Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Zorn had found a lead, though. An elusive sort of guy who dabbled in antique weaponry. He supposedly had a store of them in his warehouse. It was that man she’d meet with tonight.
She headed for the shower, the catnap not refreshing her as she’d hoped. Fucking fae invading her dreams.
Sometime later, she stopped in front of the mirror and adjusted her relaxed black blazer cinched at her waist, secured with an inch-thick black belt. Her straight leg pants ended just above three-inch heels that were easy to kick off. A lacy black bra peeked out from the blazer lapels, and the gold buckle on the belt gave the ensemble an elegant pop. The fit was tailored, sleek, sexy, and perfect. Boss bitch.
Her brown hair, with artfully placed bronze highlights, was parted down the middle and slicked down straight, draping the sides of her porcelain face. A matte, baby-pink blush and glossy lip enhanced the extreme paleness of her skin. To add a little fashionista flare, she’d done a dense, smokey palette around her blue eyes and accentuated it with long black lashes and a thick brow. The entire look was calculated, playing up her doll-like appearance. Young and fragile. Vulnerable. Prey. It should serve her well on her job tonight.
She tugged at the bottom of her blazer before turning for her bedroom door. As her fingers wrapped around the knob, she heard the door down the hall squeak as it swung inward. Mordecai’s deep voice grumbled something Daisy couldn’t make out. Probably had to do with his door always squeaking no matter how often he lubed it up.
She grinned. The door was her doing, obviously. She liked to know when he was coming and going. He had a terrible habit of listening at her door when she was talking to contacts and too distracted to notice him. He worried about her, which was cute, but then he tattled, which was really fucking annoying. The latest had almost gotten her taken off this detail. She was still pissed about it.
Which was why she waited with her hand on the knob. His feet padded softly against the plush cream carpet in the hall, heading for the stairs. As he passed by, she swung the door open and stepped out quickly.
“Rawr!” she yelled at him, waving her hands.
He made a high-pitched sound of surprise. A fist jutted toward her, his impulse to attack what had scared him.
She laughed and batted it away. He was so predictable.
“Damn it, Daisy!” he hollered. “I hate when you do that!”
“I know.” She shoved his big shoulder to get him walking. “And I hate when you eavesdrop.”
“Maybe try growing up.” He continued on, his size dwarfing her. This kid used to be skinny and sickly back when they lived in Lexi’s tiny house. He’d had Moonmoth disease, a condition where his non-magical side fought his magical side. When they couldn’t afford the expensive medicine to help him, he’d endured life in constant agony. They’d nearly lost him a handful of times, stealing and scraping to afford the only thing that would keep him alive.
Once Kieran had gotten him the treatment to save his life, he’d grown into the shifter he was always meant to be. Six-three, stacked with muscle, and a vicious fighter. His roots came from alphas, though—leaders—and so he was also levelheaded, balanced, smart, and positive. He saw the good in everyone, somehow. It was mystifying.
“I’m only a year younger than you, dickface.” She shoved him again.
“I’m going to tell Lexi you swore.” He turned and reached out to shove her back. She grappled with him for a moment so he couldn’t get purchase.
Per Lexi and Daisy’s “agreement,” which Daisy had no choice in, Lexi got to punch Daisy in the face if Daisy swore. It had started when Daisy was fifteen or something, because she was apparently too young to swear, and continued until now because Mordecai was a saint. He never swore. Ever. It was fucking weird.
“Stop, would you? You’re going to mess up my hair.” She batted his arm away.
“Good. Maybe you won’t go.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to tell Lexi you’re using a made-up name and secretly dating someone outside our social circles because you’re embarrassed by your family.”
He froze at the top of the stairs.
He’d gotten that apology video Daisy had very politely requested of Ava, and then thankfully forgotten about her. Now he’d found a non-magical girl who didn’t have a clue who he was. He’d gotten a fake Chester identity, created by their pal Bria, and pretended to be non-magical and mundane so he could have a chance at a normal love life.
Daisy had looked into the matter thoroughly. The chick was cute, cool, not from a lot of money, and seemed totally normal. He was in safe hands.