14
Later, I didn’t feel so much better. “But I don’t understand
Gretchen raised a brow at me as Dante zipped up the back of her teeny tiny little dress. I had to wonder if she got a discount, since they used so little fabric. “Would you hide in a hole, if someone was after you?”
“Well, no, but I’m well known for not being too bright.” That got a laugh out of her, at least. “Seriously, going to a party is important?”
“Like I said, this is how I pay my rent. There will be people at this party. Important people that I need to keep connections with.”
I looked at Tai and Bobby and got zero support. Dante was no help either. He just shrugged and patted her on the shoulder when her dress was zipped. “There you go, Boo.”
“Come help me with my hair.” Taking him by the hand, they disappeared back into her room.
Once again, I looked at the two bodyguards. “This is nuts.”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Tai insisted. “We’ll be at someone’s private home. They have their own security, plus probably some extra for the party. There’ll be a whole herd of other bodyguards there, just like us. The groupies were disinvited, so it’ll just be celebs and their dates. Even Dante isn’t coming. If she has to go out, the only place safer would be the White House.”
I eyed Bobby, sitting in dour silence. “And you? You’re okay with this?”
He shrugged. “I do what I’m told. I don’t have to like it.” Privately, I thought Bobby was only encouraging this so he could get a shot at whatever this thing was.
Tai looked me over and shook his head, tsking. “If you’re going, you need to change. She’ll totally leave you behind if you’re not up to snuff.”
I failed to see what was wrong with what I was wearing, but apparently an I SEE STUPID PEOPLE shirt wasn’t elegant enough. Bobby and Tai were already dressed in black slacks and white button-up shirts. I was pretty sure that if either of them stretched too much, both shirts were going to rip right down the back. Big men were just not meant to wear stuff like that.
I had a plain white dress shirt too, stuffed in the bottom of my suitcase. It was, of course, wrinkled all to hell, and I grumbled as I set up the ironing board. Okay, yes, I know how to iron. Doesn’t mean I like it.
“No!” We all jumped as Gretchen poked her head out of her room, her hair half done and Dante clucking behind her like a mother hen. “No, you wear the one I got you, the blue silk.” And then she was gone again.
Both bodyguards gave me amused smirks and zero help. With a sigh, I traded out shirts and set about ironing the blue silk.
Bobby watched me for all of two minutes before he came and shoved me out of the way. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. You’re gonna take all night.” With the speed of military efficiency, he had my shirt ironed and tossed at me in a matter of moments. “Damn civilians.”
When I stripped off my T-shirt to change, Tai whistled lowly. “Damn, man! What’d you do, dance with a lawn mower?”
I looked down at my bare chest, eyeing the interesting collection of scars that dotted my pale skin. Burn splatters down one forearm. Some quarter-sized horseshoe-looking marks on my shoulders. And my crowning achievement, the vicious claw marks raking my left side from armpit to hip. All presents from demons I’d faced, some more formidable than others. “Pretty sure that’s one of those questions you’re happier not knowing the answer to, Tai.”
Even Bobby looked impressed. “That one had to puncture a lung there,” he mused, pointing to my Yeti scars.
I ran my fingers over them, feeling the rough ridges along my ribs. “Lung, stomach, intestines, nicked the liver, broke almost every rib on that side, and just barely missed my kidney and my heart.” Yeah, Jesse had been a tore- up boy after that one. Sometimes, I wondered why I lived.
“Jesus Christ!” Gretchen’s exclamation startled us all, followed by Dante’s almost whispered, “Wow.” None of us had heard them return.
Suddenly self-conscious, I shrugged into my new shirt. “It’s no big deal. I lived.”
“Were all those from demon fights?” Gretchen tried to get another look as I buttoned up my shirt, and I frowned and turned away to block her view. Of course, she immediately followed me in a circle until I batted her hands away from my collar with an annoyed growl.
“Yes.”
“And you keep doing it?” There was no mistaking the awe in her blue eyes. “Are you nuts?”
“Like I said. Not too bright.”
She looked at me like I’d suddenly grown two heads until Dante cleared his throat. “I’m gonna go, Boo, if that’s okay. You look great, you don’t need me.”
“Oh yeah, Dante, thanks.” She walked him to the door, kissing his cheek as he left.
He was right, though. She was stunning. I couldn’t even tell you what he did to her hair, except it was all piled up on top of her head and falling down in these little wispy tendril thingies. Her dress was a dark teal that brought out a hint of green in her eyes, draping to bare her back and reveal her shimmery soul tattoos again. Her shoes, of course, were high enough to require a building permit.
She turned to face us, giving us a critical once-over. “Well, as soon as Jesse tucks his shirt in, we’re ready to go.” All eyes in the room looked at me expectantly until I’d done as instructed, but before we could head out the door, I stopped them.
