Page 45 of The Firebrand
“Now see, that kind of comment makes you an ass and me an idiot,” she snapped.
“If you’re through analyzing our characters, get dressed.”
“I don’t have anything to wear, or did you forget? I have your T-shirt and my tennis shoes. Besides, I refuse to go anywhere with you. I’m angry and plan to stay that way.”
“Oh, right.” He considered the clothes problem for a moment, ignoring the rest of what she said. “Go into Elisabeta’s room. She keeps stuff there. You’re both about the same size.”
“Did you hear the part about how I’m not going anywhere with you?”
“My hearing’s fine, but you’re going anyway. Get dressed.”
“Do you listen to country music?” she asked.
“What? No. Hurry.”
“The sappy lyrics are right. A man does nothing more than cause heartache, just like the Jo Dee song. ‘My Give a Damn’s Busted.’ So, excuse me if I don’t jump at your commands.”
“You’re going. Enough said.”
“What if your sister doesn’t want me to borrow her clothes?”
“Fuck. It doesn’t matter. Do what I ask for once.”
“I don’t have underwear. You ripped them.”
“Go commando.” Rein, short on patience in the best of times, lost it. He opened his mouth, letting fangs erupt from his gums. A growl rumbled from his chest while his nails curled into claws.
“Ooh! Scary.” Braelyn stomped into the room where Rein had carried Elisabeta last night. She slammed the door and started banging around, obviously flinging open the closet and rifling through drawers.
“Hurry up,” he shouted after about fifteen minutes, fangs, growls, and claws stowed away. “How hard can it be to change clothes?”
Damn.
From the other room, she yelled, “Give me a minute. This isn’t so easy.”
While he waited, Rein called Kole for details. He and Braelyn would meet Chay where hisfreronshad secured a body.
Out in the kitchen, pouring his third coffee, Rein listened. The bedroom door opened. Braelyn stepped onto the wood floor. As he turned, his cup in one hand and hers in the other, he fixed on Elisabeta’s room. From what he could see, it was a disaster, clothes on the floor, the closet ajar, drawers not shut.
How can anybody cause so much damage in such a short time?
Before he could chastise her, he gaped at Braelyn, almost dropping both mugs of coffee.
A black skin-tight sweater dropped off her creamy shoulders, her nipples puckering beneath the fabric. No bra. Passing for a skirt, a strip of forest green leather hugged her hips, leaving her midriff naked and her commando ass barely covered. Then there were the thigh-high black stiletto boots.
She stared at the floor. “Believe it or not, this was the most conservative thing in the closet.”
Rein froze at the sight of Braelyn but finally shook it off, walked to her, and handed her a coffee. “Cream?” he asked, voice wavering.
“No, thanks.” She still didn’t look at him as she accepted the offered mug.
She is so hot, and I am so fucked.
****
“Theyjust stepped out of Rein’s building,” the man from the bar said into his cellphone as he leaned against a tree on the street. “He must have thrown his own portal with that damn D-chip because they popped from sight. I suspect they’re going to the nymphs’ island. I’ll know more in a bit.”
He shifted one ankle over the other. “Nothing to worry about as long as there’s no evidence at the site.”
