Sefton’s brow pinched. “Trip? No.”
“So you weren’t at Piper’s house earlier spraying semen all over her wall?”
“What?”
“Answer the question.”
Sefton spluttered. “Of course not. I’d never do something like that. Shit, that’s just … fucked up.”
“So is trapping a woman in her own personal nightmare.”
Sefton flinched.
“You were severely punished for that. So severely, in fact, you may have been tempted to target the person who you feel is at fault for your capture.”
The nightmare shook his head. “It wasn’t me who went to Piper’s house.”
“And you didn’t slash her car tires? Plant a bag of dogshit on her doorstep?”
“No, and no! I swear I didn’t.”
Levi barged into his personal space, going nose to nose with him. “If I find out you’ve lied to me, you’ll be back in a cell so fucking fast your head will spin. And you’ll pay, Sefton. You’ll pay hard. No one gets to fuck with my anchor.”
Sefton opened and closed his mouth in surprise. Clearly the news hadn’t reached him before now.
“Tell me you understand.”
“I-I understand.”
Levi grunted, gave him one last look of warning, and then strode out of the apartment. Now it was time to pay Jasper a visit. The man in question still lived with his parents.
It was his father, Lester, who answered the front door. Levi had never liked him. Never liked his superior, blustery, misogynistic attitude. Never liked that he failed to hold his sons accountable for anything they did, on the grounds that ‘boys will be boys.’
As it happened, Lester wasn’t a real fan of Levi either—mostly because Levi did hold the man’s sons accountable for their fuckups. So it was no surprise that Lester was struggling to hold back the same snarl Jasper often tossed at people.
Levi met his gaze steadily. “Where’s Jasper? Don’t lie, Lester. I’m really not in the fucking mood.”
Lester snapped his mouth shut. The man might be an asshole, but he tended to choose the path of least resistance when it came to the sentinels. He showed very little respect toward the lair’s Force, however.
“Jasper, you have a visitor!” Lester bellowed before backing up and folding his arms.
The man’s eldest son soon came strolling out of the living room, his step faltering when he spotted Levi. Jasper cleared his throat. “Oh, uh …”
So very eloquent. “Do you remember the last time we had a conversation?”
Jasper lowered his eyes, but not in time to hide the anger that flashed in their depths. “I remember.”
“And what did I warn you to do?”
“Stay clear of Piper.” Jasper met Levi’s gaze. “Look, I only walked past her house—”
“Is that all you did, though? I’d like to think so. I’d like to think our prior conversation wasn’t a waste of my time. I don’t like to waste my time.” Though he had enjoyed landing a few punches on the nightmare’s face. “What I really, really don’t like … is anyone thinking they can target my anchor in any way, shape, or form.”
Jasper poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue. “So that’s why you’ve been hanging out with her.”
Levi narrowed his eyes at the nightmare’s poorly faked surprise. “Sefton called you after I left his place, did he?”
“He was freaked. He didn’t do none of that shit to Piper. And if you’re here because you think I might have done it, you’re dead wrong.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
Levi took an aggressive step forward. “I’ll tell you what I told your brother. If it turns out that you’re the person responsible for targeting my anchor, you’ll pay for what you did. Your beloved father here won’t recognize you by the time I’m done with you.”
Jasper’s cheeks reddened. “I didn’t target her.”
“You heard him, Levi,” Lester chipped in, belligerent. “He didn’t do anything. My boys are innocent.”
Levi’s inner demon surfaced fast and said, “Your boys could never be described as innocent.” The entity smiled when both males recoiled. “Do not tempt me to fully come out to play. You will both be writhing in pain and terror if I do. You, Jasper, know from experience that is true.” The demon then withdrew. Levi glanced from father to son. “Try not to be dicks all your fucking lives.” With that, he left.
Khloë pointed to the back of her shoulder as she stood at Piper’s very own station, gazing into the large, wall-mounted mirror. “I was hoping to have it somewhere here. I like back-of-the-shoulder tattoos.”
“Okay,” said Piper. “Well I can come to your house and do it there if you’d like, since I can’t exactly do it during work hours.”
Khloë’s eyes lit up. “That would be awesome.”
“What would?” asked Devon, materializing beside the imp.
“Piper’s going to come to my house and tattoo the back of my shoulder for me.”
“Really?” Devon glanced at Piper. “That is awesome of you.”
Piper shrugged. “I doubt it will take long. She only wants a hippo.”