Not Your Ex's Hexes (Supernatural Singles, #2)(62)
“Bounty hunting,” Damian clarified. “Referring to it with a pretty name doesn’t make it any different than what it is, Jules, and she has no business doing it. Take the offer back.”
“No can do. I may be a lot of things, but I’m not someone who goes back on their word. Her trial period will officially start once she’s given her first assignment.” A slow smile slithered onto Julius’s face. “If I had more fully trained, experienced Hunters on my payroll, I wouldn’t have to fill my roster with newbie witches…”
And there it was.
Julius’s real goal.
To put him—and his demon—back into the fold regardless of the outcome.
“You really don’t care about anything, or anyone, other than yourself, do you?” Damian asked, already knowing the answer. “So much like Ezeil…”
“That couldn’t be further from the truth, brother.” A myriad of emotions flickered over Julius’s face as he stood. “Unlike our sperm donor, everything I do, I do with the people I care about in mind, and you may not believe me, but that includes you.”
“You’re right … I don’t believe you. Especially since you’re one of the few who knows why I left Hunting in the first place.”
“Yeah, something about your humanity … but considering you’re straddling the edge with your witchy plaything, that excuse falls a little short, don’t you think?”
Fisting his brother’s tux in one hand, Damian punched with the other, landing a hard right hook to the demon’s perfectly sculpted jaw. Julius crashed into his desk, sending everything on it scattering to the floor. “Do not refer to her as a plaything…”
It took everything Damian had not to land another, and instead, he kept his distance while Julius wiped a trickle of blood away from the corner of his mouth.
The bastard chuckled. “Did growing up under Father’s thumb teach you nothing about basic survival, little brother? If I were anything like the sick bastard, you’d have just laid out your weakness in front of anyone eager to take advantage.”
Damian hated that he was right as he fought for control. “You don’t want to make an enemy out of me, Jules.”
Julius sobered slightly. “You’re right. I don’t.”
Damian wouldn’t dive too deep into his brother’s words, and he also wouldn’t waste a second more of time because as different as he and his brother were, like him, Julius wouldn’t change his mind.
With his demon lying just beneath the surface, Damian stalked out of the penthouse and down to the street, mentally cursing how off-kilter his life had become since Rose Maxwell walked into it.
Hell, crashed …
And he wasn’t so sure the resulting flames weren’t about to get higher … and engulf them both.
15
Liar, Liar, Cauldron on Fire
Fun, family, and friends. That completed the list of approved things occupying Rose’s mind at Vi and Linc’s official welcome home party.
And flames …
Cursing, Rose flung open Linc’s high-end oven and nearly took a fire flare to the eyebrows. She doused it quickly with a cool burst of Magic, and reached for what was supposed to be a tray of sugar cookies but sadly looked more like charred hockey pucks. The searingly hot cookie sheet burned her hand.
“Hex me to hell,” Rose cursed again.
Olive appeared, holding out a silicone oven mitt. “These usually work wonders to prevent fingerprints from being burned off.”
“Hardy-har-har.” Using the mitten, she grabbed the sheet and quickly shut the door, praying the smoke alarm didn’t go off. “Guess I can cross baker off my list of potential professions. Hockey pucks may have more give than these cookies.”
Olive stared at the charred remains, her nose wrinkled in concentration. “Are those penises?”
Rose groaned. It was even worse than she’d thought. “They’re wolves wearing witch hats. I thought it would be cute considering Vi and Linc … never mind.”
She shucked the oven mitt onto the counter and took a good look at her sister and the dark circles beneath her tired eyes. “Olly, you can’t keep this up. You have to get out of that apartment.”
“And go where?” Olive snagged two carrots from the veggie tray. “Move on top of you in your tiny studio, or in with the newly Mated couple, who at this very moment are upstairs sneaking in a quickie and hoping that no one notices?”
“There’s always—”
“If you suggest Mom and Dad, you’re dead to me.” Olive shot her a warning glare over the rims of her glasses. “This is New York. Good apartments don’t magically appear out of nowhere.”
Bax strutted into the kitchen. With a quick swipe, he stole one of Olive’s carrots. “What’s up with the penis cookies? Aren’t they supposed to be served at bridal showers? Vi and Linc are already hitched in every way imaginable.”
Rose groaned. “They’re witchy wolf cookies.”
Olive swiped her carrot back and shot the tatted Guardian Angel a stern glare from behind her cat-framed glasses. “Get your own snacks. If you’re hungry, there’s a whole tray of veggies in front of you.”