He was in a talkative mood. He merely confirmed what I’d already suspected. Maddox relayed the full story. It’s important that you be on your guard, Raini. Castiel clearly has no issue with using you to get to me. He may not do so again, but it always pays to be cautious.
I’ll be careful, she promised because, yeah, going up against an archangel didn’t sound fun.
Good. There was a brief pause. I need to go. I’ll check in with you later. His mind brushed hers one last time before he then broke contact.
Raini sighed, wishing not for the first time that there didn’t have to be this … gulf between them. Wishing they had the same easy companionship that both Devon and Khloë had with their anchors. Well, at least Raini had found her psi-mate— many demons weren’t so fortunate in that respect.
Putting the matter out of her mind, she washed her cup in the kitchen and then took a hot shower. Done, she dressed and dried her hair. She was about to leave for work when her cell phone rang.
Snatching it from the nightstand, she frowned. Unknown caller. Huh. “Hello?” she answered absently, grabbing her purse.
“Hi, it’s, um, Dwain.”
Ugh. Wondering why he could possibly be calling her— and where the hell he got her number—she not-so-brightly greeted, “Hi.”
“I heard what happened last night. I just wanted to say I’m glad you’re okay.”
What, like they were friends or something? She felt her brow furrow. “Thanks.” I guess, she barely refrained from adding.
“I would have come to see you but, um, I’m pretty sure that the Thornes are particular about who they let into their penthouse,” he said with what seemed like a forced chuckle.
“They are pretty particular about it, yeah,” Raini confirmed, walking out of the room.
“Figured as much.” He cleared his throat. “I drove Demi to the marina this morning and waved her off. I’m surprised she still went on the cruise, given how worried she is about you.”
Raini’s demon snorted. Sad as it was, Demi wasn’t going to lose sleep over the fact that her own sister could be in danger. And nothing would have kept her from going on that cruise in any case, because it was the perfect excuse for Demi to get a break from seeing Dwain with his mate.
Heading toward the foyer, Raini was about to round up what—to her—seemed like a pointless conversation, but then he spoke again.
“So, anyway, me and Harmony are going home tomorrow.”
Oh, excellent. It was the best news Raini had heard all week.
“With all the shit that’s going down, I’d rather get her away from here, you know? But you and I never got a chance to catch up, so I was thinking maybe we could have lunch today. I’m in the Underground right now. I have plans to meet with some old friends at the hellhorse tracks. You and I could meet up afterward.”
Raini scratched the back of her head. “Dwain, I don’t understand why you’d want that.” She frowned at the whir of machinery. Someone was apparently coming up the elevator to the penthouse. “You’re still a little mad at me for what happened years ago. I would think you’d rather not spend any more time with me than you already have.”
There was a heavy exhale. “I just think it would be easier on Demi if there wasn’t so much awkwardness between her anchor and her sister. And I’m not mad at you, Raini. I’m mad at myself for being so blind to reality for a while back then, but not at you. I’m sorry if I’ve made you think differently. See, this is why it would be good for us to meet up and talk. We could clear the air and get things back on track. I think it’s long past time we did it.”
Raini totally disagreed. It wasn’t like they’d ever been friends, or that they ever would be. And despite what he seemed to think, Demi wouldn’t be happy if the awkwardness between him and Raini was gone. So, really, what was the point in rehashing it all when it would be simpler to just move forward? Besides … “We kind of did clear the air. Look, what happened is in the past. No one’s holding grudges. There doesn’t seem any need to do anything other than let it lie.”
Right then, the elevator doors slid open. Harper, Devon, and Khloë stepped into the foyer.
“Still, I think it would be good for us to talk,” he persisted.
Devon frowned at the phone, and her upper lip quivered. Ah, her hellcat hearing had picked up the sound of Dwain’s voice.
“Who’s that?” Khloë mouthed, nosy as ever.
Knowing the imp would have no compunction with jumping onto Raini’s back to be able to listen, Raini put the call on speakerphone and said, “Really, Dwain, it’s not necessary. Everything between us is cool as far as I’m concerned. Plus, I agreed to have lunch with Maddox anyway.” There, that should nip this shit in the bud.