“Nico?” he says.
“Exactly.”
“You want him to be your Nico?” CK asks and I can see he is starting to understand now that I have put it into a context he can relate to.
“I do.”
“I see. You have come to this arrangement? He knows what is required of him? And what is not,” he says, glowering at Cade.
“Mostly,” he says. There’s that word again.
“We only just agreed that he work for me. The blanks need filling in,” I admit.
“Who is Nico?” Cade asks as I stop speaking.
“A blank that needs filling in,” I say, turning to him. “He is Constantine’s you.”
“Hey, can I have one?” Devon pipes up. “Seems to be a trend. I want in.”
“If you wish, my love,” I say to him with a smile. “But you go find your own. Cade is mine.”
“I am not a thing, you know,” Cade says, a bit miffed. “And I am not yours,” he says, looking at me pointedly.
“You got that right,” CK mutters behind me but somehow that statement has cheered him up a bit.
As if he knew we were talking about him, Nico then shows up at the door.
He stops dead as we all turn to look at him and his eyes go from surprised to angry as he spots Cade standing next to me. “It’s all right, Nico,” CK says blandly. “For some reason, Aefre has taken it upon herself to add him to her payroll as her…you.”
He looks confused at that but accepts it as his boss accepts it. I am, as ever, surprised at the change in attitude that my sire does so quickly. One minute he is dead set against something, the next he accepts it. Again, I have to wonder if he does it just because I want him to.
“Very well. I assume that his head is no longer required on a platter?” Nico asks.
Cade looks somewhat worried by that remark as CK looks at him, pleased to have gotten such a reaction. “No. His head may remain attached. But if you ever,” he informs Cade unpleasantly, “hurt a single hair on her head, I will rip yours off myself.”
“Yes, I am sure you will. Your reputation precedes you,” Cade says mildly. “Rest assured I have no intentions of hurting her or any of you. My job is strictly threats only.”
“Good. Keep it that way. Now you all may leave. I want some time with…my girlfriend,” he says to me with a chuckle.
“Well, I’m not going anywhere, roomies. I’ve already checked out of my suite,” Sebastian says.
“Go and get it back,” CK says.
“No, I’ll stay here. It’s much nicer than the one I was in.”
“Don’t worry, my love. We still have the bedroom and bathroom to ourselves,” I say quietly. “I am quite partial to getting you in that tub again,” I add.
“Well, I am not going to say no to that offer,” he smiles at me and all is forgotten.
I turn to Devon, “Are you going back down or back to your suite.”
“Suppose I had better go sit with her,” he grumbles and gives me a lingering kiss that lasts just long enough for CK to start growling and Cade to react in shock.
“Him, too?” he asks in disbelief. “Lady, you have serious issues.”
“Don’t j
udge. It isn’t part of your job description,” I pout.