The Girl Who Never Cried, page 6
“Me?” Lynch’s eyes are incredulous, but he doesn’t let me go. His cheeks are streaked with soot, and his hair is a crazy mess. “You’re the one who went into a cabin alone with another man. What was I supposed to do? Guard the door?”
“Yes, that’s a brilliant idea,” I say. My hands roam over my chest and stomach, checking for any wounds, but aside from a slightly singed hem, I seem to be unharmed.
There’s another pop, cutting off whatever Lynch is about to say. We both look back at the blazing cabin just in time to see the fire wink out.
One second, it’s burning to the ground like a reality TV star’s love life, and the next, the room looks just as pristine as it did the moment I first entered it. Untouched.
“Holy mother of hell,” I breathe, inching closer to inspect the space.
“Even the fucking fruit is back in the bowl,” I say.
Lynch gives me a look like he thinks I might be crazy.
I ignore it. No use explaining now.
“At least your dress is dry,” Lynch says. “I don’t want to draw any more attention to these melons than necessary.”
I give him the finger but he ignores it and continues to stare at my boobs. “They’re already looking more spectacular than normal in that dress.”
“We just survived a magical fire from a death reaper, and you want to talk about my tits?”
“Babe, I never don’t want to talk about your tits. Except maybe when I’m busy touching them.” He taps his chin, thoughtful. “Actually, scratch that. I’m a hell of a multitasker. I can do both at once.”
“Heaven help me,” I mutter, going with one of Anna’s signature phrases.
I miss my girls tonight.
Interrogating supernatural creatures would have been more fun with them here.
Oh well.
“Back to work,” I say.
Lynch shakes his head. “Woman, you need to take a break once in a while.”
I stop, his words striking a chord within me, and turn to look at him. “You know, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
Confusion crosses his handsome features. “Wait. What are we thinking?”
“A break,” I say. “Maybe we should take one. You know, from missions and stuff. We’ve been working like crazy lately.”
“Sure, like a vacation?”
“Maybe. Or maybe we could cut back a bit,” I say, careful now. It’s not like I want to get into all this at The Ball, but the opportunity can’t be ignored. “I could use a change of pace. Maybe staying at home more.”
“Ohhh, I get it.” He closes the distance between us, doing a weird sort of duck-walk that he seems to think is sexy. “You want a little more Netflix and chill in your life, huh?”
He cups my hips and draws me closer, kissing my neck.
I resist the urge to bite his ear in frustration.
“Maybe,” I say because this conversation is not going to go how I want.
I’ll try again later.
Carefully, I extricate myself from his arms.
“But for now, let’s find another suspect.”
“You don’t want to track down Firestarter?”
“No, I think if A’s mark could conjure flame like that, surely she would have mentioned it. I’m thinking we should probably move on. Cast a wider net.”
“I have a better idea,” Lynch says, putting an arm around me as he leads me back toward the party, “How about we start that slow down now?”
CHAPTER 8
“We can’t,” I protest as he leads me toward an impressively ornate elevator. “I’m serious, Scruffs. We need to find A’s mystery man.”
Lynch ignores me, pushing the button and ushering me inside. When the cage starts to rise, he turns, his soft green eyes looking the most serious I’ve seen them in a while.
“Your friend will understand. I know you want to help her. Hell, I want to help her too, Trouble, but this was a fool’s errand. We don’t have enough intel to apprehend the suspect. We’re damn good, but we can’t just make a miracle happen.”
I open my mouth to object, but Lynch covers it with his hand.
“No, Trouble,” he says, shaking his head. “Let’s just enjoy ourselves before we have to go home and face whatever it is you’re so nervous to talk to me about.”
My mouth falls open at his declaration, and I glare at him as he ushers me out of the elevator. All of my questions flee my mind as I take in the sights and sounds that greet us on this floor. The decor is even more impressive here. And the…
“Aw, hell,” Lynch groans. “Look away, woman. This attention to detail is giving me a hard-on.”
I snort before grabbing his hand and tugging him through the crowd. I wind my way through the packed dance floor, searching for anyone who might look like A.
“Holy shit,” Lynch breathes, stopping so suddenly that he jerks me backward. His arms loop under me to catch me just before I would have tumbled to the ground.
“What the hell, Scruffs?” I curse, pulling myself back up to full height.
“Sorry, Trouble. It wasn’t my fault. It was hers,” he says. I follow his finger, noticing the woman on the stage. Bright lights shine on her, highlighting the feminine shape of her body in the sheer white gown she’s wearing. Her long aqua hair brushes her hips as she sways, adding to the sensual sounds coming out of her mouth.
“Uh. Wife, asshole,” I say, shaking off his hold. “Or have you forgotten?”
“What?” Lynch asks, confused. “Don’t you know who that is?”
I roll my eyes, continuing my march through the crowd. “I don’t give a shit who she is. If you keep looking at her like that, the last thing you’re gonna see is my fist.”
A deep chuckle sounds from behind me.
“Perhaps you should not judge him so harshly. Our Marina has that effect on many men. Even ones whose hearts already belong to beauties such as you,” a deeply accented voice says.
I turn, locking eyes with another one of A’s bartenders. Pale green eyes stare back at me, a lifetime of knowledge twinkling in their depths. His skin is dark, making his smile even more dazzling, and I find an answering smile stretching across my own face in return.
What the hell? No! I’m mad.
I frown, stepping closer to the stranger.
“That must make her real popular with A’s female patrons then,” I snort.
His eyes widen minutely at my slip, and I silently curse myself for letting her name–er,,, letter?–slip from my lips.
“The Proprietor created this ball so that we Monsters are free to be who we are without judgment,” he says. His admonishment is delivered softly like all his other words, but I feel my face heat all the same. “Marina can no more help the way she calls to men than you can control your need to run, little wolf. A siren’s allure is a part of their gifts from the gods.”
My jaw drops as his words hit me, but suspicion has me raising my brow in disbelief.
“You know what I am?” I ask.
“We all have our tells,” he says with a shrug. “All you need do is look more closely.”
His eyes flash with his last words, and I gasp.
“Holy shit. You’re a lion!”
His deep chuckle rumbles in his chest, further confirming my assessment.
“That I am, friend of The Proprietor,” he says. “But you may call me Barasa, for tonight, I am but a humble bartender. Care for a drink?”
“We’ll take two of your signature drinks,” Lynch says, startling me with his nearness.
Barasa smiles warmly. “Two Roars coming right up,” he nods.
I open my mouth to ask for a water instead, but Lynch steps to my side, his fingers trailing lightly down my bare arms. Even in the balmy night air, the move is enough to draw goosebumps.
“I wasn’t staring at her because I was attracted to her, Trouble,” he finally says. “I was just in shock. I didn’t know that Dastardly Deeds would be here.”
Excitement laces his voice, and a memory tickles at my brain. The band name sounds familiar, but I can’t recall how I know it.
“You know you’re the only woman who could ever hold my attention,” he murmurs against my skin.
My skin tingles where his nose draws lazily up my neck, and I press my thighs together as an ache begins to grow.
I blink as Barasa sets two golden-colored drinks in front of us, nudging mine with a wink. I frown, perplexed, but he turns away before I can ask him any more questions, yelling at a witch in a killer miniskirt. I watch as she laughs at him, using her magic to make her bottles dance around his head.
Just then, the song changes, and the crowd goes wild as the opening notes of the new song vibrate through the air.
“Calling all you miscreants and wild ones,” the lead singer croons.
Memories flood my mind of the Midnight Kisses where Lynch first played this song for me and Romy, and a smile breaks across my face.
“Let’s dance, woman!” Lynch says, bouncing on his toes.
Just then, a flash of red near the edge of the dancefloor catches my eye.
“I’ll meet you out there,” I say, reaching up onto my toes to plant a kiss on his cheek. “There’s something I need to do first.”
Lynch’s eyes follow my own, and he nods in understanding.
A reaches out a hand to me when I reach her, pulling me along with her as she strolls the edge of the dance floor.
“We weren’t able to find him.” The words rush out of me, guilt making them impossible to contain. “I’m so sorry, A. I really thought I had a good suspect, but it all fell apart.”
A smiles a sad sort of smile, but she squeezes my hand reassuringly.
“It’s okay,” she sighs. Her eyes trail over the crowd, amusement shining in her red irises as she takes note of the satyr made entirely of flame and smoke. When the wispy figure begins to dance suggestively behind a beautiful, dark-skinned woman in a long, black dress, A shakes her head.
She blows a kiss, and the gold lip print floats through the air, landing on the lewd satyr who sighs then explodes into a cloud of hearts that shift into butterflies before taking flight.
“Sorry, boss,” a man with dark, mischievous eyes calls after us.
I return my attention to A as she glides along the edge of the deck.
“Finding H has been my focus for so long that I fear I’ve forgotten how to truly live,” she admits. “If you weren’t able to find him, perhaps it is time I leave him where he belongs. In the past.”
Tears well in my eyes at the defeat in her tone, and I straighten my spine.
“This is bullshit,” I fume. “You help so many people find love. You deserve your own happiness as well. You’ve earned it! I refuse to believe this is the end. So what if the ball is almost over? That doesn’t mean we have to stop looking.”
A laughs, wiping a lone tear from her cheek. “You have more important things to do than help me any longer,” she says, her eyes trailing over me with a knowing grin. “Perhaps, soon it will be you who is in need of me.”
I open my mouth to protest, but a throat clears behind me.
“Do you think I could steal my wife for the last dance?” Lynch asks.
A nods, pulling me in for a hug before quickly pushing me into Lynch’s waiting arms.
“Get out of here, you crazy kids,” she says. “Thanks for trying, even if you did almost burn down the ship.”
“That wasn’t my fault,” I protest. “Our last suspect was a reaper and wasn’t a fan of our interrogation tactics. He lit the room on fire to escape any more questions.”
A’s brows rise, her mouth opening to respond, but Lynch yanks on my arm, dragging me farther into the crowd.
“Finally,” he says, pulling me against his chest as he begins to sway to the beat. “The only thing I needed to make this night perfect is to dance with my beautiful bride.”
“Kinda low standards for the perfect night there, Scruffs,” I say, running my hands over the lapels of his jacket. “I think I can top it.”
“Oh yeah?” he asks, amusement shining in his eyes. “Wanna go out with a bang and find somewhere to practice making cubs?”
The song shifts, and fireworks explode over our heads, drawing our attention to the sky. A look of wonder crosses Lynch’s face, and my heart flutters. I’ve never done anything good enough to deserve this asshole, but damn if I’m not grateful to whoever screwed up and sent him my way.
I reach up onto my toes and pull his face back to mine.
“Who needs practice, Daddy?” I whisper against his lips. “We’ve already succeeded.”
“What?” Lynch’s eyes widen in disbelief, and he drops to his knees, pressing his ear against my stomach. I stroke his hair, ignoring the final moments of The Ball as I watch the man I love listen to what I know sounds like the tiny fluttering of wings. A sound more magical than anything we witnessed tonight.
Lynch stands, gazing at me with wonder and more than a little shock. “Holy, shit, woman. Are you serious? You’re not fucking with me, right? If this is a prank--”
“It’s not a prank,” I say. “We’re going to have a baby. A cub.”
He hoots. “This is crazy. Trouble, just wait. This is going to be a whole different kind of adventure.”
“You’re happy then? Not upset?”
“Are you fucking crazy? I’m over the moon.”
He grabs me, pulling me off my feet and spinning me around. I laugh, and as he sets me down again, something wet obscures my vision. I reach up and brush it away, realizing with shock that it’s a tear. Lynch’s jaw falls open.
“Is that a tear?”
“No,” I snap. Then, more softly, “Maybe.”
I bite my lip, my worries bubbling to the surface. “This whole motherhood thing scares the shit out of me, Scruffs. What if–”
“Whoa, stop it right there.” He holds a finger to my lips, silencing me. His expression is stern–and yet, still full of joy. “You’re going to be the most amazing, kickass mom to ever live. I know that because you’re already the most amazing, kickass woman. My woman. And don’t worry, because I’m going to be the best fucking dad ever, too.”
I laugh at his confidence.
“This kid is so damn lucky to have us.”
“Just think of the birthday parties,” I say wryly.
Lynch’s eyes light up even more. “Fuck yeah,” he whispers, totally oblivious to my sarcasm.
Laughter bubbles up, and I realize my tears aren’t sad ones like I always thought they’d be when–and if–I finally cried. Not at all. They’re happy. So damn happy, in fact, that I squeeze out one more before I blink them away again. Lynch kisses my cheek, catching the tear with his lips.
“Let’s go home,” he whispers. “Mama needs to rest before the baby shower preparations begin.”
I snort a laugh at that because I have zero doubt he’s not bluffing a bit. And as the lights and noise of the ball fade away, the life we once knew fades with it.
* * *
~THE END~
ALL ABOUT BAM
Bam Shepherd is a part-time author, full-time badass, who currently resides in Oklahoma. She's a semi-pro lip sync battler (with trophies to prove it). A little bit hippie. A lotta bit hood. Her free time is spent being bossed around by a tiny army that she created, gardening and canning (no those aren't hobbies she enjoys, despite what you may have seen on social media), and listening to 90's rap. If she's not creating magical worlds of her own, she's falling into someone else's.
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You can find out more about Bam and her books at
bamshepherd.com
ALL ABOUT HEATHER
Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. She’s only slightly socially awkward as a result. She writes paranormal and fantasy romance with plenty of abs and angst. Her most frequent hobbies are truck camping with her doodle, talking to her plants, and avoiding killer slugs.
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You can find out more about Heather and her books at www.heatherhildenbrand.com.
WHAT TO READ NEXT
Bad boys break hearts, but I'll make sure it's not mine.
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After my nightmarish past, starting fresh should be a dream come true. But when my father’s death leaves me on the run, I have no choice but to seek shelter with the only family I have left. An uncle I’ve never even met.
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My uncle has a bad attitude and pack of friends that remind me far too much of the toxic life I left behind. Cruel, sexy Kai Stone is the worst of them. Occasionally, when the moon is high and full, I swear there’s something even beastlike about him. A monster who thrives off the mayhem and chaos that surrounds him. But no matter how hard I fight it, something about him tugs at my very soul.
* * *
The worst part is, I have a secret. And when Kai discovers it, I have to convince him to let me stay. Worse, I’ll have to trust him. And make him trust me.
* * *
Because I know he’s keeping something from me as well. And when I learn the truth, it will change everything.
* * *
If there’s one thing Kai refuses to allow, it’s outsiders.
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Too bad neither one of us knows how to resist a bad idea.
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Want to read more? Download your copy here!
Heather Hildenbrand, The Girl Who Never Cried
