Page 65 of Burn of Obsidian
“Stop!” She shoved at him, and after a third lick, he settled back down. Reaching for a fresh towel, she dried herself before moving back into the bedroom. “Bad boy!”
He grinned at her, tongue hanging out.
“Might I suggest an attitude change?” Yanking on her dress, Thea checked her reflection, only just realising her breast was hanging out, the fabric ripped. Grabbing Jax’s shirt she pulled it over her head. It almost covered the dress entirely, which was arguably better than a ripped, dirty dress. Yanking at her hair, she tried to tame the mess. She failed, but at least it was still pink, thankful her toe ring survived.
Thunder sneezed, spitting all over her.
“Thanks,” she muttered, opening her bag to find her phone, but it was dead. Searching the drawers didn’t help. “This room probably costs more than my rent, and it doesn’t have a single phone charger?”
Frustrated, she grabbed Jax’s boots, hoping they laced up tight because her heels were nowhere to be found, and she didn’t fancy walking around in bare feet.
“What am I supposed to do with you?” She eyed the giant beast. “I’ll get arrested if I take you on the tube.” Grabbing her bag, Jax’s jeans and keys, she opened the door. The hall was decorated in a similar fashion, the lift already open with a small woman standing waiting. It was large enough for ten adults, but the doors couldn’t close with Thunder’s butt hanging out.
“Sorry,” she muttered to the assistant, shoving Thunder into the corner. She reached down to pick up his tails, still wrapped into a single, thick rope. Up close, the fur blended together in an illusion of one tail, and she hadn’t realised before that the tips were pointed, each one ending with a spike. Those same tails had wrapped around her, and not once had she felt anything sharp.
“Lobby, please,” she said, the assistant not even flinching at the great beast crammed into the corner. It made her wonder who their usual clientele were.
The doors closed silently, and Thea waited with Thunder’s hot breath brushing the side of her face. Luckily, it didn’t smell like she’d assumed it would, more like a concentration of spices and smoke.
After a moment, the lift came to a stop, and Thea kept her head down as she tried to make her way to the exit, Thunder walking by her side.
“Will you be checking out, ma’am?”
Thea looked up to find a woman dressed in a sharp black suit waiting for her to answer. She stood by a white desk, strangely completely empty. Not even a pen or piece of paper.
“Oh, I’m not really – ”
“Room card, please.” The woman didn’t smile, her dark eyes glancing at Thunder for the barest second before she held out her hand.
Thea pursed her lips. “I left it in the room.”
A single nod. “I hope your stay was to your satisfaction. Would you like me to charge the usual account?”
Thank fuck. “Yes please. Charge it to his account, and add a little tip for yourself, too.”
Another nod, the movement perfectly practised. “We thank you for choosing the Conservatory for your stay. We hope to see you again soon.”
Forcing a smile, Thea tapped the top of Thunder’s head. He followed her out the door, walking so close it made it difficult to move straight. The boots were too big, and the only reason she wasn’t kicking them off with each step was because she’d double knotted the laces. Shuffling the jeans onto her other arm, Thea clicked the button on Jax’s car keys. A large SUV beeped.
“How are you going to fit?”
Thunder grumbled, pawing at the door.
Shaking her head, Thea opened the driver’s side, throwing in her bag and Jax’s jeans. Before she could move, Thunder squished past, knocking against the steering wheel while he tried to fit himself into the space. The wipers went off, followed by the horn.
“Bloody hell,” she muttered, waiting until Thunder manoeuvred his fat butt into the back, his head and paws pressing at the front passenger seat until there was a crunch. The seat flattened, and she was pretty confident he’d broken it with his weight.
Glaring at him – as if it would help the situation – she climbed in, having to shove at his fluffy side to fit. He immediately settled his head on her left thigh.
“Come on, I need to get changed, and you need to shift back so I can have a strong conversation with your man-half regarding hotels and near-death experiences.”
Chapter 25
Thea
Thunder walked into her place like he owned it, a low grumble vibrating his throat when he noticed Reaper napping on the sofa.
“Don’t even think about it,” she scolded, eyeing him warily.