Nix ignored Ivan’s scoff, leaning sideways across his lap to hide him from view. “I’m helping him turn over a new leaf.”
“But…why?”
“Because I like the mean ones.”
“Well, that’s…” Jay seemed too polite to tell Nix that was crazy, but he seemed to be thinking of it.
“We could really use your help as well.”
“Well, the thing is… So Alexei’s not a big fan of Ivan right now.” Jay lowered voice conspiratorially. “Ivan shot Alexei last time, you know.”
“Ivan did?” Nix asked, fighting back a laugh. How like his human to leave out that little detail. “How naughty.”
“Very naughty, yes.” Jay nodded sagely. “So I’m not sure Alexei’s going to want to help.”
“If he could think about it, Ivan’s very sorry,” Nix added, ever the diplomat.
Ivan pinched his side. “I’mnot,” he growled.
Jay narrowed his eyes, clearly having caught the denial. “He doesn’t sound sorry.”
“If you two come to help, I’ll show you my tail.”
There was a long, thoughtful pause on Jay’s end, and then he cleared his throat delicately. “I’ll…discuss it with Alexei.”
A large hand covered the screen, hiding Jay from view. ClearlyAlexei had had enough of the conversation. There was only a moment for Jay’s frantic, “Bye, Nix!” before the call ended.
Nix leaned back, peering at Ivan. “Well, he was just adorable, wasn’t he?” He realized Ivan was glaring at him, and he raised his brows. “What? Would it kill you to at leastpretendto be sorry, to aid your plea? Isn’t that what humans do? Lie to get what they want?”
Ivan pinched at the bridge of his nose. “I must be losing my mind listening to you at all.” He flicked his fingers at the edge of Nix’s panties. “Or thinking with my dick.”
Nix preened. Maybe Ivan had meant it as an insult, but all Nix had heard was Ivan admitting to liking Nix’s panties. “I think with my dick all the time,” he reassured Ivan. “I highly recommend it. It’s a wonderful way to live.”
Ivan’s answer was to push Nix off his lap. “Come. Get dressed. We need to stop at the office before we head to Maine.”
“To interrogate Tara?” Nix would have a choice word or two for her if she’d been the reason Ivan had been placed in danger.
But Ivan shook his head. “She’s been cleared. The video shows the deliveryman outside well before we called for the car. He entered the building when he saw Oleg pull up. He didn’t receive a call from anyone we could see.”
“Then why the office?” Nix pouted, following Ivan into the bedroom. “Not morework.”
“I need to grab the Book.” Ivan slipped off his robe, and Nix was so busy admiring the display of lean muscles and the thick, tempting vision of Ivan’s half-hard cock that it took him a minute to catch up with what Ivan was saying. “I don’t want Sergei storming in and taking it by accident.”
Oh. That.
Nix cleared his throat, stripping off Ivan’s shirt at his impatient gesture, materializing his own outfit at the same time. He had afeeling he didn’t want to be naked for this conversation. “The thing is…you might not find it there.”
Ivan froze in the act of buttoning up his slacks, his features smoothing out into an unreadable mask. “And why wouldn’t I find it there?” he asked, his voice soft and deadly. “Where I left it?”
“I think your cousin Cooper might have accidentally picked it up.”
Ivan narrowed his eyes. “It was in my desk drawer, Nix. Mycloseddesk drawer.”
“I might have accidentally banged it open with my hip.”
“Twice you’ve used the word ‘accidentally.’” Ivan stepped close, nose to nose with Nix. “Don’t. Lie. To me.”
“Fine.” Nix rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to step back. He was a demon; he wasn’t going to be intimidated by a human mobster, no matter how well he fucked. “I might havepurposefullybanged it open with my hip and then told Cooper he missed one and pointed to it and watched him pick it up.”
