah.” Her voice grew rough with emotions I wasn’t about to attempt labeling. “You’re right.”

“However, if you do give my sister the boot, please don’t tell her I gave you the idea.”

With a snort, the redcap ended the call, leaving me torn on the advice I had given.

Had Kierce not chosen that moment to appear, I might have called her back, but he did, and I didn’t.

Because he wasn’t alone, and I don’t just mean Badb sitting on his shoulder with a purloined oyster.

Harrow was with him.

Here.

In New Orleans.

Mouth falling open, I walked into the street to meet them, stunned at the man who had invited himself along.

“Frankie Talbot,” he purred, his eyes golden and glimmering.

Pretty sure my heart skipped a beat before it got back with the program.

“You—” I checked with Kierce, whose wary expression didn’t comfort, “—arenotHarrow.”

“I required a body to travel the distance to you,” the Not-Harrow said without batting an eye, but I could tell there were other reasons too. “You did not seem to like this one much, so I borrowed him.”

No, no, no.

This was not happening. Not now. I didn’t have time for more divine shenanigans.

“You stole Harrow’s body.” I wadded up the bag, wishing it was Anunit’s throat I was crushing in my fist. “That’s not…” I groaned a miserable noise. “He’s acop. You can’t steal a cop. Other cops will notice and come looking for him.”

No wonder she had been so taken with him that day in my office. She wanted to try him on and see if he suited her. And I had given her the perfect excuse to give him a test-drive by leaving her in Thunderbolt.

“Ah.” She tipped her head to one side. “A law enforcer.”

“Yes.” I pinched my eyes shut but was afraid to lose sight of her. “Can we do this later?”

“Do you have food?” She scratched her stomach. “This body is hungry.”

A hungry predator was threat enough to send Badb sailing off with her oyster clutched in her claws.

“Good Lord.” I did not need this complication. “How did you get him to New Orleans anyway?”

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