The Lying, the Witch, and the Werewolf (Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services Book 4) by Kate Quinn (uplifting books for women .txt) 📗

“Okay, fine.” I cross my arms over my chest. “And are you expecting me to join in the orgies too? ’Cause if I wanted to be pimped out, I’d go work for Canwella.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “Enough with the drama, Paige. It’s a free-love place. No one’s gonna make you have sex. I know for a fact that you are fully capable of flirting and cock-teasing without ever giving out.”

I shoot up from my chair. “Fuck you.”

“No, you haven’t,” he growls back.

Grabbing my coat and bag, I stomp toward the door. “Find someone else for your undercover job.”

“Paige, wait.” Nico grabs my arm. I hold my whole body tense, refusing to give in even as he adds, “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“Yeah, it was,” I mutter.

“I’m not used to sharing my space. It’s hard having you under my nose all day. It’s...frustrating.” The way he says frustrating doesn’t seem like he’s talking about my eating the last donut today or forgetting to refill the paper in the copier. It seems more like he’s talking about the same frustration I feel of having him near and wanting to be even nearer.

Nico releases me and takes a step back. But I stay where I am.

“It’s not a spa weekend,” he says. “But I do think it might be good for you to get away for a few days. You said Shauna’s been doing well, so have her pick up some of your cleaning jobs. Give yourself some time away from worrying about VSK or anything else.”

I swallow. I’m at once touched by Nico’s concern, but also certain he’s manipulating me. Having me go undercover will help earn him a good chunk of change—even after splitting it with me.

There’s no sense in saying no just to spit in Nico’s eye. And Gary might be the type of jerk who throws around cash to get his way, but he also seemed genuinely concerned about his sister. I can help someone, earn extra money, and—yeah, Nico’s right—having a few days away from my regular day-to-day life might actually be nice.

“I want eighty percent,” I tell him. “My case, my money. Or no deal.” I’m bluffing. I need the money, but I’m not going to let Nico walk all over me.

He tilts his head. “Sixty percent.”

I let my eyes narrow and fold my arms. “Seventy-five.”

“Seventy, and I do the prep work.” His face is amused, like he loves arguing with me. I have to admit I don't hate our back and forth either.

“All right,” I say. “I’ll do it for seventy percent.” I go to his desk and count out the money, taking my cut. “Expenses,” I tell him. He makes no move to stop me.

And with that I quickly head out the door before I can change my mind again…or ask Nico to give me another squeeze for good luck.

4

Figuring out what to wear to go undercover into a supe-human sex cult is not easy.

It doesn’t help that the only person available to assist me is Shauna, who has thrown open the doors to my closet, fingers tapping her chin while she is deep in thought, her pixie wings fluttering erratically.

“We want something that says, I’m down to pound...right?”

“No,” I say from where I lay on the bed, an arm thrown across my eyes. “I’m not down. I’m infiltrating this sex cult for business purposes only.”

“And I’m sure that the Thunderstick is a write off for the office, huh?” Shauna asks, her wings picking it up a notch as I guiltily nudge the vibrator under the edge of my quilt. “Look, Paige.” She flops onto the bed next to me, the mattress barely moving under her tiny frame. “I know you’re upset about Liam, we all are.”

“You didn’t even know him,” I argue from under my arm.

“I kind of did,” she tosses back. “I mean, I met him and I thought he was okay, for a human. You know that takes a lot for me to admit, right?”

“Yes,” I acknowledge. It’s the truth. Shauna was just about as anti-human as I was anti-supe when we first met. We've both changed, I think, as I peer out from under my elbow.

“I really really think it sucks that he’s a vampire now,” she says, then has to fight very hard to keep a straight face.

“Bad choice of words,” I tell her.

“Ha!” she bursts out, laughing. “I’m so hilarious, I even make jokes by accident.”

She takes in my look.

“Sorry. That was...what do you call me a lot?”

“Inconsiderate. Clueless. Lacking in empathy.”

“Yeah, that stuff. My point is, Liam was a good guy. And now he’s a vampire. But he’s kind of being a dick to you and that’s just the way things are. So”—she claps her hands together—“there’s basically nothing stopping you from really going vagina-to-the-wall with this cult gig.”

“You’re probably right,” I say, sitting up. “But the problem is that I’m just not that interested in sex right now,” I lie.

Unless it’s with Nico, I have to admit to myself. And I’m going to push that thought even further down than the one where I’d briefly considered asking Liam to turn me into a vampire so we could live together forever in blissful harmony.

Except…would it be so blissful? One of the things that attracted me so much to Liam was how normal he was, how human. He was supposed to anchor me back into my real life, the one where I had parents and a business. I don’t know if I want a future with him where we never age and pop out a new kid every thirty years.

I don’t know if I want that with anybody.

“If you’re not interested in having sex, you’ve at least got to watch,” Shauna insists, “You know, a voyager...a voyerer…”

“Do you mean voyeur?” I ask.

“Yeah, that!” she tells me, leaping up from the bed. “Otherwise, why would you even show up at Together We Come?”

My bedroom door blows open and Shit, my Dalmanther, leaps onto