Page 78 of The Devil's Reward
“I hope everything goes well for his friends,” my mother says.
A knock on the door has me frowning. “Hold on, guys, someone is at the door,” I say, standing.
“Don’t you hang up,” my father orders. “It could be some crazed burglar casing the neighborhood.”
I look out the curtains and see Shadow on the step. I instantly relax. “It’s not, it’s Shadow,” I say, hurrying to open the door. I smile up at him and step back to let him in. “I’ll talk to you guys later,” I tell my family.
“Use protection!” my mother yells, loud enough that Shadow hears and starts to chuckle, a grin slowly pulling at his lips even as my face flames in embarrassment.
“I want all the details later,” my sister orders. “And if you call too early, I’ll know he’s lousy in bed and last night was a fluke.”
Shadow reaches out to take my phone, and my eyes widen in horror as he puts it to his ear. “Don’t worry, she won’t be calling you too early,” he assures them in that deep voice of his. I shake my head vehemently, trying to grab the phone back. I don’t hear what they say back to him, but he just grins and says, “Yes, ma’am, I promise to keep your daughter fully safe and satisfied. I look forward to meeting you. Okay, goodbye.” He hangs up and hands me back the phone, the look on his face wicked and smug.
Kill me now. Seriously, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look Shadow in the face again.
I start to back away from him, but he follows me. “Don’t,” I warn him when he opens his mouth to speak. “Don’t say it.”
“You don’t want me to say that your family seems nice?” he asks innocently. I’m forced to stop when I bump into the kitchen island, and he crowds into me, hands going to the counter on either side of me as I stare up at him. “Or maybe, you don’t want me to tell you that your mother told me that I better protect you in and out of bed? Oh, and that she expects me to be good in bed for you, or else she’ll make sure you dump me in a flash. So I guess I better step up my game, huh, gorgeous?”
“My family is insane,” I whisper.
He chuckles and leans down to brush his mouth along my jaw, making me sigh and tilt my head to give him better access. “Sounds like they want to make sure you’re happy, even if they’re blunt about it. And just so we’re clear, Quinn, I plan on keeping you deliriously happy. In bed and out. Got it?”
“Uh-huh,” I murmur, closing my eyes and absorbing the sensation of his mouth on my skin. He hums, moving his mouth to mine and kissing me. I sink into it, thoroughly seduced, everything else fading away. I have a feeling that he’ll use it plenty to get his way in the future. Though, if this is the result, is it really that bad?
“Gross,” Macy cries, making Shadow pull away as both of us look up at the top of the stairs where Macy is looking at us in disgust. “Are you always going to be kissing Mom?” she demands of Shadow, hands going to her hips.
Shadow clears his throat but doesn’t move, and I quickly realize why. His erection is pressing against my belly. I have to bite back a laugh. Seriously, this is just crazy. “I like kissing your mom,” he tells Macy, giving her an arch look. “Do you not want me to?”
Macy looks at me, as if assessing whether or not I actually want this, and then heaves out a large, dramatic sigh. “Finnnnnne,” she groans as she rushes down the steps. “But since you’re here, you have to play with me,” she orders, a cunning look in her eyes.
“Alright,” Shadow says easily. I snicker, and he looks back at me in question, but I just give him an innocent smile. He has no idea what he’s agreed to, and I’m not about to enlighten him. It’s time for Shadow to realize what he’s getting into with a little girl like Macy. If he can survive that, then he can survive anything.
An hour later, Shadow is sitting in Macy’s room, while I try to control my laughter and fail miserably. He glares at me over Macy’s head, but I just lift my phone to take a picture that I plan to send to my family. Macy has gone all out. She’s put small pieces of his hair into bows of all different colors, he has bright blue eye shadow on his lids, heart-shaped stickers on his cheeks, and she’s braided some strands of his beard and clipped them with brightly colored barrettes. And if I’m not mistaken, she’s put some glitter lip gloss on his lips.
He looks utterly ridiculous, especially sitting there in his cut and looking all manly. I have to walk away because I can’t contain my laughter anymore. I make it down to the kitchen, and shoot the picture to the group chat.
Me: Macy caught him kissing me and got all grossed out. She conned him into playing with her. (laughing emoji)
The replies are instant.
Mom: OH. MY. GOD. This is going on the Christmas Card!
Peyton: That poor man. He’s going to need serious therapy after this.
Dad: Poor bastard. Tell him I’ll bring him some beer to make it up to him.
I start laughing, feeling light and carefree. A first in a long time. I forgot how good it was to have someone else around, and how crazy Macy can be with people. But he let her do it, so I have to consider that a good sign. I force myself to clean up the kitchen and the living room, because I know if I go back up there, I’m just going to start laughing all over again, and I doubt Shadow will be too pleased.
I just finish putting away the broom and dustpan when two hands grab me by the hips and spin me around. I yelp in surprise and stare up at Shadow, who is now free of all make-up, clips, bows, and glitter. A couple of water droplets linger on his cheek from where he washed his face, and I feel my grin trying to break free, so I have to bite my lip.
“Macy is cleaning up her room before bath time,” he rumbles down at me, hands squeezing on my hips. “Which means that I have you all to myself for a few minutes,” he says with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
My heart kicks up. Uh oh. “I should probably go and help Macy get ready for her bath,” I tell him with a weak smile.
“I don’t think so, gorgeous,” he purrs. “I saw you take that picture.”
I giggle before I stifle it. “You were just so pretty,” I say innocently. “I thought it would be a great moment for the scrapbook.”
