Page 31 of Sleep With Us

“This is a business arrangement,” Reynard clarified, but he was speaking more for his benefit than mine. He’d already confessed to all of it being real. Whatever we had, all three of us, it had gone far beyond a business arrangement, right about the time Zee had helped save Reynard’s head from the axe, and Reynard had posted on all his socials to help keep Zee alive. They could dance around it all they liked, but from my place in the middle, I saw it all.

Zee sauntered into the bar, yawning and stretching. He wore his classic lace-up corset and black pants riding low on his hips. Normally, I’d have been lost in gazing at him, but I stole a moment to side-eye Reynard, and witnessed how his gaze lingered on Zee’s approach for that extra few seconds.

“Adam . . . ?” My name rumbled from Reynard’s lips in a soft warning.

“Nope. Nothing. Not saying a word.” I zipped my lips, folded my arms, and leaned back in my chair, maybe just a little bit smug.

“Okay.” Zee grabbed the chair next to mine, spun it around so it faced the wrong way, then straddled it and draped his arms over its back. “What in the actual fuck are you two plotting that’s making my wings itch?”

“Plotting?” The smug smile fell from my lips. “We’re not⁠—”

Zee dropped his gaze and glared through his lashes. “Do I look like a dumb fuck?”

“Would you like me to answer that?” Reynard asked, straight-faced.

“You, vampire, can fuck all the way off, back to Vampire murder Mansion.” Zee showed him his middle finger. “Oh look, I have all ten fingers and this is one of them.”

Reynard’s eyes narrowed.

I cleared my throat. “We were just discussing the cabinet. Doesn’t it look great?”

“Sure.” Zee shrugged, and lounged back in his chair. “It’s kinda wonky, though.”

“Wonky?” Reynard repeated.

“Slightly off-kilter, pissed, you know?” Zee tilted his head. “Maybe your ruler’s bent.”

“My set square is not bent.” Reynard glanced at the cabinet. Then with a huff, he stood, and approached the cabinet. He mumbled something, crouched, and opened the cupboards, testing the door’s swing angle.

Zee’s grin grew. He’d deliberately baited him. He waggled his eyebrows. “Check out the view.”

“Zee, you can’t . . .” I looked over, and sure enough, Reynard’s pants hugged a perfectly sculpted backside that was very nice. And looked firm. So firm.

“He could crack nuts between those cheeks.”

Mercy. I tore my gaze away and cast it across the room instead, at the peeling wallpaper in the far corner—we really needed to invest in some fresh paint.

“It’s the left side,” Zee called, and gestured for Reynard to move to the other end of the cabinet. Reynard followed his directions and knelt to examine the other door. “Yeah, that’s it. Right there.” Zee tilted his head again, and his pupils got a whole lot fuller. “Bet he fucks likes a jackhammer.”

I knew that laser-focused look. “Are you imagining Reynard naked?” I whispered.

“What? Pfft. Aren’t you?”

“I am now.”

Zee mock-gasped and fanned his face. “Adam Vex, your filthy mind is shocking.”

“It’s not wonky, is it? The cabinet?”

“No, it’s fuckin’ perfect, like that ass. And I hate that it’s perfect, like I hate him and his stupid cabinet,” he grumbled. Then sighed and pinned his full, big eyes on me. “What are you plotting?”

“What?” I squeaked, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic, from Reynard’s fine ass to my plotting with a vampire lord to bring down Zee’s ex-boss. “Nothing.”

Zee leaned in. “Now your partner in crime is over there, imma ask you again. What are you plotting, Kitten?” His eyes sparkled with humor, but their pupils had sharpened to slits too. I couldn’t see his tail, but suspected it would be ticking on the floor.

Zee had always suspected when I was lying, and the more time we spent together, the more he saw right through me. I sighed and watched Reynard fiddle with the cabinet. He’d probably have to dismantle it again, and all because Zee wanted to check out his ass. I’d have to tell him the cabinet was perfect, or he’d spend hours on it. He needed to know the truth, and so did Zee. He’d earned it.

“Sebastien is never going to let you go,” I said.