Free Tangled Sin (A Dark Realm Novel) by Georgia Lyn Hunter

parked in front of her car and tossed her overnight bag, along with his, into the back seat.
    She brushed impatiently at the loose, wavy strand of hair that had escaped from beneath her beanie to blow across her face in the light breeze. “You like getting your way, don’t you?”
    “And you're just learning that now?” He opened the door. “Get in.”
    She glanced at the elevated truck and snorted. “I’m not scrambling into that monster. You can follow me.” She pivoted for her car.
    Riley grasped her around the waist. A startled gasp escaped her and scraped over his already heightened senses. Gold-flecked brown eyes flared and locked on his as he dumped her delectable ass on the front seat. But she didn't say anything. He strode around to his side, his body wired hard, and got in.
    Once he’d eased the truck into heavy traffic, she gave him her address. Then her fingers tapped restlessly on the leather seat. “I guess we should get to know each other, huh? You first.”
    Despite everything in him demanding he respond, he kept his attention on the road. Remained silent. Like he’d ever talk about himself, what he could eventually become, or the shitty relationship he had with his sire. He’d rather eat blades. “I own Satire’s.”
    When he said nothing else, she laughed. “Okay, then, since we covered that…I’ll tell you about myself.”
    Riley cut her a sharp look. And that damn single dimple nearly undid him. He needed a distraction, anything that would drown out this awareness tugging at him like a magnetic field.
    “You’ll meet my family soon. There are six of us...” Her fingers continued with that restless, offbeat drumming. “You met Rohan and Zayn the other night, they're two years older than me. Then there’s Noah, he’s the oldest. And my parents. Don’t worry, all will be well. My dad’s wonderful, you’ll like him.”
    No mention of the mother, he noted.
    Riley glanced at her, well aware she suspected what he was, but he had to know. “Walking into the home of demon-hunters…not very reassuring for me, is it?”
    Her lips curved in mischief. “Scared?”
    By the dark gods, he wanted to pull her onto his lap and properly kiss that tormenting mouth. “You’re not afraid of me?”
    “Should I be? If you wanted to hurt me, you could have.”
    He would lay down his life for her. But that was neither here nor there right now. So he asked, “If all is well at home, why am I being dragged in as the pretend date?”
    Her shoulder lifted in a shrug, as if that explained everything, and slumped in her seat.
    He didn't push. Whatever reason Saia had for wanting him here, he’d find out soon enough. He planned on being her shadow until he’d poofed Trevor.
    The streetlights flickered to life as they left the French Quarter behind. It did little to cut through the fog swirling in the streets. Light rain fell, and the swishing of the wipers was the only sound in the vehicle.
    He glanced at Saia and found her worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, her gaze on the zipping wipers. Desire hit him hard. By the nine circles, he had to get his urges under control. No matter how much she tormented him, she needed his help to survive this.
    As they passed the elegant antebellum mansions lining the streets of the Garden District, and the closer they got to her home, the quieter she became. The moment he entered the oak-tree-lined cul-de-sac, her tension became a living entity, its cold fingers snaking around him.
    Riley slowed the Escalade and drove past massive wrought-iron gates and up the manicured driveway to an enormous two-story neoclassical mansion with towering Ionic pillars at the entrance. He stopped behind a black Ferrari parked in front of the portico.
    Saia stared at her home like she was bracing herself for an attack. Riley wondered what lay beyond those doors that tightened her up like a spring.
    Then he heard her softly muttered words: “Welcome to Casa Del Diablo.”

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