[Southern Arcana 3.0] Deadlock Read Online Free PDF Page A

look. “If I wake up tomorrow and decide I’m not interested, I’ll screen my calls. I’m a big girl.”
    Alec looked like he wanted to retort, but when he finally spoke, his voice came out mild. “I’m glad you’re feeling steadier, kiddo. I called Jackson and Mac. Mackenzie will be around to pick you up and take you back to their place as soon as the good doctor here’s ready to let you go. Hold off going out on any more dates until you get some sleep, would you?”
    She could have sent Kat on right then, but Carmen laid a hand on her shoulder instead. “I’ll get you a cold pack for that eye, and I have a few more questions for you.”
    Kat nodded. “You can go, Alec. I’m okay. Just promise me you and Jackson aren’t going to go track down my date and eat him.”
    “Not going to track him down.”
    “Or eat him.”
    The corner of Alec’s mouth twitched. “Or eat him.”
    Kat narrowed her eyes. “Fuck if I can tell if you’re telling the truth while I’m in this room. So go before I change my mind.”
    “Will do.” Alec looked to Carmen. “You can keep her company until Mackenzie gets here?”
    She was past due to leave. The night-shift doctor had probably already arrived and was hiding out in the lounge, drinking coffee. “I’ll stay with her until then.”
    “Thanks. And I’ll see you”—he pointed at Kat, adopting a mock scowl—“no earlier than noon tomorrow. Take the morning off.”
    Kat gave him a sloppy salute. “Yes, sir. Call me if you forget how to log into your email.”
    With another of those odd, short laughs, Alec turned, his eyes catching Carmen’s for one moment. His stare was deep, intense, full of quick flashes of emotion she couldn’t begin to read, especially within the shields of the room. Though it was impossible to tell what prompted the odd darkness, he looked almost frustrated.
    Almost.
    There was a strange heat lurking in that inscrutable stare, one that left her fighting a hot blush. She opened and closed her mouth, suddenly unsure of what to say. “Good night.”
    “Good night, Dr. Mendoza.” Then, with a small, enigmatic smile, he left, pulling the door closed behind him.
    “Well,” Kat said without preamble. “He thinks you’re hot.”
    The proclamation made Carmen’s stomach twist with nerves and something undeniably like anticipation. She ignored the words as well as the emotions and pulled an instant cold pack from the cabinet, activating it with a snap. “If the swelling in your eye doesn’t go down in a day or so, you’ll need to see an ophthalmologist.”
    “An eye doctor, I’m guessing?”
    “Right.” Carmen wrapped the pack and handed it to Kat. “You should be feeling more in control by the time that’s an issue. If it’s an issue.”
    “Hey.” Kat closed her hand on Carmen’s before she could pull away. “I’m sorry. I’ve blurted out enough dumb crap by now to know when I crossed a line. I just thought… Well, you know. Women seem to think Alec’s hot shit. I didn’t think you’d be upset.”
    Carmen couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. “He is hot shit. And I’m not upset.” Not like Kat thought, not at all, but her past romantic entanglements were hardly an appropriate topic of conversation. “It’s fine.”
    “Okay.” She looked a little dubious, but she released Carmen’s hand. “And don’t give your brother a hard time. I really did ask for his number. He was…refreshing. He was in here five whole minutes and didn’t once promise to find the asshole who’d punched me and kill him. Shapeshifter guys can be kinda exhausting.”
    “Yeah, tell me about it.” Carmen was attracted to strong, dominant men. Shifters tended to fit the bill, but her relationships with them had a tendency to fail spectacularly, so she’d sworn off them entirely. That way, she didn’t have to spend weeks after every bad breakup cursing her own bad judgment, and she didn’t have to risk the sorts of matches her family might