Blaze (Dark in You 2)

She hadn’t simply opened the studio with that “build it and they will come” attitude, relying on her status to reel curious demons in. It was a technique that would have worked, after all. No, she’d been professional about it and shown that she took pride in her business. It was something they’d admire and respect.

Splaying a hand on her lower back, Knox asked, “How are you doing?”

Harper’s mouth twitched. “In other words, have I hit my ‘dealing with people limit’? I’m close.” It had been a long, loud, busy day. She was glad it was almost over. Thank you for staying with me. I know you have an endless amount of stuff to do.

He gave her a soft kiss. You’re more important than any of that. This is a big day for you; of course I’d be here.

Even though I sowed pink sequins on your tie? Her lower stomach clenched at the lopsided smile he gave her.

Even though, he replied. Am I going to find any appliqués on my other clothes?

Not unless you piss me off again.

“Look who’s here,” drawled Devon, gesturing at someone behind Harper.

Curious, Harper turned. And groaned.

Devon, however, flashed the she-demon a bright smile. “Belinda, it’s always good to see you.” The hellcat held out her plate. “Fries?”

Belinda jerked back, nose scrunched up, like she’d been offered a roasted rat. “No, thank you.” She cleared her throat and flashed Knox a gracious smile. “You look a little out of place here.”

Okay, that pissed Harper off. “I know you might have meant that as a compliment to him, but it was a shitty and most decidedly snotty thing to say.”

Belinda lightly patted her bun. “I just meant that, well, this isn’t his usual scene. Really, Harper, it’s not the sort of party a Prime would throw.”

“It’s not a party, it’s an opening,” Harper told her. “Now, is there something you wanted?”

Belinda went to open her briefcase. “Well —”

“No, no, no,” Devon interrupted, slinging her empty plate in the garbage can that Raini had artfully painted. “Today is about the studio, not the shindig.”

Knox sighed. “It’s not a shindig.”

“I just needed you to sign a few forms,” Belinda said to Harper.

“That can be done tomorrow, Miss Thacker, I’m sure,” said Knox, a hard edge to his voice.

Belinda’s smile was brittle. “Of course.” She looked around, taking in the big crowd of people. “Well, it would seem the free food did the trick.”

Knox stiffened at the bitchy insinuation that the success of the opening was owed to the free food. “Careful, Miss Thacker.”

Belinda swallowed hard. “I simply meant that it was a good idea. I was praising Harper.”

No, she wasn’t. He went to say as much, but then Harper’s elbow jabbed his side.

“I appreciate the compliment,” said Harper.

Straightening her blouse, Belinda said, “Well, I’ll be on my way.”

As the cambion click-clacked away on those heels, Khloë turned to Knox. “You thought it would be a good idea to hire her? Really?”

“She’s good at her job and hasn’t given me any problems in the past,” he said. “She was always polite and helpful.”

Khloë snorted. “That’s because you weren’t mated in the past.” Crushing her empty soda can, she said, “I’m going to get a burger.”

“I’ll go with you, keep you out of trouble,” said Keenan.

Khloë frowned. “No one could keep me out of trouble.”

So true.

As they walked off, Raini stepped out of the studio and asked, “Was that Belinda I just saw?”

“Yep,” replied Devon. “She was being her usual snotty self. Well, I say ‘usual’… according to Knox, she was always nice and helpful in the past.”

“Yeah?” said Raini. “She was probably eager to impress him, thinking she had a chance with him. Now she’s eager to stress Harper out and make her feel like she doesn’t suit him or his lifestyle.”

Knox frowned at his mate. “What did she say to you?” He’d known Belinda was annoying her, but he hadn’t been aware that she’d been making sly personal comments.

Raini blinked. “You haven’t told him?”

No, because Harper wasn’t like Belinda – she didn’t go whining to people about stuff, expecting them to deal with her problems for her. She’d blow the whole thing off if she didn’t know for sure that Knox wouldn’t let this go until he knew everything. “I’ll tell you later,” she said to him. “But only if you promise not to intervene.”

“Harper, I hired her to help you. She’s supposed to be making things easier for you, not harder. You can’t expect me to overlook this.”

“You call me your co-Prime, but do you really mean that?”

“You know I do,” he fairly growled. How could she even ask him that?

“Then you can’t fight my battles for me. It would undermine my authority. Besides, it’s kind of fun to make her do all these things for the shindig that make her gasp in horror.”

Raini nodded, smirking. “It really is.”

“You mean like the sticks with chunks of steak on?” asked Levi, mouth twitching.

Harper snorted. “I’m not surprised she ran off to whine about it.”