CHAPTER 7

Jack

I’d barely stepped through the door when Ryan headed towards me, a big grin on his face.

“Hey babe, have fun doing spy-stuff today?” His smile faltered a little when I pulled him into my arms and bury my head in his neck, breathing in his familiar scent.

“Bad day?”

“You could say that. I think we might need to get the gang together later.”

“Uh-oh the gang? Did you find something?”

“You could say that. I’ll send out a group text.”

“I think we have just enough cake, but I might need to place an order for more before they get here.” Ryan pulled out his cell and sent off a quick order. Presumably to Charlie.

“So, I have time to slip into something a little less…corporate.”

“I see a lot of buttons.” Ryan ran his hand down my shirt front before loosening my tie. “Can I help you with anything?”

“I’ve got this itch I can’t reach. Think you could help me out?” Ryan said nothing. He just moved us towards the bathroom, leaving our clothes scattered along the way.

The feel of the hot spray against my body felt amazing, but it was nothing compared to the feel of Ryan’s wet skin sliding against mine. I shut out my thoughts and gave in to my overwhelming need to connect with the man who held my heart. His lips burned a trail down my chest and he sank slowly to his knees. My heart almost stopped the moment his firm lips wrapped around my length. I braced myself against the wall and threaded my fingers through his thick hair, holding him in place. I was seconds away from blowing my mind, among other things, when I heard a knock at the door. Ryan’s eyes darted to mine at the realization that our moment together was about to be interrupted as our friends and family made themselves at home.

“About time you two came out for air, we were thinking you’d drowned in the shower.” Nan’s words were followed by sniggers as both Jerry and Eric grinned at us with a knowing look. Ugh, they are so annoying and so is the constant cock blocking.

I thought that when I moved in with Ryan, my case of blue balls would clear up. But our friends had a tendency to show up just at the wrong time.

“One of these days, we are going to finish what we’ve started. I whispered as I brushed his damp hair back out of his eyes.

“Nice threads.” Jerry waggled his eyebrows at us. We’d grabbed the first clothes we could lay our hands on, which is why we were both standing there in matching track pants and hoodies.

“Well, isn’t this nice? Pop the kettle on Ryan love. I’m gasping for a cuppa.” Nan busied herself rearranging the couch cushions while Ryan went to the kitchen. Returning a few minutes later with tea, coffee and a tray of cakes. Just in time to see Mammon and his friends step out of thin air.

“Oh, please say you have muffins?”

Before meeting Karriel, I would have never believed that demons were so obsessed with cake. It wouldn’t surprise me if he quit dealing in souls to open a cake shop. Now that the cake was all gone, the talking can start. And I can finally share what I’d learned from the file.

“Whoa, I didn’t see that coming.” Verity said, brushing cookie crumbs from her jacket.

“But that just means it is even more important that we put Cross away.”

“I could hit-up Cross’s personal computer. I doubt he has left a trail back to the… to the…”

“Fraud?” Jerry finished his hubby’s sentence for him.

“Yeah, that. On the company network. But his personal email, his banking records, there might be something there.”

“If you find anything, let me know, but please stay safe.”

“Don’t worry Jack, we’ve got this. No one knows how to hack networks better than my man.”

“He did a wonderful job fixing the demon-net.” Mammon added. “But how good are you at cell phones? This thing shorted out when I re-entered my realm.”

It only took a few seconds for Eric to establish the cause.

“Sir, I don’t think you’re going to like this, but it looks like your cell has a tracking device enabled. It malfunctioned when you traveled through to your realm.”

“Mervin Cross?”

“More than likely…”

“Son of a bitch, more than likely he’s trying to find some leverage to manipulate you with,” Evren comments, looking at the charred remains of what looked like a pretty expensive phone. “Maybe you shouldn’t be meeting up with that cute guy for a while.”

Mammon was moving so fast he looked like a blur. One second, Evran was standing near Nan and the next he was pinned to the wall, a foot in the air. It was as impressive as it was unnerving. Mammon stood there half in his demon form and he did not look happy. Seems Evren hit a nerve with that comment. Ryan was right, Mammon had definitely met someone and if the emotions rolling off him were any indication, he’d found his soul mate.