Khloë’s brother gave him a brief salute before his eyes quickly slid back to the game he was watching.
“Knox, it’s always a pleasure,” said Jolene. “I heard that Carla’s awake now.”
It wasn’t me that told her, said Harper.
“You heard correctly,” said Knox as he poured himself a gin and tonic at the small bar. “Just where did you hear it?”
Jolene gave him an enigmatic smile, but he didn’t bother pushing the matter. There was little point in him demanding an answer. Expecting cooperation from an imp would be a pointless and exasperating exercise.
Settling on the sofa beside Harper, he asked Jolene, “Any luck tracking Crow?” She looked surprised by the question. “I didn’t think for one minute that you wouldn’t attempt to find him, given that he could be a danger to Harper.”
Jolene didn’t bother denying it, which he respected. “He’s elusive. I’d admire it if I wasn’t so intent on getting hold of him.”
“He’s mine, Jolene,” Knox told her, voice hard. “If you find him before I do, you hand him over to me.”
“Knox, there’s no helping him now. Even if you pulled him back from the edge of madness, your lair would still despise him for what he did and Carla’s family would demand vengeance. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think you like to kill for killing’s sake. Let us deal with this.”
“In many ways you’re right. But he’s one of my demons. That makes him my responsibility.”
She sniffed. “And you call my granddaughter stubborn.”
“She is stubborn.”
Jolene grinned. “I know. It makes me so proud.” She’ll tell you that she’s fine, but she’s not. She still feels bad for Carla.
I know. And he hated that there was nothing he could do about it.
She’ll also pretend it doesn’t hurt her that Kellen isn’t speaking with her, but it does.
I know that, too.
Yes, I suppose you do. She’ll fight you on it, but be here for her. And don’t let Roan take it out on her any more than he already has.
You know better than to think you need to tell me these things. He knew Harper well.
Harper sighed at her grandmother. “Let me guess… you told him to be here for me and to keep Roan at bay.”
Knox nearly burst out laughing. His mate was even more astute than the woman opposite her.
Jolene looked at her steadily. “Actually, no, I told him just how many weird and wonderful methods of torture I will use on Carla if she blames you for her ordeal.”
Harper smiled. “You’re like the best liar ever.”
“Well, thank you.” Jolene got to her feet. “I have to leave now. Don’t forget dinner at my house on Sunday.”
Knox nodded. Family dinner at Jolene Wallis’s house was a hectic experience. Lots of people were always clustered around the table on stools and mismatched chairs. There wasn’t a single bit of order, but Knox didn’t mind that because there was also no pretentiousness. Just a large number of people talking, joking, and laughing.
Looking reluctant to leave while the game was still on, Ciaran nonetheless said his goodbyes to Harper and Knox and then teleported Jolene out of the house.
Harper turned to Knox. “What do you think spooked Crow and made him race off in a hurry?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he saw a member of the Force. Or maybe he’s just so paranoid that the whole thing felt wrong to him.” He took a swig of his gin and tonic. “We almost had him, Harper. Almost. Again,” he added, unable to keep the agitation out of his tone.
Thinking a change of subject might help calm him, Harper asked, “How’s Carla?”
“Better than I’d expected her to be.” He recited his conversation with Carla.
“It’s nice to know she doesn’t blame me,” said Harper. “Knox, he called the baby a child of flames.”
“That doesn’t have to mean anything.”
She frowned. “How can you say that?”
Knox curled his hand around her chin. “Plenty of demons speculate that I can call on the flames of hell. He could have simply meant a child that can call on the flames. Don’t make the mistake of expecting anything Crow says to make sense. It won’t. He’s living in a complete fantasy world right now.”
Harper nodded. “I still say it’s spooky.”
“I also spoke briefly with Kellen.” He quickly relayed the short conversation. “Why would he believe you won’t wish to speak with him?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t a clue. But for him to say that, it has me wondering… what did he do?”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A few days later, Harper was unlocking the door of what was effectively her old studio, despite that she wouldn’t be opening the new one until two days’ time. Most of the things they wanted to take with them had already been moved to the new Urban Ink. As for —
“Harper! Harper!”
Recognizing the voice of her ex, she rolled her eyes.
“Harper, what the hell’s happening?” demanded Royce.
She glanced around, confused. “You’ll need to be more specific.”
“I heard you’re closing this place down. Why? It’s a successful business. You love your job.”
“Well, I don’t really need to work now that I’ve shacked up with a billionaire.”
“Knox, it’s always a pleasure,” said Jolene. “I heard that Carla’s awake now.”
It wasn’t me that told her, said Harper.
“You heard correctly,” said Knox as he poured himself a gin and tonic at the small bar. “Just where did you hear it?”
Jolene gave him an enigmatic smile, but he didn’t bother pushing the matter. There was little point in him demanding an answer. Expecting cooperation from an imp would be a pointless and exasperating exercise.
Settling on the sofa beside Harper, he asked Jolene, “Any luck tracking Crow?” She looked surprised by the question. “I didn’t think for one minute that you wouldn’t attempt to find him, given that he could be a danger to Harper.”
Jolene didn’t bother denying it, which he respected. “He’s elusive. I’d admire it if I wasn’t so intent on getting hold of him.”
“He’s mine, Jolene,” Knox told her, voice hard. “If you find him before I do, you hand him over to me.”
“Knox, there’s no helping him now. Even if you pulled him back from the edge of madness, your lair would still despise him for what he did and Carla’s family would demand vengeance. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think you like to kill for killing’s sake. Let us deal with this.”
“In many ways you’re right. But he’s one of my demons. That makes him my responsibility.”
She sniffed. “And you call my granddaughter stubborn.”
“She is stubborn.”
Jolene grinned. “I know. It makes me so proud.” She’ll tell you that she’s fine, but she’s not. She still feels bad for Carla.
I know. And he hated that there was nothing he could do about it.
She’ll also pretend it doesn’t hurt her that Kellen isn’t speaking with her, but it does.
I know that, too.
Yes, I suppose you do. She’ll fight you on it, but be here for her. And don’t let Roan take it out on her any more than he already has.
You know better than to think you need to tell me these things. He knew Harper well.
Harper sighed at her grandmother. “Let me guess… you told him to be here for me and to keep Roan at bay.”
Knox nearly burst out laughing. His mate was even more astute than the woman opposite her.
Jolene looked at her steadily. “Actually, no, I told him just how many weird and wonderful methods of torture I will use on Carla if she blames you for her ordeal.”
Harper smiled. “You’re like the best liar ever.”
“Well, thank you.” Jolene got to her feet. “I have to leave now. Don’t forget dinner at my house on Sunday.”
Knox nodded. Family dinner at Jolene Wallis’s house was a hectic experience. Lots of people were always clustered around the table on stools and mismatched chairs. There wasn’t a single bit of order, but Knox didn’t mind that because there was also no pretentiousness. Just a large number of people talking, joking, and laughing.
Looking reluctant to leave while the game was still on, Ciaran nonetheless said his goodbyes to Harper and Knox and then teleported Jolene out of the house.
Harper turned to Knox. “What do you think spooked Crow and made him race off in a hurry?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he saw a member of the Force. Or maybe he’s just so paranoid that the whole thing felt wrong to him.” He took a swig of his gin and tonic. “We almost had him, Harper. Almost. Again,” he added, unable to keep the agitation out of his tone.
Thinking a change of subject might help calm him, Harper asked, “How’s Carla?”
“Better than I’d expected her to be.” He recited his conversation with Carla.
“It’s nice to know she doesn’t blame me,” said Harper. “Knox, he called the baby a child of flames.”
“That doesn’t have to mean anything.”
She frowned. “How can you say that?”
Knox curled his hand around her chin. “Plenty of demons speculate that I can call on the flames of hell. He could have simply meant a child that can call on the flames. Don’t make the mistake of expecting anything Crow says to make sense. It won’t. He’s living in a complete fantasy world right now.”
Harper nodded. “I still say it’s spooky.”
“I also spoke briefly with Kellen.” He quickly relayed the short conversation. “Why would he believe you won’t wish to speak with him?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t a clue. But for him to say that, it has me wondering… what did he do?”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A few days later, Harper was unlocking the door of what was effectively her old studio, despite that she wouldn’t be opening the new one until two days’ time. Most of the things they wanted to take with them had already been moved to the new Urban Ink. As for —
“Harper! Harper!”
Recognizing the voice of her ex, she rolled her eyes.
“Harper, what the hell’s happening?” demanded Royce.
She glanced around, confused. “You’ll need to be more specific.”
“I heard you’re closing this place down. Why? It’s a successful business. You love your job.”
“Well, I don’t really need to work now that I’ve shacked up with a billionaire.”
