The Cambion's Hoard
Chapter 14-Henson

Rose was standing at the kitchen counter, papers spread out before her. Her sweatshirt hung loosely from her body and hung to mid-thigh. I really hated that she hid her body under baggy clothes. Though wearing everything as dresses, she didn’t usually wear leggings or pants. That was the only bonus.

I watched her for a second. She chewed on her pen cap and examined one of the papers. Rose bent over, and the sweatshirt crept up her legs. I bit my lip to stifle a groan. Biggs had told me to lay off the flirting until we could figure out the best way to get her to come to both of us. I didn’t like the idea personally. That and she made it so difficult not to flirt. She’d be cute then sultry in seconds flat.

Rose straightened, and I made my move. I closed the space between us and wrapped my arms around her waist. She put one arm on top of mine but didn’t put her paper down.

I pressed my face against hers. “What ya doing?”

Rose rubbed my arm. “Trying to figure this ledger out. Linus has it all fucked up, and because I’m going to school for this, he left it for me. I could fucking kill him.”

“Who’s Linus?” I already didn’t like him. He was preoccupying our Rose, and I needed her to focus on us.

She leaned against me. “Right, I haven’t told you and Biggs about him. Linus is my boss, owner of Twilight, and my bio-father. He’s an incubus and a terrible businessman.”

“Father? I thought your dad’s name was Norman.”

“It is. Norman is my stepdad. He’s raised me since I was two. Linus has been more prevalent in my life since I started working at the club. He had his influences when I was a kid, but he was no dad.”

“So you’re actually a cambion?”

She chuckled, and it made my body jump. Hopefully, not enough, she’d notice. “In word only. Biggs and Thatch say I smell human. Though I’m beginning to think that my succubus abilities are latent. They’re there but don’t affect people like a normal succubus.”

“It would make sense then. Like the three of us want to be with you so bad, but you’re not trying to seduce us outwardly.”

She laughed hard and set her stuff down. Rose turned in my arms and wrapped hers around my neck. “I don’t understand how all three of you want me. I understand Thatch but not you and Biggs.”

“Biggs and I replace you sexy. We want to make a Rose sandwich.” I pressed her against the counter.

“See, that in lies an issue for me.” She looked out the window.

I felt my brow knit together before I could stop the reaction. “Why?”

Rose cupped my face in her hands and gently rubbed my cheeks. “I don’t want fuck buddies. I have ALWAYS wanted what my mom and dad have. They love each other so much. My mom was 20 when she had me. So that means I was conceived outside of the demon accords. My mother didn’t consent. She thought it was a dream.

“So when she met my dad, she was a little broken. Single mother of a cambion. She didn’t think anyone would love her.”

She paused and looked up with sad eyes. “Norman loves my mother with every fiber of his being. They are the very definition of adoration. He helps her when she asks, showers her with affection, and they work out their problems. They’re still silly and try to be present for my brother and me. Those things are important to me.”

I chewed on my inner lip. “I’m not sure that I can give you that, Rose. I can’t speak for Biggs, either. Not only that, I think Thatcher is only looking for the sex too.”

Rose slid her hands down my neck to my chest. She patted it and turned around, returning to her work. “I hate to tell you this, but I may be why Thatcher broke up with you. I don’t want to talk about it because it’s not my place. I know he’ll tell you once he gets everything figured out. He still loves you, but I think it’s much more complicated now.”

She held still beneath my grasp, but her breathing still shuddered. She was crying. I hugged her tighter and kissed the back of her head. Rose was upset because Thatcher had broken up with me and blamed herself. She can’t help that she’s beautiful and unique.

“Rose, it’s not your fault.”

She squeezed my arms. “I wish that was true. But, like I said, when he’s ready, he’ll explain. So, I’m going to get back to work. You’re welcome to stand here with me, but I have got to figure out where the issue is with this ledger.”

I let her go and moved to her side, placing my hand on her lower back. “Let me have a crack at it. My dad made me go to school to be an accountant. I hate it, but I’m good at it.”

She looked up and smiled. “Oh, that would be awesome. This is my third look through, and I can’t figure it out.”

Rose scooted closer to me and started pulling papers towards us. In that brief gesture, I felt what she meant. I wanted to give her everything she wanted, and I was going to do my damndest to make sure she picked me.