“Oh, yeah.”
I’m still feeling quite ill, Miazydar said. These conveyances, they jerk and they glide and they—
He was cut short by another power spew. He was seriously calling for Huey at this point. I shook my head, then brightened when the shop appeared. “Look, just drop us off here.” I grabbed out my wallet, snatching the fare and some extra.
“Don’t worry, babe,” Ocean Eyes said, plonking a wad of cash into the hand of the driver. Was it actually legal currency? Would it disappear when the guys did at 4 am? I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t about to argue the toss right now, literally. I’d had to use a false name on my Uber profile, unable to get anyone to pick me up after last time. I gave the side of the car a surreptitious look. Yup, there was a nice technicolour explosion where the dragon’s vomit bomb had gone off.
“Look, do you want to bring the car up to the back of the shop,” I said. “We’ve got a hose.” The door was hastily slammed in my face and the driver took off without another word. “OK then, how about we get some—”
“I got you a caramel latte and some Danishes,” Connor said. “Hope that’s alright.”
“Breakfast tea,” Blondie Bear said.
“Tall black with a little something to help your day.” Tattooed Bad Boy shook a small silver flask.
“How did you get that so quickly?” I shook my head. “Let’s just go into the shop.”
Miazydar was feeling a whole lot better, the spring back in his step and his tail fluttering in the breeze. Jez was at the door, holding it open for me as we walked in, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she watched the guys come in. “Damn Ash, I need me a copy of that book.”
“My sister, Ash,” I said by way of introduction, “and our friend, Jez.”
Like all good book boyfriends, they barely paid attention to the other women, clustering in close to me.
“Take a bite,” Blondie said, pulling out an apple lattice and waving it slightly before me. He brushed it against my lips when I didn’t, forcing me to snatch it out of his grip and shove it back in the bag.
“Connor, Crowe,” I said introducing the guys.
I pointed to Ocean Eyes. “Owen,” he said.
Big, Bad and Tattooed was Talon and Blondie Bear was Braden.
“So guys, you know what I would find super sexy? You making out with Jez. Watching my men get my friend off is sooo hot!” I said.
Their eyes all swivelled around, for a moment appearing like really, really good-looking pod people. Jez giggled, then threw her arms wide, collecting all of them as they fell back onto one of the velvet couches against the wall. She murmured they needed to keep it in their pants, thankfully. She hadn’t done that last time and let’s just say it was lucky we didn’t get a lot of foot traffic. I picked up the pile of books and comics I’d left by the till.
“These books, Ash, any of these books. Or these films if you can’t bring yourself to read anything.”
“Tarzan? Boring, though I guess Alexander Skarsgard. Mm, that boy is fine,” Ash drawled.
“I heard that,” Gabe said, coming in through the rear doorway. He dropped a kiss on Ash’s cheek. “What’s she been doing to you this time?” His eyes flicked to Jez and back again. “Shane’s on the outer again?”
“Finding him fondling those strippers would never go down well. She’ll be happy to see him, but he’s not going to get anything exclusive from her,” I informed Gabe.
“More fool him. He’s always been like this, wanting something new and shiny. Got the attention span of a gnat when it comes to women, but luckily, he’s bloody good at his job. And on that note, I better hustle, the boys have been getting slack after that little holiday of ours. See you tonight?”
“Of course.” I watched my sister kiss Gabe, then turn to me when he walked out the door. “Now, Tess, some mails come for Flea. Can you take it over to him, please?” Ash just looked at me, holding out the small pile of letters.
“Can’t you do it?”
“Nope, you said that the Mirenese want that order of cockatrice feet and I’ve got a supplier coming,” she glanced at her phone, “in about fifteen minutes.”
3
“I could do that and you could take the mail,” I said. That sounded like a much better idea. Ash still wasn’t great with opening and maintaining the portal. “Wouldn’t want you to embarrass us in front of the clients.”
“OK, take the mail over and then you can deal with the client.”
“What about Jez…? Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” I snatched it up and she smiled. Bloody big sister, always bossing me around. Couldn’t even open the gate but for me.