“He curled his claw into a fist. "I'd like to shove a stake up that bastard's ass."Adam's lip curled. "Remind me not to piss you off."The demon raised his brow. "Trust that shit, mancy.”

“curls lip and sways clutching a whisky sour. "JR, you bastard!”

“Billy's Adam's apple bobbed. "Don't-" The knife at his throat cut him short.Black Tom cocked a thick brow. "Don't, wha? Hurt your littl' toffer?" Rotted teeth flashed. "She mean that much ta ye, then?"Bill licked his lips quickly. His skin took on a grayish hue as sweat seeded over his high brow. "Don't piss 'er off," he managed.”

“I licked my lips and whispered, "Is this where you say you'll kill me?" One corner of his lips curled. "If you like," he murmured, a flicker of amusement finally crossing his face. "Though it's gotten far too interesting for that.”

“You’ve claimed me, little firecracker. You kicked a pair of two hundred pound men’s asses. I will never get over that. You kicked my whores out. Pete told me. You staked your claim on me, even before you realized I’d staked mine already.” He fists my hair and pulls me close to his lips. “I’m yours now … Even if I screw this up, I’ll still be your screw-up.”

“With his finger curled under his lip, his elbow on the arm of the couch, he merely studied me as I recounted the memories, and now he was eager for the tale to go on.”