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It felt distinctly hostile, which was odd. Usually people didn’t get aggravated until they got to know me better.
If there’s one thing I really hate, it’s when someone underestimates my intelligence. Especially when that someone is male and inconveniently hot.
It’s a time-tested truth that the best-looking men are always the absolute worst.
Why couldn’t Dax Rousseau be a hunched-over ninety-year-old with a leaky bladder and deadly halitosis? Why did my first brush with the supernatural have to be so handsome? So muscular? So maddeningly hot? Luckily, his personality was revolting.
Oh, except for the fun fact that any woman who fell in love with a Rousseau man was doomed to a tragic death. So that was perfect. Nothing says “great idea” like falling for a man who might be my own personal grim reaper.
It was his turn to scoff. I made a mental note to remember how annoying that was and never do it again.
“You’re nothing but a pip-squeak with a big mouth and a bad attitude, like a Chihuahua.” “That would be a much better insult if Chihuahuas weren’t my favorite dog.” “Of course they are.” “Coming from a guy who keeps the furry embodiment of Satan as a pet, it’s hardly a diss anyway. Are you going to let go of me now, or do I need to introduce my knee to your testicles?”
“Cut me some slack! This is the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me. Which is saying something, considering I once accidentally joined a cult because they had really good tacos.”
“I am hearing you. I’m just not listening.
Great. The faceless corpse is pointing at me like I won a prize. Hope it’s not demonic possession.
“Not people. Women. Specifically, any woman who falls for a Rousseau.” Skipping over the fact that he sounded as if he didn’t think women were actual people,
“But—but—I haven’t fallen for you! I don’t even like you much, let alone love you! I’d happily push you in front of a speeding train if I thought it would make a good story!” His look soured. “Gee, how sweet. I’m touched.”
“Then how did it start?” “With the root of all evil: greed.”
Men got so emotional when they couldn’t be in control of everything.
“She’s off the grid.” He hesitated, then added grudgingly, “And she hates me.” “She sounds like a very intelligent person.”
Never one to miss a chance at an awkward greeting, I stuck out my hand and plastered on a smile. “Hi, I’m Petra. You must be Ms. Leclair. You’re way scarier than I anticipated.”
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a hiss. “Kill the tattooed devil before he kills you!” Great. She wanted me to unalive Dax. I’d admit the thought had crossed my mind more than once, but that was beside the point.
She suggested I kill you.” His expression darkened, his lips pressing into their default thin line. “And?” “I told her I’d think about it. I’m leaning toward yes.”
I’d never met a man who could say so little but enrage me so much.
Then we figure out how to stop this, once and for all.” “Okay, but how do we figure it out?” “We just figure it out.” I stared at him. “It must be such a relief to be so unburdened by logic.”
A twinge of fondness for him made me momentarily misty eyed. The big lug was actually growing on me. Like fungus, only more annoying.
He’d walked the earth since the day he died, a specter imprisoned outside of time, punished and unforgiven, sentenced to do the curse’s dirty work with his own hands. Talk about reaping what you sow.
Ancestor or not, I had to admit I was impressed by that level of pettiness.
“Yeah, yeah,” she said drily. “Don’t get all sentimental on me now, Sunshine. I might start thinking you like me.” “I don’t like you at all,” I lied, grinning. “Not even a little bit. You’re awful. And I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned this before, but you bear a striking resemblance to a toad.”
I heard him muttering oaths under his breath, arguing with the toaster again. Most of the kitchen appliances seemed hell-bent on defying his wishes, which he found infuriating, and I found hilarious.
“Toast is burnt,” he announced cheerfully. 80 “Only burnt, not engulfed in actual flames? Shocking.”
He pressed a soft kiss to my temple and murmured lovingly into my ear, “God, you stink. What are you using for shampoo these days, cat litter?”
