My eyebrows shoot up almost to my hairline.“Youwant a beer?”
She nods, a faint smile tugging at her lips.“Yeah, might calm my nerves.”
I let out a low chuckle, walking toward the refrigerator.
Vex bends and scoops up Grace, cradling the cat against his chest as if she is some comfort.“You should keep an eye on this one,” he says, his voice darkening.“Don’t want her getting lost in these woods.There are dangerous things lurking in the dark.”
Hannah takes Grace from him, her movements delicate as she places the cat on the couch.She glances back at Vex, her eyes narrowing, the words laced with an edge of anger.“Seems like there are dangerous things hiding in plain sight.”
I catch Vex’s eyes, narrowing mine slightly.The warning is there—Hannah doesn’t know about us, about the world we live in.She doesn’t need to.Not yet.But as usual, Vex doesn’t take the hint.
“What sort of dangerous things?”Vex asks.
“Vex, shut the door,” I mutter, my tone sharp as I make my way to the refrigerator.
“Oh, you know,” Hannah says as she watches Grace stretch out on the couch.“The kind that hurt innocent animals.”
Hannah’s gaze flickers to the cat, who lets out a loud, throaty howl and pads her way back to Vex.The old bastard looks stunned as Grace rubs herself up against his leg, tail flicking in a lazy arc.
“What is she doing?”he asks, his face completely bewildered.
“Grace is a good judge of character,” Hannah replies, her lips curling into a smile.“She likes you.She’s rubbing her scent on you so everyone knows you’re hers.”
Vex’s jaw drops, the humor draining from his face.“Tell her to stop it,” he demands, but there’s no real heat in his words.
Hannah walks over to me, smiling, a soft, amused glint in her eyes as she takes the beer I’m holding out to her.“Won’t do any good,” she says, her voice warm but laced with a hint of amusement.“She’s a cat.They pretty much do as they please.”
I laugh, throwing a beer at Vex.He snatches it out of the air with one hand, his gaze still fixed on the cat.
“Guess you’ve got a girlfriend now,” I tease, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
For just a second, his face falls, the usual tough-guy mask slipping.The vulnerability is fleeting, barely noticeable, but it’s there.He bends down and picks up the cat, holding her against his chest as if she’s the only thing in the room that makes sense.
“Well, I guess someone likes me,” he mutters, his voice quieter than before.
Grace purrs in response, rubbing her face against his in a gesture that’s almost affectionate.It’s hard to tell if she’s marking him or just making herself comfortable, but the sight is oddly tender.
I take a swig of my beer, my eyes flicking to Hannah, who’s watching the scene unfold.She’s holding her beer, but her focus is entirely on Vex and the cat.
“This is some weird shit,” I say, shaking my head, but there’s a smile tugging at my lips.
Vex, still cradling the cat as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, looks up at me.“Yeah, tell me about it.”
We settle around the table.Vex places Grace on the floor, but she’s having none of that.With a flick of her tail, she leaps onto the vacant chair at my dining table, her golden eyes scanning the room as if she’s the one in charge.Vex scowls but doesn’t argue, standing to pull the chair out just enough to let her get a better view of the room.The cat might be a pain in the ass, but there’s no denying she knows how to make herself at home and twist us around her paw.
“How did tonight go?”I ask, my voice low and cryptic, hoping Vex won’t spill too much in front of Hannah.She doesn’t need to know the full scope of what we’re dealing with.
Vex leans back in his chair, his eyes flicking toward Grace before he answers.“Nothing to report.They didn’t do anything unusual.Just another day in the life.”
“You’re sure?”My voice tightens.I need to know things are under control.
Vex nods, unfazed.“Yeah, I’m sure.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, the weight on my chest lifting slightly.Relaxing a little, I lean back in my chair, my hands clasped in front of me.“This is good,” I murmur, more to myself than anyone else.Knowing Tessa hasn’t talked about us to anyone might mean she’ll keep our secrets.
But the moment is shattered when Hannah speaks up, her voice soft but curious.“Are you two talking about me?”
I reach out instinctively, my hand covering hers gently, giving her a reassuring squeeze.“No, babe.The MC has a lot of business deals and Vex was just making sure everything is going to plan.”
