“If he touches me, I’ll break his fingers, thanks. I can fight my own battles. Did Cade show his face again today? And the other interlopers?”

“Of course,” Connor said. “They were in the bar when I got there and in the bar when I left.”

“Getting drunk, playing cards, or fomenting rebellion?”

“Is this the shifter version of coffee, doughnuts, and magic?”

“Yes. At least we can be insulted together.”

“You’re such a comfort, Lis. And yeah, they were doing at least the first two. Probably also the last one.”

“You think they’re waiting to make a move?”

“I’m not sure they have a move in mind. I think they probably bragged to their asshole friends in Memphis about how they were going to drive to Chicago and stand up to the goddamn Apex. And they did that, and they’re probably now messaging their asshole friends about how they did it and they’re drinking in the Apex’s own fucking bar.” He took a sip of his own—much smaller—coffee.

“I feel like there’s a punch line here.”

“Yeah, but the joke won’t be very funny.”

I leaned the churro toward him. “Bite?”

“Yes, please,” he said in a low growl that had my blood thrumming despite the pain and general suckage of the last couple of hours. He bit in, chewed.

I finished the last bite, then licked the sugar from my fingers. Connor rose, took our cups and paper to the recycling bin, then offered me a hand. “Let’s go home.”

I let him pull me up, then against the warmth of his body. He was solid, stable, gorgeous. Mine. My blood began to thrum in a very different way. But I had other obligations right now.

“I need to check on Lulu.”

“I think she went back to the loft,” Connor said. “She said she wanted to do some work. Something about mock-ups for a mural?”

“Shit,” I muttered. “I should have asked about that. I think it’s because of a guy she met at the gallery opening.”

“Which you were at,” he reminded me. “You’re doing what you can.”

“I need to do more in between demon slaying. Other than demon finding. And I need to warn her about that. So I’m apparently going back to the loft tonight.”

“You aren’t going home with me?”

“I’m doing what I can,” I repeated.

“Okay. In that case . . .” He slid his hands into my hair, closed his mouth over mine, and kissed me with enough passion that I had very little doubt about his interest in me. And I could barely remember my name. But I did remember something important.

“Also, could you give me a lift?”

His smile went wicked.

“To the loft, puppy.”

“Arf,” he said, and nipped my earlobe.

* * *

The loft was quiet but for the low hiss that rose up from the hallway just inside the door. Eleanor of Aquitaine waited inside, her sleek, dark tail switching.

“I probably smell like demon and old magic,” I acknowledged, crouching down to look at her. “And I’m going to vanquish her as soon as I find her and figure out how. In the meantime, I’m here to check on Lulu. Truce?”