“It doesn’t matter to me or anyone else here either,” Drew insisted.

Yeah, but they’d known Harper all their lives. She’d expected it to totally matter to someone as powerful and high-status as Knox, but he’d genuinely never batted an eyelid about it. She loved that.

“Devon tells me he’s also your anchor,” said Drew.

“Yep.” Eager to move off the subject of Knox, she asked, “You met your anchor yet?”

“No, not yet.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “Considering that your parents were anchors and that everything went to shit for them, I wouldn’t have thought you’d ever get involved with your own anchor.”

“I’m not Carla, and he’s not Lucian.”

“He’s like Lucian in some ways.”

That got her back up. “And you think you know Knox so well because, what?”

His mouth tightened. “It doesn’t bother you that Thorne has a whole line of exes?”

“They’re not exes per se.”

“Excuse me, ex-bed buddies,” he said, voice dry as a bone. “What-the-fuck-ever. It has to bother you.”

Yes, it did, but she wasn’t about to talk of her relationship with Knox to another guy—especially one who so clearly disapproved of it. “Everyone has a past.”

“I heard that the encantada who was killed on the YouTube video was part of his past.”

Harper narrowed her eyes. “Did you now?”

“Well, see, no one—not even Devon—told me about you getting together with Thorne or any of the things that followed. I’ve been catching up fast since I got back to the US. I also heard that the encantada was always flirting with Thorne and insulting you like it was her job.”

Harper’s fingers flexed. “You think Knox killed her? Is that what you’re saying?”

Drew tossed her an incredulous look. “No. If he had, he wouldn’t have broadcasted it on YouTube. But it made me wonder … what if the Horseman killed her because she was once with Thorne? What if the Horseman will target women from Thorne’s past as he works up to the main event? And what if he then targets the woman in Thorne’s present?” Keeping his eyes on hers, Drew gestured at Asher. “You need to take that little boy over there and go stay someplace safe, lay low for a while.”

Her inner demon bristled, and Harper lifted her chin. “I don’t hide.”

He sighed. “Harper, you need to push your pride aside—”

“This isn’t about pride. This is about my need to be proactive in keeping my son safe. Hiding isn’t the answer. Finding the Horseman is what will keep Asher safe.”

“Thorne doesn’t need you for that. He’s not a guy who’d ever need anyone.” Drew’s eyes hardened. “Definitely not a guy I would ever have envisioned you with.”

She so didn’t want to have this conversation.

“Ma!” shouted Asher, crawling toward her, saving Drew from a “Back the fuck off” glower.

“Hey, baby boy.” She sat him on her lap and kissed his hair. “Done rolling around like a pup?”

As he squinted, nose wrinkling, his head abruptly snapped forward and he sneezed. Then he jumped, startled by the sound.

Harper chuckled. “Bless you.”

He giggled, dimples deepening in that way that melted her heart. Drew laughed along with him, and Asher abruptly went quiet, studying him with a sober expression. It was almost like a … “Did I say you could laugh with me?” look.

Harper glanced at Keenan, who was smirking, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

The air chilled slightly as Asher’s eyes bled to black and his demon surfaced to study Drew with an unblinking stare. “Bye,” it said, voice young but flat. It wasn’t a farewell; it was a fuck off and get out of here.

Drew leaned back in his seat. “Whoa. Does it get like that around all strangers?”

“Only the people it doesn’t like,” said Keenan, offering Drew a toothy grin.

At that moment, the breakroom door swung open. Knox, Levi, and Ciaran entered the room. Demon retreating, Asher beamed. “Da!”

“What’s this I hear about you cuffing your mom, little man?” Knox picked him up, kissed his cheek, and then bent down to brush a kiss over Harper’s mouth. “Hey, baby. You okay?”

“Yeah.” She shot Levi and Ciaran a brief smile. “This is quite the surprise.”

“Ain’t it, though?” Ciaran ruffled Khloë’s hair. “Hey, bitch-face.”

“Touch me again and I’ll throw you out the fucking window,” Khloë threatened, matter-of-fact. Her twin just laughed.

Harper stared up at Knox. “What brings you here, I wonder.” Keenan called you, didn’t he?

Knox’s mouth twitched. He doesn’t like how friendly Drew is with you.

Oh, my God, you actually called Ciaran to you just so that you could show up here and figuratively mark your territory? She tried to sound outraged but failed. Honestly, it was just far too dumb for her to be annoyed by it.

Not quite, replied Knox. He was at Jolene’s house when I paid her a visit.

Her brow furrowed. Why were you at her place?

Long story. I’ll tell you later. If Knox wasn’t so pissed with Clarke, he’d be amused that the hellcat was doing his best to keep his mind clear right then—even to the point that he was internally humming a tune. Knox’s demon found no amusement in it either. All it wanted to do was launch itself at Clarke and rip him to shreds.

It was incredibly tempting to do exactly that. But as Knox took in the way Devon smiled adoringly at his son and he recalled all the times she’d been there for Harper, he knew he couldn’t. His mate and Devon had a solid friendship that had lasted a long time. For Harper, he’d give Jolene the chance to deal with it.

Levi crossed to Harper. “I’m curious about your brand-new cuff.”

Drew’s brows snapped together. “Cuff? What cuff?”

“It’s a temporary gift from Asher,” said Harper as she lifted her arm so that Knox and Levi could study the cuff. “Asher has an identical one on his own wrist.”

Touching her psychic cuff and feeling the hum of power, Knox pursed his lips. “Hmm. It’s strong.” His demon was quite proud of Asher’s show of power. It was also completely unsurprised. “Very strong, actually.”

She frowned. “You can’t take it off?”

“I could,” said Knox. “But I’d much rather see how long the link lasts without interference. If the cuffs aren’t gone by tonight, I’ll take them off. Unless you’re absolutely desperate to have them gone …?”

Harper chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I’ll wait till later. It would be handy to know how long they last, just in case he does it again.”

“Wait a minute, your kid bound you to him?” asked Drew, casting Asher a wary look.

Before Harper could answer, Knox interlinked their fingers and squeezed her hand. “You done here, baby?”

“Yep.”

“Good.” Knox tugged her to her feet. “I’ll walk you outside to the Audi before I head to my next meeting.” Because there was no fucking way he was leaving her with Drew. Not after what Knox had discovered.

Slinging Asher’s bag over her shoulder, Harper said her goodbyes to everyone, adding, “Take care, and be alert.”

“Be alert about what?” asked Drew, brow creased.

“I’ll explain in a minute,” Devon told him.

Drew waved at Asher, who frowned at him, expression once again sober.

Asher doesn’t like him much, apparently, Harper told Knox, unable to hide her amusement.

Knox shrugged. Kids can sense evil.

Snorting, Harper let Knox lead her out of the studio. Tanner, Keenan, Levi, and Ciaran surrounded them protectively as they walked down the strip. Still in Knox’s arms, Asher babbled to himself.

“I take it you fully warned the girls,” Knox said to Harper.

She nodded. “I don’t think the incorporeal will turn its attention their way, but it’s best that they’re warned just in case.” The rest of demonkind would be warned after the Primes met and discussed the issue. Her demon’s upper lip curled at the thought of the meeting. It had no time or patience for politics. Imps didn’t take politics whatsoever seriously, but Jolene never missed a meeting.