Brows furrowed, Dante shot Davin a dark look. “Aye. And I’ve already heard your extensive opinion on the subject, cousin. Many times, so save the lecture.”
“Hmph.” Davin smoothed a hand down the front of his pristine shirt and pretended not to be offended. With his nose in the air, he tried to save face. “Whatever. You and I both know these barbarians are nothing but legalized thugs. A slightly less criminal version of our cousin Greed and his goons.”
“They are nothing like Joshua, and I resent the comparison.” Dante scowled at Davin’s words. “As if I would associate my name and my business with such unsavory characters.” In truth, Davin was right about their cousin. Joshua was a dirt bag. The immortal version of the mafia. But Davin was wrong about the private security firm. Dante had them thoroughly vetted. They had a clean background check and hired only the best immortals around.
Ducking his head so he thought Dante wouldn’t hear him, Davin mumbled, “Like you weren’t thinking about calling Joshua and asking him to send some of his muscle over instead of these so-called angels.”
So that was his cousin’s problem. That Dante recruited the help of angels instead of daemons.
“Don’t piss me off.” Dante growled. “I refuse to associate with any of Joshua’s unethical practices. I care not if they are angels, daemons, or even humans as long as they protect my mate! Now, the representative shall be here any minute. I’m already irritated and the last thing I need is for you to rile me up.”
Davin scoffed and waved his hand as if brushing Dante off like a gnat or a piece of lint on his suit. “Why did you want me here if you refuse to take any of my advice, hmm?” Davin pinned him with an icy blue stare.
Shit. He’s kind of right. I’m being an ass, but damn if he isn’t provoking me.
Dante’s face grew hot and he cleared his throat. He shifted in his chair and knew the little shit enjoyed watching him squirm. A wide grin split Davin’s face and Dante was pretty sure he never wanted to hit the male more than he did in that moment.
“Because despite what you said, you don’t trust this agency, am I correct? I’m here because you don’t want to be in a room alone with your new protection?” Dante gnashed his teeth to keep from telling Davin to shut the fuck up. “Doesn’t that tell you something? If you don’t trust them with your safety, why would you trust them to guard your employees? Or your mate?”
He closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled several times before speaking. “This particular firm offers the services I desire, and is the best money can buy,” he said calmly. “And I am certainly not afraid of being in a room with them, or him, as it is. Only the team leader is coming today. I want you here because an outsider should be present during negotiations. That way, there shall be no dispute over details should the agency attempt to change the terms.”
Davin straightened his cuffs and Dante wanted to slap that haughty attitude right off his face. “Wouldn’t your lawyer be a better choice then?”
Son of a…
The words he had been holding back finally burst free. “Can you just shut the fuck up?” Davin opened his mouth to argue but a knock on the door cut him off.
“Enter,” Dante snarled.
His newest assistant, Grady’s half-brother Corwin, cracked the door and poked his head inside. Unlike Grady’s loud and boisterous personality, Corwin was quiet and reserved. Grady would have flung the door open and practically skipped to Dante’s desk. Corwin’s shrewd eyes landed on Davin before they shifted to Dante’s. “Mr. Kearney from The Protectors is here, Mr. Vittorio.”
“Thank you, Corwin. Send him in.” He held the sitri’s stare. “And I believe I told you to call me Dante.”
The male’s cheeks turned pink, but he must needs give Corwin credit. He held Dante’s gaze and managed a tight smile. “Right. Dante. I shall show him in.”
The door closed and Davin turned and gaped at him. “Shy little thing. Nothing like his half-brothers, is he? Are you sure they’re related?”
Grady and Corwin’s other half-brother, Sam Allard, worked as Davin’s receptionist. Davin and Dante lucked out. The three sitri siblings were perfect in their positions within both their companies. They were efficient, organized, and highly intelligent. At times, Sam and Grady’s mischievous nature caused a few ripples through the staff here and there. Usually with one of them seducing the occasional human or immortal co-worker.
Sitris were highly sexual beings and rarely fucked the same person twice. Several times Dante was forced to reassign one of Grady’s discarded playthings to a different department, but for the most part, he enjoyed having Grady as his executive receptionist. After Dante suffered a long string of failed replacements for Faith’s position when his mate went to work for the courthouse, Corwin assumed the role as Dante’s personal assistant. He was new to Inferno, and unlike Grady and Sam, Corwin was entirely heterosexual, which worked out perfectly. Corwin wasn’t attracted to Dante in any way, so he need not deal with unwanted lust at work, and because Corwin was related to Grady, he needn’t worry that the ever-horny Grady would fuck and chuck yet another assistant.
“No. You’re right. Corwin is quite different,” Dante said, answering Davin’s question. “And I prefer him that way.”
The door opened and Corwin ushered in an enormous immortal with dirty blond hair and dark, intelligent eyes. The male must needs be at least six-eight or six-nine. Dante hid his shock behind a hand held up to his face. He couldn’t help it. The male had muscles on top of muscles. Mr. Kearney didn’t bother to dress up for their meeting. No, he was decked out in solid black from head to toe—a short-sleeved tee which exposed massive biceps and pulled tight across a broad chest, Tac pants that clung to tree trunk thighs, and a pair of heavy, well-used, combat boots. It made the male look menacing and dangerous, just as Davin predicted.
With confidence radiating from his aura, and his square chin and sharp jaw, the fallen angel made a daunting sight, to say the least. The tiny Corwin appeared terrified as Kearney passed and gave the sitri a look as if he wanted to devour him on the spot. Dante didn’t blame Corwin one bit when he flinched away. The angel had over twelve inches and a hundred pounds on Dante’s tiny assistant, and he’d place bets the enormous male currently fantasized poor Corwin naked and at his mercy.
“Thanks, boy,” Kearney said, aiming the full force of his powerful stare on Corwin. The angel’s deep rumbling voice, combined with the blatant eye-fuck, made the timid sitri squeak in fright. Corwin turned and fled, slamming the door in his wake. A chuckle rumbled from Kearney’s throat and he turned his laser sharp focus; his dark gaze first landing on Davin.
Kearney took his time, studying Davin as if searching for his cousin’s every strength and weakness. After a moment, Kearney blinked, an action which summarily dismissed Davin as non-threatening, then his eyes slid to Dante and it was his turn to be sized up. Determined to show the cocky prick he wasn’t afraid, Dante rose from his chair and boldly met the angel’s probing stare.
“Mr. Kearney,” he said as he came around the desk to shake his visitor’s hand. The angel’s long fingers curled around Dante’s palm and fuck if the bastard didn’t manage to make his hand feel small. “I’m Dante Vittorio, and this is my cousin, Davin Cassavettes.” He gestured toward Davin, who looked as if he’d rather do anything than touch the brute of an angel. Davin hesitated before cautiously offering a hand. The two immortals exchanged a brief shake and knowing Davin, he was dying to run out of the office and scrub his hand in boiling water.
“Call me Ronin.”
“All right, Ronin. In that case, call me Dante. Have a seat.” He returned to the chair behind his desk and Davin leaned back in his own, seated directly next to Ronin.
Ronin tilted his head and eyed Davin again. “You’re Pride, aye?” he asked in his booming voice.
If one didn’t know Davin, they’d miss the brief flicker of annoyance in his eyes and the twitch of his mouth. “I prefer to go by Davin, but aye, I’m Prince of
Pride.” Davin raised his chin a fraction, allowing his pompous public persona to come out full force. It was all about appearances with Davin, and Dante’s cousin wasn’t about to let this barbarian—as he referred to Ronin earlier—think he was anywhere but beneath him on the social strata and therefore, unworthy of Davin’s time and attention.
The corner of Ronin’s lips quirked as if Davin amused him. Davin’s face darkened and he wore a thunderous expression. Dante interjected before his cousin picked a fight he had zero chance of winning.
“My thanks for coming,” he said to Ronin.
“Not a problem.” This time, when the angel spoke Dante caught a hint of an Irish accent, likely a carryover from the immortal’s human days. “The boss told me about your problems, yeah? I’d say you got more than a few.” Ronin grinned and it appeared as if he had more teeth than normal, reminiscent of a wolf or other predator right before it tore out your throat.
Slick bastard was trying to ruffle Dante’s feathers. Dante rubbed his fingers across his chin and briefly entertained the thought that Ronin the wolf would be a perfect match against a ravenous Hellhound.
“It appears someone is targeting me specifically, through my businesses. What I want is for you and your firm to provide around the clock protection at every one of my locations in Eastlake Falls.”
Ronin sat back in the chair, his thick thighs spread wide in front of him. He wore his hair shaved almost down to the scalp along the sides of his head and left it longer on top. It was gelled into something that resembled a short, tousled mohawk that, along with the black clothes, huge muscles, and military garb, made him look like a total badass.
“Gonna cost ya, though.” Ronin’s brown eyes sparkled in a beam of light slicing through a gap in the curtains. The sun did nothing to make the angel appear less threatening, in truth, it made him look darker, throwing shadows across the harsh angles of his face. Ronin grinned again and crossed his arms, making the corded muscles in his biceps and forearms flex.
Fucking showoff.
“Finances are not a problem,” Dante said sternly. “Also, I want your very best associates stationed outside my home to protect my mate from harm.”
Ronin hummed in interest and in his peripheral vision Dante saw his cousin frown.
Oh, he doesn’t like the idea at all. Too fucking bad.
Mayhap Davin didn’t want barbarians around his mate, but Verity wasn’t being threatened with kidnapping and forced slavery. If she were, he had zero doubt his cousin would change his tune in the blink of an eye.
“I got a few fellas that’d be good for an assignment like that. I trust ‘em with my life,” Ronin explained. Dante’s brows winged up and fuck if that big bastard didn’t smirk. “What’s the problem? Don’t believe my guys to be trustworthy?”
“It’s not that I don’t think you believe them to be trustworthy,” he replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the angel’s dark eyes so he wouldn’t think Dante was intimidated by his size or menacing presence. “It’s that mayhap your idea of trustworthy isn’t up to the same standards as mine.”
It was obvious Ronin didn’t like his response because his wolfish grin twisted into a sinister scowl. “Listen to me, Lust,” the angel growled. Dante narrowed his eyes, irritated by the male’s attitude.
“Watch it,” Dante snapped as his daemon woke. The way Davin’s eyes widened, Dante knew his own were likely glowing. He sat on his hands and quickly got his shit under control before he went full daemon on the angel’s ass.
When Ronin puffed his chest up in a ridiculous display to prove he was bigger and badder, Dante held back an eye roll. Ronin sneered. “I gottae know my boys got me back at all times. Don’t appreciate the insinuation they’re not loyal.” Ronin’s jaw twitched and Dante knew the angel clung to his temper by a tenuous thread. “Not a one of us can do what we gottae get done if we don’t trust one another. If I trust me angels to keep me alive, then I trust ‘em to keep anyone alive, even…” Ronin paused and leaned forward, an amused glint in his eyes a wicked smile on his lips. “Who is it you’re protecting again? Your lass? Gotta hot little female at home that needs watchin’ over, eh?” He waggled his brows suggestively and Dante nearly leapt over his desk and ripped out his jugular.
His daemon hissed at the disrespectful description of Faith. The words set Dante’s blood pumping with rage. His upper lip peeled back and he felt a fang prick into the lower one.
“It doesn’t matter who I want protected, Mr. Kearney. It’s not your place to ask nor my duty to disclose. The members of your team assigned to my home shall receive the required information they must needs know to do their job.” It was Dante’s turn to lean forward, stretching over his desk to show the cocky angel that he wasn’t a nice guy. Remind Ronin of his other, less civilized half. “What I do know is that you shall take me seriously, or you’ll be out of business with a single call. I have immortals on speed dial that can shut down your firm faster than you can find a ruler and whip out your dick. I’m not interested in having a ‘who has the biggest cock’ competition. Your job is to set up security and keep my people safe. Is. That. Clear?”
Something flashed in the angel’s eyes. Respect, mayhap? Was Ronin one of those males? The testosterone overloaded kind that constantly tested those around him for weakness, and appreciated any who possessed big enough balls to stand up to his bullshit attempts to intimidate? As if I give a shit. Whatever Ronin’s problem, Dante was pleased when the angel immediately toned down the tough guy persona and the stiff set of his shoulders relaxed. He even sat up straighter and lifted one ankle to rest on his opposite knee.
“Aye. Quite clear.”
“Then that will be all,” Dante said, dismissing the subdued Ronin.
Ronin stood and tipped his chin at both Davin and Dante. “I’ll be in touch.” With that, the fallen angel spun on his booted heel and left.
Davin exhaled loudly and Dante stared at the closed door. When he glanced at his cousin, Dante was shocked. He looked like he just went ten rounds with a frisky succubus. Sweat beaded along Davin’s hairline and his cheeks and neck were flushed red.
“Oh, my apologies,” Dante said sarcastically. “Was that exchange too stressful for your delicate sensibilities, cousin?” He huffed and shook his head. “Thanks for speaking up, by the way. Especially when the three-hundred-pound monster who could probably snap my neck like a toothpick went all dark angel on me.”
Davin had the nerve to look hurt. “You said I was here to listen. Besides,” he sniffed in his haughty way. “I told you I don’t want to be associated with someone so… ugh, beneath me.” Davin pulled a sour face. “You’re insane, you know. Once you put those… those things at each of your clubs, people are going to think your businesses lack class.”
With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Dante snorted. “I’m the fucking Daemon of Lust, so that ship has long sailed. And I’d rather be classless than a spineless shit.”
Davin glared and stood whilst straightening his clothes. “That angel is both scary as hell and drop-dead gorgeous, Dante. Don’t forget, females love the bad boy. That’s how we got so many of them in our beds over the centuries. If it were me, I wouldn’t let him anywhere near my mate.”
Dante gave Davin a sly grin. “Don’t you worry about Faith. I already checked out Ronin Kearney and have no concerns whatsoever. In truth, I chose him specifically to watch over her.” Davin squinted and waited for him to elaborate. Dante could barely keep from laughing. “Let’s just say his interests don’t include the fairer sex.”
Davin gaped, then quickly fixed his expression. “Well, whatever. Gay or not, I gave you my opinion, which was what you asked for. Now, if you don’t need anything else?” Davin’s eyes narrowed and Dante knew he was about to say something rude. Instead, Dante flipped him off and chuckled when Davin dematerialized whilst giving him the finger.
Asshole.
AFTER SPENDING two hours pacing a hole in the crappy institutional tile floor in his office,
Thomas finally gave in and snatched his phone off the desk. Last night, Tony called to inform him there had been another attack on one of the Son of Lust’s businesses, this time by a Hellhound and the djinn. Then this morning, a clerk at the police department told him they found another dead immortal. Fates, every day the Eastlake Falls fell further down the hole toward darkness and evil.
How long shall it be until it’s too late to pull the city back into the light?
Thomas flicked through his contacts, found the one for Hope, and hit send. It rang twice.
“Hello?”
He closed his eyes and sat on the edge of his desk. It stayed quiet on the other end whilst he thanked the Hereafter Hope answered. “Are you at home?”
“Yes.” There was a pause when he didn’t immediately respond. “Thomas, are you all right?”
He massaged one temple with his left hand, the phone in his right. “Not really. May I stop by?”
There was a rustling sound and he heard Hope’s soft breath in the receiver. “Sorry, I didn’t want Garrett listening.”
Fuck. Her brother is home.
“I don’t want to cause problems for you.” Her brother was overprotective, and with good cause. When their parents died, he pretty much raised her. Then took care of Hope after the attack at work, and when a Hellhound killed someone in front of her. As of late, Garrett had upped his game from brotherly concern to NSA-level scrutiny.
“I… I can meet you somewhere.”
Thomas glanced out his office window. There was still an hour or so of daylight left. Enough for Hope to leave her apartment under the relative safety of the sun. But the thought of the small human female traversing the city alone made his stomach cramp.
“Why don’t I meet you in your lobby and we’ll go together?”
“Okay.” For the first time since he picked up his phone, Thomas’s fingers loosened, and the device no longer remained in danger of being crushed to bits. The tight band around his chest gave slack as well.
Hope For More (Trinity Book 3) Page 18