Sin & Chocolate (Demigods of San Francisco Book 1)

by K. F. Breene

  Zorn nodded and stepped to the side, his hands clasped in front of him and his tailored suit wrinkle-free.

  I wrapped my fingers around the cold metal door handle. I couldn’t seem to will myself to turn it. “How is he?”

  “He is healing at an incredible rate, even for a shifter,” Zorn said in his heavy, scratchy voice, as though it had been damaged from aggressive screaming over an extended period of time. “His body has been waging a serious war all these years. The doctors are amazed he survived it. A lesser shifter wouldn’t have, not with the way his body was fighting his power.”

  A weight pressed on my chest. Heat prickled my eyes. “But he’s okay? He’ll…be fixed? He won’t hurt anymore?”

  Zorn looked at me full-on now, assessing. His expression softened, if a stone could be said to soften. “He’ll be better than new. Some shifters become tough because they’re subjected to cruelty, but the rough treatment turns them into unbalanced individuals, like the current alpha of the Green Hills Pack. Battling his condition, with you and Daisy at his back, has amped up Mordecai’s resilience and endurance. You helped shape a well-rounded boy, who will turn into a powerhouse of a well-rounded man. He owes his future success to you, Alexis. You did good.”

  Tears dripped down my face and sobs choked me. I’d never expected to hear something like that. Not in my wildest dreams.

  “Thank you,” I said, trying to calm my quivering voice. “For saying that. It helps.”

  He turned his head, looking straight. “I wasn’t trying to help. I was speaking the truth.”

  “He’s like a robot half the time,” Daisy muttered, but I could hear the emotion in her voice. “Or a zombie.”

  I took a deep breath and turned the handle. The foot of the bed came into view, and a moment later, I stalled as Kieran turned toward the door. His eyes rested on mine for a long beat, stormy but sparkling, in that face the angels had clearly blessed.

  Butterflies swarmed my stomach and my heart gave a worrying lurch.

  I hadn’t seen him for these last two weeks. Not once. He hadn’t stopped by the pub, nor had he hung around the house. He hadn’t even called.

  I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat and moved into the room on stiff feet.

  Mordecai sat up, his back resting on a pile of white, fluffy pillows. His turquoise blanket sat in a ball at his side, the one thing he’d insisted on bringing. His eyes widened when he noticed me, then Daisy, and a smile stretched across his relaxed face.

  Without his tight eyes and the creases in his skin from the constant pain, he looked like a stranger. Like a normal fifteen-year-old kid who had his whole life ahead of him.

  The sobs I’d stuffed down upon entering broke free, shaking my body.

  “You look good,” I said, smiling through my tears and wiping furiously at my face.

  “I feel good,” he said, beaming now. “I just feel…like I’m sitting here. I don’t even have to try at it. I’m just sitting here, enjoying the day.”

  More sobs took me, my heart aching with happiness and guilt, knowing what it must’ve been like all these years. I was so happy he could be in a place of peace. That he didn’t hurt anymore.

  I looked at Kieran, my eyes leaking like faucets. “Thank you for doing this. You didn’t have to.”

  Kieran shifted and slipped his hands into his pockets, like he was embarrassed. “There wasn’t anyone more deserving.”

  I nodded, because that was absolutely true.

  “Thank you,” Daisy said tersely, staring at Kieran like she wanted to kill him. It was a defense mechanism. “You saved my brother. And for that, I respect you.” She flicked her hair. “It doesn’t mean I’m cool with…” She waved her finger in my general direction. “But this was big…and you deserve credit for that.”

  Kieran nodded slowly, his expression not changing, but the glimmer in his eyes turned up a notch. “Alexis, may I speak with you?” he asked politely, motioning me toward the window in the corner of the room.

  Daisy worked around me to get to Mordecai’s head. “You look really good, Mordie. Except for your hair. That hasn’t come back in. We might need to look into Hair Club for Men, because you can’t go around looking like that now that you’re well…”

  I tuned her out as I drifted toward Kieran, electricity surging through my body and heat warming my blood. I lifted my eyebrows, streams of tears still cutting tracks down my cheeks.

  “His rate of recovery is incredible,” Kieran said quietly, his gaze roaming my face. “It speaks to his power. All of this has been entered into his files. I can’t change that, not now. He’s already been assessed at a shifter class five, and this boosted rate of healing, no doubt his body’s natural response to his years of sickness, will elevate his overall attractiveness. Given that he has no true pack affiliation, organizations from around the world will be interested.” His eyes took on a hard edge. “Some of those organizations will seem powerful and prestigious, but their interests are less than reputable. I know you don’t trust me, but—”

  “Mordecai can ask advice from whoever he wants. I’m his guardian, not his brain.”

  Kieran’s lips curved upward and his gaze intensified as it delved into mine. “So you do trust me.”

  “No. I didn’t say that. I just said—”

  “I heard you.” His grin flipped my stomach before seriousness stole his expression. “As I’m sure you know, he’ll also get challenges as soon as he’s better. Almost all challenges stop at losing consciousness, but some are to the death. He’ll need to plan for both.”

  I nodded, looking over at Mordecai listening to Daisy ramble on about something. “I know.”

  “He’ll need to train. Hard. He’s lost time. He has a powerful frame, but he needs—”

  “Fuel,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Don’t play dumb. I know you know about the meals.”

  He exhaled a laugh and his breath dusted me, sweet, like chocolate.

  “Yes.” His volume lowered and his tone took on an intimacy I hadn’t expected, sucking at my focus and making my body tingle. “Do you need anything? Money? Food?”

  I looked into those turbulent, deep blue eyes, and a part of me understood what he was really asking—if I’d allow him to provide for me. If I’d let him take care of me as well as protect me.

  Emotion welled up again. I’d been offered plenty of pity in my life, and occasionally some compassion, but no one except my mother had ever wanted to look after me. No man had ever wanted to take on the hunter role in my life.

  The part of me that recognized his interest desperately wanted to say yes. Wanted to be saved for once and let someone else shoulder the burden that was my life as the poor, immature matriarch of a cobbled-together family.

  But a bigger part of me knew I needed to stand on my own two feet. I may be immature, but I was a matriarch. I would not yield or give up my power to a possessive stranger who only sometimes did the right thing, something he’d admitted himself. I’d worked too hard to hand over the reins.

  Not to mention the kids would never go for it.

  I smiled and shrugged in a blasé sort of way. “Now that we don’t have to pay for medicine, we’ll be okay. Thanks for asking.”

  His eyes lingered on mine for a moment, and I saw his understanding.

  He nodded. “Look over that contract. I’ll be in touch.” He strode past me, but paused and turned back when he reached the door. “It occurs to me that I never paid you for our session at the Magical Showcase. Since I was never quoted a price, I took the suggestion of your…associate.” His gaze flicked to Daisy before he nodded at a large white bag in the corner that I hadn’t noticed.

  It was a testimony to how focused I was on Mordecai that I hadn’t noticed a huge bag with Burberry written on the side.

  “No.” I shook my head while excitement bubbled through my body. “Nope.”

  He watched me for a moment, and a smile ghosted his lips. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

&nb
sp; “No.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “He didn’t.” I looked at Daisy. “You told him to buy me that as payment?”

  “I don’t know. Look in it.” She squealed and crossed the room before grabbing the bag and bringing it to me.

  “How’d you…” I pulled tissue paper out with a shaking hand. “Oh my God,” I breathed, then stared with my mouth open, speech leaving me.

  It was a buckle medium tote. In pink! The exact bag I’d had to leave behind the day we’d met. He’d returned it to me.

  “No way.” Tears fogged my eyes.

  “This bitch owns a Burberry, what?” Daisy pointed at me before lifting her hands in the sky. “Watch out, fancy ladies, we all up in your business.”

  “I’m proud of you,” Mordecai said as I slid the bag up my arm.

  “Why?” I petted the side. “Because I have a ward who knows how to wrangle fashionable presents out of a conniving Demigod? If so, I’m proud of me too. Good work, Daisy. And no, you can’t borrow it.”

  “Too soon. That joke came too soon.” Daisy paused. “It is a joke, right?”

  “Because you recognized that the Demigod wasn’t offering you pity,” Mordecai said, “he was offering you a leash, and you didn’t accept it.”

  I felt a frown bud as I thought back to what Kieran had said. “I don’t know that it was a leash, per se…”

  “It was a leash. I heard him.” Daisy nodded confidently. “Don’t let no dick rule you. You be the boss of you.”

  “All right, fourteen-year-old. Thanks for the life lesson.” I rubbed at my face.

  “Are you going to take the job?” Mordecai asked.

  I lowered the handbag. It was now or never.

  After tucking it back into the bag and gingerly placing it to the side, I crawled in next to him. Daisy squished in on the other side.

  “Yes,” I said. “For a few reasons. But yes. I am.”

  “Finally. The truth!” The bed jiggled, and I knew Daisy had made some sort of dramatic gesture.

  “You should know that Daisy sent a letter of negotiation to his office,” Mordecai said. “Ow!”

  “I told you not to tell her!”

  “What?” I leaned forward and turned so I could look at both of them.

  “You’re a terrible liar, so I figured I’d get out in front of you. Someone has to protect your brand.” Daisy straightened up with a determined expression. “I gave the letter to the robot two days ago. You weren’t being undercut, but your experience wasn’t being fully taken into account. I figured they could come up a little. Plus, he owed us for that session. I wasn’t about to let that go. That’s why I recommended the bag. You never would’ve bought it for yourself.”

  I looked back and forth between the two of them. “You’re not going to bust my chops on this? You’re not going to tell me I shouldn’t take it?”

  Mordecai shrugged. “It’s a bad idea, getting mixed up with a Demigod, but…”

  “He’s got mommy issues, not to mention big daddy issues, and you have a thing for helping out people with issues. I mean…hello?” Daisy raised her hands. “You’re going to do it anyway. We might as well sign up to do damage control so you don’t get in over your head.”

  With a squishy heart, I leaned back and swung my feet up onto the bed. Daisy elbowed Mordecai and yelled something about Samwise Gamgee and tatters before finally settling. We all crowded together.

  “I’m sorry you guys don’t have normal teenage lives,” I said softly.

  “At least we have lives,” Daisy said. “Without you, we’d both be dead. I’m exactly where I want to be. With you fuckers.”

  “Really Daisy, with the swearing?” I wiped away a tear.

  “Daisy got her miracle,” Mordecai whispered. “I got my miracle. Now, Alexis, you need yours.”

  I didn’t have a miracle in my future. I had a nightmare. But as long as they were taken care of, I’d just be happy with a pint. Dream small.

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  About the Author

  K.F. Breene is a USA TODAY Bestselling author of paranormal, urban fantasy and fantasy novels. She lives in wine country where over every rolling hill, or behind every cow, an evil sorcerer might be plotting his next villainous deed while holding a bottle of wine and brick of cheese. Her husband thinks she’s cracked for wandering around, muttering about magic and swords. Her kids are on board with her fantastical imagination, except when the description of the monsters becomes too real.

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