When he reached the bottom of the stairs, she glanced up, sniffed the air, and wrinkled her nose. “You smell like sex.”
He did not respond.
She turned around and leaned against the granite, lazily twirling the straw in her glass. “Too bad. Ever since Argyle started hanging around here, I’ve wondered what it would be like to sleep with a gargoyle. Unless, of course, you aren’t mated to the girl and she’s just a fling.” She arched her brows.
He cleared his throat. “Not a fling, although no, we aren’t mated. And I’m not interested in what you’re offering.”
She lifted one bare shoulder and took a sip of her drink. “So do tell. How in the world did you meet a little ole dragon woman working as a waitress at a bar that caters mostly to dragons?”
“It’s a long story.” He glanced over her shoulder, checking to see if Antoinette and Ketu were still outside with the kids.
“They’re upstairs,” Maria said dismissively. “Tell me the story.”
“I’d rather not. If you’ll excuse—” She slid sideways until she was blocking his retreat back up the stairs.
“Stay a while. Let’s get to know one another.”
He furrowed his brow. “What’s your role here? Do you live here? Do you work here?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes and yes. I suppose I’m some sort of live-in butler. I answer the door, make drinks, do whatever other menial tasks Antoinette assigns to me, so long as they don’t involve breaking a nail.” She pretended to inspect her flawlessly painted, dark red nails.
Based on what little he knew about Antoinette, this woman did not seem like someone she would hire to manage her household. He could not think of a way to politely point that out, so he said nothing at all.
“So, you and the waitress. How did that happen?”
“I’d rather not get into it.”
“Fine. Where’s the kid fit in?”
“Penelope?” he said, taken off guard by her abrupt question.
“That’s her name? What is she?”
“You sure do ask a lot of questions.”
She lifted one shoulder again. “I’m nosy. And bored. And fascinated by the fact that now, more often than not, we have gargoyles hanging around. Didn’t used to be that way. You guys were never involved in our business unless witches were also involved.” She glanced up the stairs. “The kid is a witch?”
He didn’t respond.
“And she calls Sofia Mommy. So who’s the daddy?” She eyed Griffin like she was waiting for him to strip out of his clothes. That look didn’t quite match her words, sending him off kilter again.
“No one you would know.”
“Oooh, so Little Miss Sunshine had an affair and ended up pregnant, huh?”
“That isn’t the case. Now if you’ll—” He reached out his arm to bodily move her out of his way and caught sight of someone standing at the top of the stairs.
The late afternoon light cast her body into shadows, yet Griffin was certain he would recognize Sofia’s presence anywhere, any way. Almost as if they were connected somehow. Which was odd because while the sex had been off the charts and, yes, he certainly felt things that, as a gargoyle, he wasn’t supposed to feel, none of that equated any sort of sensation of a metaphysical connection.
Sofia hesitantly placed a bare foot on the next step, and Maria smiled broadly at Griffin and said, “Ta-ta,” and trotted away toward the front of the house.
When Sofia reached the bottom of the stairs, she blew out a breath and said, “I’m glad she left.”
He didn’t bother asking why. From his limited interactions with Maria, Griffin could guess that she did not have many girlfriends and was seeking something she’d likely never find by having affairs with men. It wouldn’t surprise him in the least if she had a tendency to sleep with men who were supposed to be in committed relationships with their significant others.
Instead, he said, “It’s almost dusk.”
Sofia glanced toward the row of glass doors leading out into the backyard. Long shadows stretched across the smooth, wood floor, extending their reach even as Griffin and Sofia stood there and watched.
“Where’s Penelope?” Sofia asked.
“Maria said she’s upstairs with Ketu and Antoinette and Henri.”
“She and Henri have really taken to one another, haven’t they?” Sofia’s voice had gone soft and a wistful smile played at her lips.
He touched her arm. “It may be possible to maintain a relationship with them once we’ve determined the best way to keep you both safe.” Which was a funny thing to say considering he did not expect he would be able to do the same thing.
She was already shaking her head before he even finished the sentence. He threaded his fingers in her hair and cupped her face.
“Sofia, listen to me. Antoinette is going to find Darius, and she is going to punish him in whatever way dragons exact punishment. And when that happens, he will no longer be a threat to you. This contract will be null and void. You will be able to live your life however you choose.”
“It’s way more complicated than that.”
Griffin stared at her. “Do you want him to know?”
“Who?”
“Trennon. Do you want him to know…about you?”
Her eyes widened and her entire body trembled.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. “I support you in whatever decision you make.”
She shook her head. “I-I can’t. I don’t know.” Pulling away, she wandered out into the living room, wrapping her arms around her waist as she watched the sun slip below the fence line. “You should probably get going.”
He hurried over and stood behind her but did not touch her. “Please don’t shut me out.”
Flinging herself around, she said, “What do you expect me to do? I mean, I appreciate
