by Kiersten Fay
She met his gaze and nodded guiltily.
He paused for a long moment. Then his menu flopped to the table. “For real?”
“When you asked me, well, at the time, I was feeling a little overwhelmed. And I didn’t know you weren’t going to go through with it. I guess it felt a little weird that I...had.”
“You slept with someone?” His tone was disbelieving, and the level of his voice had risen slightly.
“Shh. Yes. That was the plan, wasn’t it? You told me to.”
“I didn’t think you’d actually do it!” Underlining his words was something she’d never heard from Brian before: revulsion.
Her hackles rose at that. “What do you mean you didn’t think I’d actually do it? That was the whole point of going, wasn’t it? Or did you just hope to get off with other women while I sat alone on a shelf till you returned to dust me off?”
“That’s not what I meant. You just...you’re not the type to...”
“To what? Go along with my boyfriend’s stupid plan to sow our wild oats before we take our relationship to the next level?”
“To be so easy.”
Her spine met the booth’s cushioned back, air gushing out of her lungs as though she’d been kicked in the gut. People were starting to stare. Her flush had to be as vibrant as it felt. “You’re going to want to apologize to me. Right now.”
He pushed to a stand. “What I want to do is fix this.”
She cocked her head.
“It’s not fair. You got to sleep with someone else, and I didn’t.”
Her mouth dropped open. She’d feared that would be his main concern, not that his girlfriend had slept with someone else. It was possible their relationship held no meaning for him at all. She waited for a pang to hit her; it was curiously absent. Was she numb?
“We’re going back to the club,” he announced, stabbing his pointer finger into the table. “Tonight.”
Back to the club? He shot out of his seat and started walking away. She scurried out of the booth to follow him. “Are you being serious right now?”
“Yes. This isn’t something I can get past. Not unless I get my free pass too.”
She wasn’t sure if she should be insulted or disgusted. Both emotions swirled in her gut.
Outside, her heels rapped against the concrete. “This isn’t a game, Brian. It was a one-night thing, whether one of us got lucky or not. Those were your rules. We agreed on that. It’s over now.”
He folded himself in the driver seat and wrenched the key in the ignition, starting the engine. Without thinking, she jumped into the passenger seat and closed the door just as he took off.
“Brian, I’m not okay with this.” She strapped the seatbelt around herself. The wheels screeched as he pulled onto the main road.
“Well I’m not okay with my woman cheating on me.”
“Cheating? You’re being ridiculous. Did you forget the whole free pass thing? It was your idea in the first place.” Why was he acting like this was all coming as a surprise? “I didn’t even want the free pass, and I don’t want to go to the club now.” The vampire’s gorgeous features flashed in her mind. What were the odds he’d even be there tonight? A flitter of something danced in her chest.
“Yeah, and you got to have your fun. I didn’t.” His face was a deep shade of red, his tone resolute. The last shreds of her feelings for him circled the drain.
She faced the road, grudgingly accepting she wasn’t going to talk him out of this, yet she had one last thing to say. “If you go through with this, we’re finished.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” He kept driving.
6
Kasima entered the club behind Brian, seeking a phone to call a cab. Stupidly, she’d forgotten to charge her cell, and the battery was depleted.
Tonight, the club’s decor was understated compared to that of the masquerade. The dramatic drapery had been removed, and all those previously darkened alcoves were now brightly lit by what she assumed was the club’s typical soft lighting. A few small touches and the place was worlds away from where it had been. Why, it practically looked normal.
Only a few things went unchanged: Ever Nights was every bit as packed, the hidden speakers drummed out a hypnotically rhythmic beat, and people were still bumping and grinding on the dance floor. But the energy was different. This was just a bunch of people out for a night of dancing and socializing at their local watering hole. An innocent affair.
One marked difference: Brian didn’t kiss her on the top of the head before tearing off into the crowd, which was a relief.
Good riddance.
She headed for the bar.
Once back home, she’d spend the rest of the night packing Brian’s things, not that he’d left a lot at her house, but still, she wanted it gone as soon as possible—she’d given Brian the chance to grow up, but he’d proven that was impossible, and she’d meant it when she said she was done. She realized she might have seen something in him that wasn’t really there, deluding herself.
After his belongings were sequestered in a convenient to-go box, she planned to take a seriously long, hot bubble bath. With that promising future, she sidled up to the bar.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked. This bartender was slightly taller than the one who had served her the night of the masquerade, but was just as muscular and equally handsome. Did they manufacture beef-cakes in the back?
He waited for her order.
Oh, what the hell. “A shot of tequila, please, and a phone if you don’t mind. I need to call a cab.”
“Not having a good night?” he observed with a tell-me-all-about-it smile.
“Bad date.” She left it at that.
When he served her the shot, she tossed it back, feeling the harsh burn of alcohol.
He immediately refilled it. “On the house.”
“Thanks,” she said, downing this one just as swiftly.
“There’s a phone at the back where it’s quieter.” He pointed to a pay phone that hung on the wall by the restrooms. It was currently in use by a seedy looking fellow.
She pointed to the empty shot glass. “I guess I’ll have one mo—”
“—and I want Dane at the entrance tonight.”
That voice...
She spun around on her stool.
He looked bigger than she recalled. Even more muscular. She’d convinced herself she’d imagined his killer gorgeous features. Her appreciative gaze roamed his square jaw darkened by a hint of scruff that hadn’t been there last week, the wide berth of his powerful shoulders, his muscle-packed arms poking out of his black t-shirt with the word STAFF written in thick bold lettering.
She wanted to slap her forehead. Staff? Had his job been to make sure everyone got lucky? If so, job well done. The man deserved a raise.
The second he noticed her, he did a double take and halted in his tracks, his gaze boring into hers. The employee next to him tripped to a stop an instant later, confused.
She swallowed, and suddenly her eyes couldn’t decide what they should look at—him? The floor? The exit? The muddled employee who was now glancing back and forth between the two of them?
Meanwhile, the vampire was steadily taking her in, eyes so intense she could almost feel his gaze like a caress.
Then, without a word, he closed the distance between them. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. Could he hear it? As they stared at one another, neither spoke. It might appear as though they were basking in each other’s presence. Truth was she wasn’t sure what to say. Finally his hand came up to cup her cheek. Warmth penetrated her skin, and she unconsciously leaned into his touch. Something palpable passed through their connection.
“Why didn’t you return to me sooner?” he asked.
“I didn’t think you were serious about that,” she admitted sheepishly.
His brows drew together, a little crease formed between them. Was he hurt by that? Surely not.
He inched closer. “Then why are
you here now?”
She dropped her gaze, embarrassed by the answer.
“Is this him?” Brian’s accusing voice shot from behind the vampire. “Is this the guy you cheated on me with?”
A mental groan echoed through her nerves.
The vampire retracted his hand to face Brian. The bartender and the other employee watched the scene with amused interest. Her cheeks burned at their scrutiny.
“You must be Brian,” the vampire said.
“How’d you know that? She talked about me while you two were f—”
“She told me about your night of unencumbered freedom. I believe you called it a free pass? Brilliant idea, by the way.” Did Brian register the sarcasm? “But from what I understand, you couldn’t close the deal.”
She blinked up at the vampire. Where had he heard that?
Brian balked and then blustered for a moment. His eyes narrowed on her as if in the short time she’d been here she’d managed to relay his failure. “That wasn’t my fault,” he hissed.
“’Course not,” the vampire conceded. “Nothing but teases here that night.”
Kasima blinked as the vampire recited Brian’s words. Could he have somehow heard their conversation? She glanced back at the bartender, who was now blatantly ignoring other customers in favor of the tense scene. At first, his expression was unreadable, then he offered her a shrug and a placid smile. Her gaze zeroed in on his fangs. Something told her the other employee was a vampire as well. They had extraordinary hearing. Perhaps her and Brian’s conversation that night hadn’t been as private as she’d assumed. And whatever was said had gotten back to her vampire.
“Teases, yeah,” Brian concurred, not making the connection. “Except for my own girlfriend, apparently.”
Her body went tense at the verbal blow. “Ex-girlfriend,” she snapped.
Feeling all eyes on her now, she fought a blush, determined to retain some dignity in this very undignified exchange.
“We’ll discuss that later,” Brian replied dismissively, as if she were merely throwing a fit.
She shook her head, ready to inform him there wouldn’t be a later when the vampire interjected. “Brian, I appreciate your situation, and I think I can help.” He raised his hand and gestured to someone across the room.
Brian scoffed. “That so?”
Moments later, a dark-haired beauty stepped out from the crowd. “Rita, this is Brian. Would you mind keeping him company tonight?”
Rita gave Brian a flirty grin, then practically purred, “I’d love to.”
Slack jawed, Brian’s gaze raked over Rita’s generous figure, from her crazy tall heels, shorter-than-short skirt, and boisterous cleavage. He glanced at Kasima fleetingly—who tried to convey with a look that she didn’t give a good goddamn what he did—then back to Rita. “Alright then.”
Rita led Brian back into the throng of guests with a practiced giggle.
As far as coffins go, this wasn’t just the last nail, this was an air-tight seal that had been riveted shut and welded for good measure. He couldn’t have fought for her less if he’d been saddled with the fortitude of a one-toed sloth.
Her embarrassment wouldn’t have been so sharp if all this hadn’t been witnessed by her vampire. Her ego was taking its lumps tonight.
Turning to face the bar, she found the bartender had graciously refilled her tequila. She snatched the shot and brought it to her lips, practically inhaling the liquid. Time for a graceful escape. If that was even possible at this point. “Well, if you’ll excuse me gentlemen, I see the phone is free now.”
She edged around the bar, heading for the back.
The vampire was right behind her. “Where are you going?”
“To call a cab. I’ve had my fill of humiliation this evening.” She picked up the receiver and dialed zero for information.
The vampire pressed down on the phone’s lever, disconnecting the line.
She pivoted around. “Hey.”
“You going to play hard to get now?”
“I’m going to play not available?” Giving him her back, she swatted his hand away from the phone.
He immediately returned it to the lever. “Why?”
She sighed. “I’m feeling a little battered and bruised at the moment.”
With a gentle nudge, he maneuvered her to face him. Those intense green eyes of his captured her gaze. “Then let me kiss your wounds and make it better.”
At the low rumble of his voice, she had to stifle a shiver.
“Tell me what has you feeling humiliated?”
“You mean aside from my very public breakup with my boyfriend, who thereafter happily skipped off with another woman under your command? You had someone spy on me after I left your room that night, didn’t you.”
He scraped a palm down the back of his neck. “Spy on you? No.”
She gave him a don’t-lie-to-me glare.
He shrugged. “When you didn’t come back as I’d requested, I might have gone over the surveillance video from that evening.”
Her eyes widened in horror. “Surveillance?”
“It’s only set up in the public areas,” he rushed out.
The terror of what else might have been caught on tape dissipated, and she slumped in relief. “What did you expect to find?”
“I was looking to see if I’d done something to scare you off.”
“Huh.” The answer was unexpected. “So, you really did want me to come back?”
“I wouldn’t have said so otherwise.”
She pointed at his shirt. “You work here.”
He nodded.
“You might have mentioned that before.”
Leaning his forearm against the wall beside her, he brought his big body closer to hers. “It wasn’t as if we were exchanging detailed information about ourselves. I still don’t even know your name, by the way.”
“Kasima Wilder. You could have mentioned you were on the clock that night. Is it always your job to seduce the cold fish?”
“Lex Stirling. You were hardly a cold fish. Far from it, in fact. And would it have made a difference if I mentioned being an employee?”
“Maybe. I wasn’t looking for a professional. Actually, I wasn’t looking for anything at all. You can’t deny you seduced me.”
He chuckled. “Keep telling yourself that. From my perspective, you seduced me.”
She snorted, rolled her eyes, and then gave a clipped laugh because that was just the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. Though, hadn’t she been unusually aggressive with him?
“My job was to preserve civility on a night when people often feel entitled and emboldened. I was instructed to step in when I see a guest growing increasingly uncomfortable by an overly aggressive individual. I had every intention of moving on once you felt comfortable again.”
But he hadn’t. He’d engaged her, flirted shamelessly, and had taken her to his private room where he’d made her body sing. Her cheeks grew warm at the remembrance.
Needing somewhere else to put her eyes, she glanced behind him where guests danced and mingled. The staff was no longer hidden in the background, but dressed to stand out in typical uniforms that telegraphed their employment; waitresses with aprons and pads for taking notes, security in black shirts and slacks. All were physically stunning.
“Is everyone who works here a vampire?”
“Is that a problem?”
She lifted one shoulder. “Well, we humans are basically your food. I’ve always wondered if it’s difficult being around us without losing control.”
“Do you find it difficult being around human food without losing control?”
“I do if it’s pasta.”
He laughed. “You have nothing to worry about. If it helps, I’m not hungry.”
Because he’d fed already? Her mind conjured an image of him sucking neck, the expression of the woman in his arms was blissfully euphoric. Kasima mentally shook the picture away, as well as the stab of jealousy that had
crawled in behind it.
“The club’s owner is a vampire,” he continued. “But not all the staff is. Like Rita. She’s human.”
Rita’s pretty face was suddenly superimposed over the blissed-out woman, and before she could stop herself, she asked, “Is she who you fed from?”
He eyed her for a moment, one corner of his mouth curling up. “I don’t mess around with coworkers if I can help it.” He must have sensed her relief because he teased, “Are you going to be less prickly now? Can I kiss you without risking castration?”
She shrugged. “You could try. I guarantee nothing.”
He gave her a full grin, which nearly stole her breath, then dipped his head to take her mouth in a soft kiss. His lips were warm and firm as they molded against hers. His spicy clean scent infiltrated her nostrils and flooded her brain with what had to be straight-up crack. Flutters ignited in her chest, sanity went out the window, and she was instantly lost for him. And maybe he was too, because when her hands came up to grip his dark hair, he looped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him, groaning into a kiss that was quickly devolving into something too hot for public consumption.
He pulled back, eyes lit with excitement. “I knew I couldn’t have imagined how good you taste on my lips.”
He tasted good as well. Too good.
There was a reason vampires were dubbed the perfect predator. Everything about them made you want them: they were naturally gorgeous—totally unfair—and for years, scientists have been attempting to synthesize their pheromones to be bottled and sold as a high-end perfume. Their bite was dubbed the greatest aphrodisiac known to mankind, and they could literally hypnotize humans with their gaze. She was the fly to his spider, the mouse to his cat. She knew all this, yet it changed nothing. She was caught.
A small growl emanated from her stomach, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since lunch.
He cocked his head. “You are hungry.”
“I’m fine.”
“Let me get someone to cover the rest of my shift and I’ll take you out.” Not giving her time to refuse—or, for that matter, accept—he darted off.