Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels 4)

“Is there a catch?”

“A couple. Standard Pack clauses: Pack requests take precedence, always. The safety of the Pack’s members overrides everything else, and the Pack’s interests must be protected at all costs. In a case where a Pack member may be suspected of criminal activity outside the Pack, you must inform the Pack lawyers, so the suspect can be provided council.”

I smiled at him. “Do you have any requests as well?”

He locked his jaw.

I laughed. “Out with it. I know if you had your way, I’d be locked up in your rooms, all safe, barefoot, and pregnant.”

“I’m not that crazy.”

I raised my hand, with my index finger and my thumb a small space apart. “A little. I know it’s killing you to do this, so what would help you breathe easier?”

He blew air out like a whale. “Come home. Every night. Have dinner with me. If you go out of the office for longer than a few hours, I’d appreciate a call so I know you’re safe. If you’re in trouble, you tell me. No lies, no evasions, no secrets. And if you need muscle, for any reason, you use the Pack. You don’t run in there all alone to get killed.”

My personal psycho in all of his glory, trying his best to be reasonable. “Anything else?”

“No business on Wednesday afternoon, if you can help it. Wednesdays we hear petitions and disputes.”

I grimaced. “I hate petitions.”

“I do, too, so I shouldn’t suffer through them alone. Also, I’d like it if you made time to attend the formal functions with me if they’re scheduled during the week, so I don’t die of boredom. That’s it.”

We looked at each other.

“So do you like it?” he asked.

“I love it.” I got up and swiped the folder off the table. “Thank you.” We kissed and headed out.

As we walked away from my new office, he asked, “So what are you going to call it?”

I smiled at him. “I’ll have to think of something witty. Something that makes reference to my ability to solve cases in a blaze of intellectual glory.”

“Your ability to chop at everything in your way with your sword, more like it.”

“Whatever, Your Furriness.”