Page 35 of A Wild Darkness

“Stevie, I do not like to share my food.” I lower my voice, deepening it into a growl.

Her throat bobs with a hard swallow. “Fine.”

“But you do feel nice on my lap.” I smirk.

I catch a sharp rise of her chest. “Funny. But too bad you’ll never get to enjoy it.”

“You never know.” Clutching her tight, I lift her up and set her down.

Her lips push out in a pout. “Just remember…outside the house, I’m your girlfriend. Inside the house, we’re simply partners who respect each other.”

“Again, fine by me.” Letting my eyes go right to her chest, I make it known I’m looking to simply piss her off.

She notices immediately and gives me her back before returning to her chair.

“So, what’s on your schedule for the rest of the day?” I ask, curious about where she’ll be and what she’ll be doing.

“I have to head to Nevermore to get some things done,” she tells me. “Kristine and Noah will be expecting me today.”

Our nighttime projects have been my life for the past couple of years, but I remember what it was like to put on a suit and go into the Thompson Innovations offices. It wasn’t for me. The bureaucracy and fakeness of it all was nauseating.

“They’re your employees?” I ask.

“Yep. Kristine is the mortuary manager and literally my right-hand woman. And Noah is a mortician and embalmer. He’s been a great help ever since he got out of the apprentice program.”

“I’m glad you have people you can rely on. Have they worked for you for a while?”

“Since before I’ve owned the mortuary. So awhile.” Stevie runs her black fingernails along the condensation on her drink. The movement traps my gaze.

A rapid blink shakes the thought away. “And I remember you saying before that you bought it from an older couple?” I ask to be friendly.

A small smile appears on her face. “You remember that?”

I tuned out most of her ramblings when she stayed here the first time with her sister, but we didn’t really get into any real personal details. I was in and out, working on the current project at the time.

“I remember some of what you say.”

She rolls her eyes, still smiling. “Going for boyfriend of the year, are you?”

Stevie and I both stand at the same time.

“I’ll take it,” I say, removing the plate from her hand.

“Thank you.”

Walking over to the sink, I can see her still standing in the kitchen from my periphery. “We have to leave for the masquerade ball at eight thirty. I’d like to touch base beforehand.”

She nods. “We only discussed some of it the night you broke into Nevermore.”

I lean my back against the sink with my arms crossed against my chest. We discussed most of what our story will be. This is the first event, and I’m sure the Society will be vetting us cautiously.

“How long have we been dating?” I ask.

“Three years. Long enough to know each other, but not too long where we know everything about each other in case one of us stumbles over something.”

“Good.” I smile. “And how did you find out I was a serial killer?”

“We were both hunting the same night and ran into each other.” A cocky hand lies to her hip. “And the rest is history because we fell madly in love.”