Page 11 of The Party

She sighed at his tense tone. “Relax. Olivia, Laura, and Daniel are keeping an eye on her. Callie and Nate are there too.”

Conrad looked unconvinced.

“Should we pre-empt things and call the fire department?” he asked Ethan.

“My mom has a habit of burning the kitchen down when she cooks,” Mila explained at Mae and Nikolai’s stares.

Mae sensed she might have found a kindred soul in Alexa King.

Conrad spotted the kid on the chandelier. “When did he get up there?”

Sebastian lowered his brows at the sight of his son. The boy gulped.

“John,” the Sphinx said in a steely voice.

“Yes, father?” the kid quavered.

The Sphinx’s eyes flashed white. “Down, now.”

John floated to the ground and alighted sheepishly in front of his father.

“We should ask him to babysit when we have kids,” Nikolai whispered in Mae’s ear, clearly impressed.

Brimstone and I want to babysit too, Hellreaver protested.

Mae pursed her lips.

I bet you two would let our kids eat junk food and watch the late night shopping channel.

Hellreaver flinched guiltily.

Nikolai cut his eyes to the weapon. “What’d he say?”

Things were getting frosty over the way between the Sphinx and his son.

The divine beast pointed imperiously at the staircase. “Go upstairs and put your party outfit on.”

“I don’t wanna,” John said sullenly.

The Sphinx narrowed his eyes. “This is not a debate.”

John swallowed convulsively. “Okay, I’ll go,” he mumbled. “But I refuse to wear that outfit.” He straightened, the stubborn light of defiance brightening his eyes.

That kid has a death wish, my witch, Hellreaver remarked.

Mae hushed him.

The Sphinx crossed his arms. “It’s either that outfit or you go naked,” he declared coolly.

John deflated.

“Do I have to wear the vest?” he asked sullenly.

“Yes.”

John sighed like he’d been given a death sentence. “And the bow tie? Can I at least lose the bow tie? And the checkered socks?”

Mae bit her lip.

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