“Of course not,” I scoffed. “He’s unconscious.”
“That’s not much better,” Quill muttered with an arched brown and dropped his case. He folded his arms across his barrel chest, and his shoulders touched both sides of the doorframe. “I’m not tattooing someone without permission, Byron. I don’t care that we go way back, that’s completely unethical.”
“It’s only one little word,” I pouted.
“No fucking way,” he growled back before grabbing his case and turning to leave.
No. I couldn’t let him leave. I needed this. “I’ll give you my services for one hit in exchange.”
He froze and threw a disbelieving look at me over his shoulder. “What?”
“You heard me,” I snapped. I disliked having to repeat myself and I was on edge. I needed this. I’d do it myself, but I’d nevertattooed anyone in my life and I wanted this to be pretty for Wilder.
Quill gnawed on his lip. “No questions asked?”
I shook my head. “You give me a name, and I’ll get rid of them. Do we have a deal?”
I held my hand out, and he eyeballed it warily. He sighed and his shoulders sank, but he reached out and took my hand, just like I knew he would.
Playing fair wasn’t something I did, especially when I knew exactly what my victim wanted.
“God forgive me, but you have a deal.”
I stayed with Wilder for a while, watching his chest rise and fall. I was utterly captivated by the way his body moved. His face had been pinched with terror as he suffered through another nightmare, but it wasn’t like the last one. I hoped that the sedatives would keep the nightmares at bay and give his mind a chance to rest, but whatever was haunting his mind, seemed to be determined to get through to him. Perhaps he was right. Maybe they were his memories trying to claw themselves back to the surface. If they caused him this much pain in sleep, what would it be like when he remembered them fully?
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I opened it with a frown, annoyed that someone else was intruding on my time with Wilder. Someone had better be dead or dying if they were disturbing my time watching Wilder sleep.
Damn it. It was the boss. Couldn’t really ignore that one.
DAMYR
My office. Now.
ME
Oomf, bossy. Bet my little bird likes that *winky face*
DAMYR
Now, Byron. Bring Wilder.
I looked at my sleeping little witch and grinned. He definitely wouldn’t be joining us anytime soon, but I reluctantly uncurled myself from his arms and grabbed a plain black t-shirt to throw on. My chest ached a little where I’d asked Quill to leave a little present for Wilder, but every time it twinged, a bolt of desire shot straight to my dick.
I couldn’t wait for Wilder to see it.
Or his gift.
I quietly left my rooms and slinked down to Damyr’s office. I was intrigued to know what he was calling me down for on Christmas Eve. I had my own little Christmas present to unwrap, and I didn’t want to miss a second of watching him sleep.
This had better be good, Damyr…
Benji’s Christmas Bash was still in full swing by the sounds of it. The music had gone from live jazzy carols to a DJ and thumping bass music. Not my cup of tea but the people down below seemed to be enjoying it. I had a good vantage point from the balcony above the large old ballroom as I strolled towards the back of the house. I walked through the hidden door in the wall and down the old servant’s staircase until I reached Damyr’s office. Most of the shady shit was kept in the basement of the house. Damyr had two offices. A nice smart one for social visits and the one underground for all the real business. I didn’t think his command was a social call.
I entered the room to find Vlad and the wendigo on one sofa and Damyr perched on the edge of his desk. His werearms crossed and there was a thunderous look on his darkly handsome face.
I guess Vlad didn’t tell Damyr about his new house guest. Interesting…
Considering that Damyr probably tore a few strips off Vlad for keeping this information to himself, he was looking rather healthy and unbothered.