Page 14 of Hellhound AU

“One guy inside, and he’s definitely rotten,” Rowan muttered.

Well, duh. The asshole had punched Ray. Of course he was a rotten piece of shit. I went to grab the doorknob, but Rowan beat me to it. He tried to turn it, but it was obviously locked.

“We’ll knock. You can push him inside and I’ll follow,” I whispered.

But then the door was swinging open, and Rowan made an after-you gesture. Apparently it wasn’t locked.

As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the sound of a television playing. When Ethel and the crew had sent me the information on Greg, they’d said he lived alone as far as they could tell, and that seemed to be the case. Still…

“We should check to make sure the house is empty aside from the dickbag,” I murmured.

“It is. He’s the only one here,” Rowan answered.

“What, are you psychic?”

Rowan actually rolled his eyes at me—such a grumpypants—and then he pointed upstairs. “Fine. You check up there, and I’ll check down here.”

“Nope,” I said. Like I was born yesterday.

“What do you mean, ‘Nope’?”

“Like N-O-P-E, nope. Not happening. I’m smarter than that.” I crossed my arms and stared at Rowan.

“What are you talking about? You just said we should check the house. Oh, are you afraid of being ambushed up there?”

I reached out and smacked his chest. Wow, that thing was firm. Yum. But, back to business. “I’m not going upstairs so I’m out of the way while you deal with the dickbag all on your own.”

“I don’t want to deal with the guy all on my own! Do you not trust me?”

Oh my god, Rowan had the cutest puppy-dog face when he was sulky. “Of course I trust you,” I answered. “But you’re obviously a hitman or serial killer or something. So who knows if you want the kill for yourself.”

Rowan looked totally affronted at that. “I amnota serial killer. I don’t evenlikekilling people.”

“Ha! So that means youhavekilled people!”

A voice called out from down the hall. “Hello? Is someone there?”

“Shhh!” I hissed at Rowan.

“I’m not the one who’s yelling!” he whisper-yelled at me.

If the manwasa hitman, I had no idea how he hadn’t been caught already. First of all, he couldn’t whisper for shit. I think people the next town over could hear that. Second of all, he had the worst freaking cover stories I’d ever heard in my entire life.

“Who the fuck are you guys?” a man asked as he walked in. We were still standing by the front door.

“Excuse me, can you not see we’re having a conversation here?” I asked, rolling my eyes at him.

The guy looked perplexed at that. Helookedlike a polished nice guy. Fit, short brown hair, nice outfit. But I could tell there was a sleazebag under the polo shirt and khakis he was wearing.

I turned back to Rowan. “Well, what are you gonna do abouthim?” I gestured at Greg the asshole, who looked even more confused.

The guy really didn’t have very good survival instincts.

Rowan was looking decidedly grumpy. “I’m not allowed to deal with him on my own, so why don’tyoutellme.Although if you thinkyou’rea serial killer, you have to be the worst one I’ve ever met. Even though I know you aren’t one, because I know those things.”

I rolled my eyes at Rowan this time, turning back to Greg. “Can you believe this? What, this is like our second date—or do we count it as a third?—and he’s already insulting me. I would make anexceptionalserial killer, thank you very much.”

“No you wouldn’t. You’re too nice,” Rowan announced.