She stabbed him in the chest with a finger. “You have responsibilities. Here. With. Us.” The last three words were said between sniffles. “Marcos needs you and … and so do I.” She let out sobs.
Behind the “leave me alone” heavy make-up she wore, Nadine was a scared kid. She’d never opened up or told him why she took to living on the streets. She didn’t need to. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, trying to hide behind a hard persona when she really wanted to be loved and accepted. When he gathered her into his arms, she cried out more, her body shaking. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I should’ve kept in touch with you both.”
“You and Marcos are the only family that I have,” she said through broken breaths. “I-I can’t lose you guys. I know that you probably won’t keep me around when Marcos dies, but … but I’m not ready to be alone yet.” Her tears came out uncontrollably.
He held her close, giving her the stability she needed. “Is that what you really think? Marcos, that old man, he still has a few good years left in him, and you … you’re my family, too. I know I don’t tell you that, but you are.”
She sniffled again. “R-really?”
“Of course. Do you think that I would allow just anyone to live in my house?”
“I—I thought it was because I’m a blood donor.”
“Honey, take a look around. Do you see Krista or Celine living here, too?”
“N-no.”
“That’s because they are employees. You’re family.”
Another round of sobs went through her. “I—I just kept thinking so many horrible thoughts. I thought you wouldn’t come back, and Marcos…” She sniffled. “Then I would be back on the streets.”
“I probably should’ve told you before now that I set up a trust fund for you. Love, you don’t have anything to worry about. If anything happened to me, you’ll get the house, the cars, the money, Marcos, and Mewlissa.”
She pulled away and stared up at him with watering eyes and a quivering lip. “You did that? F-for me?”
He nodded. “You can even charge Marcos rent if you want to.”
She laughed and wiped her tears away. “You do know that I’m not hanging around for the money, right?”
“I know.”
She lifted her chin. “Dani was discharged from the hospital. Miraculously she made a full recovery. She’s back home now. She hasn’t gone back to work yet.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m friends with her on social media.”
He stepped away and leaned against the wall. The weight of his shame made him hang his head. “She doesn’t want me anymore.”
“Ramsey, you can’t control what Angelina did. Dani can’t blame you for that either. And if she does, then I hate to say it, but maybe it’s better if she kicks rocks. You’re a good guy.”
He shook his head. “Yes, she can blame me for what happened. I promised to protect her, and I didn’t.”
“Do you honestly think that you can watch over her 24/7?”
“She was attacked on my watch. I’ll never forgive myself.” His head became heavier and heavier.
Nadine sighed and leaned on the wall next to him. “Well, she knew that you had a crazy ex. I mean, you didn’t think Angelina would go after Dani. But Dani has to understand that you would’ve moved heaven and earth if you’d known that Angelina would target her.”
“Um, I never told her that Angelina was still in my life.”
“What? Dani didn’t know that you were married?”
“I’m not married anymore.”
Nadine held up a hand. “There’s no divorce paperwork. You’re still married. And I’m sure that’s the same thing that bitch told Dani, too.”
He shook his head. “Dani wouldn’t care about that. She knows how I feel about her.”
Nadine turned to face him and crossed her arms. “Um, hello. Human woman right here. Dani’s probably not upset about Angelina jumping her.” She frowned. “Well, maybe she is. But I think what really hurt her is the fact that you’re married and your wife is still walking around and you didn’t bother to tell her.”
“But I’m not—”
Nadine put up a hand, stopping him from saying anything else. “Angelina showed up, giving Dani all types of history about you two, and she probably brought up your kids.” Nadine slapped her face. “And of course then she would bring up Marcos.” Nadine cradled her head in her hands and groaned. “Now I know why she’s pissed, and I don’t blame her.”
“Wait. A few minutes ago you were on my side.”
“That was before you told me that you let your ex blindside her.”
“Huh. You think I should’ve told her?”
Nadine dropped her hands and stared at him like he was the stupidest person in the world. Maybe because he was. “You guys have been spending so much time together and boom! Out of nowhere, here comes Angelina waving her relationship with you in Dani’s face. Not to mention that your ex jumped her, throwing salt in the wound.” Nadine rolled her eyes. “Yes, Ramsey. You should’ve told her.”
“And here I was thinking that the only reason Dani hated me was because I’d failed to protect her. Now, I find out that she also hates me because I didn’t tell her about Angelina. Thank you, Nadine. I really needed another gut punch.”
Nadine turned to her back and bumped him with her shoulder. “She doesn’t hate you, dufus.”
He held up his fingers. “Yes, she does. For two reasons now.”
“Take my advice on this. She probably doesn’t blame you for Angelina attacking her. What’s hurting her right now is that she was told that you’re married. And not only married, but you’d built a life with Angelina and still have one with Marcos as the child that’s keeping you two together.”
“That sounds ridiculous.”
“No, that sounds like a logical thought process.”
“So you don’t think that she hates me?”
“Right now, she’s hurt. But that could turn into hate. Like burn your clothes in the driveway hate.”
“She doesn’t have any of my clothes.”
Nadine humphed. “Well, believe me, buddy. She’s scouring her house looking for anything that you left behind, planning to set it ablaze.” Nadine imitated a bomb going off.
“So what do I do? Should I text her or call her?”
Nadine chuckled. “Oh, boy. You’ll need to do more than ‘text or call her’. I’m talking about something epic. Something that will make her forget—at least for the moment—that you didn’t mention a crazy ex to her.”
Ramsey scratched the side of his face in thought. “Like what?”
Nadine opened her arms wide. “I’m thinking like one-hundred long stemmed roses, a big box of chocolate, her favorite wine, and probably a new car or something.”
“I can do that.”
She clapped her hands together and pushed off the wall. “Get a good night’s sleep because you have errands to run when you wake up.”
“Thanks, Nadine.”
She backed away, beaming. “And you know what, Ramsey?”
“What?”
“You got women advice from me.” She winked.
It really was a sad day indeed.
Chapter Nineteen
“I don’t get it.” Bride pointed the pizza she held at the television. “How does she control her dragon?”
Dani pulled her leg on the couch and hugged it while she turned her cell phone over in her hand. “Her three dragons.”
Dani stared at her phone. Ramsey had a social media profile, but he hadn’t done anything to update it. No posts. No information. His only picture was a profile one that looked as though it had been taken without his knowledge. He wore an old white t-shirt and striped pajama pants. His hair stuck up in different directions, and his face was scrunched together in a frown. She knew that look. He must’ve just woken up. Ramsey was always grouchy when he woke up. He would leave before the sun rose and come back looking as unhappy and grouchy
as he did in the picture.
She ran her finger across her screen, imagining that she was taming his hair, putting it back into place. The only way she’d been able to change his mood was by dumping him in a hot shower then getting in with him. His grouchiness would quickly slide away, replaced by hot, sexy man.
“Huh?”
Dani finally looked up and pretended to follow along with the show that was on television. “She has three dragons, not one.”
Bride took another bite of her pizza. “So what’s to stop them from attacking her army? Like, how do the dragons know not to burn up the allies?”
Dani shrugged and rested her chin on her knee. “I don’t know. Maybe because the writers write it so that they don’t?”
“They should make this show more realistic,” Bride said with a mouth full of food.
Dani rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I wonder how they can make this fantasy show more realistic.” She went back to staring at her phone. Nadine had probably snapped Ramsey’s picture. She couldn’t imagine Marcos being that sneaky. Marcos would’ve probably found it beneath him or something. Too bad she hadn’t gotten a chance to meet Nadine. She was sure they would’ve become allies. It was for the better though. Not to have gotten too wrapped up in Ramsey’s life.
Because the break-up would’ve gone smoother? Dani snorted. She couldn’t have asked for a more amicable break-up. She told him to leave and he’d left.
Bride snapped her fingers. “Earth to Dani.”
Dani looked up again. “What?”
“I was asking you who that hot guy with the brooding look and dark hair was, but you were too busy drooling over Ramsey’s picture.”
Dani stuffed her phone in her bra. “I’m not drooling. His profile just popped up on my screen.”
Bride raised an eyebrow and chewed slowly. “See, I may not know much about this show, but I know how apps work.” She took another bite of her pizza. “You’re stalking.”
“Ugh.” Dani pulled her other leg up and buried her head between her knees. “I can’t get him out of my head.” She hadn’t spoken to him in weeks, and it was clear that she wasn’t going to get over him anytime soon. The only thing that time allotted her to do was wrack her brain about Ramsey and finish her thesis. How she could focus on that task she hadn’t a clue, but in a month, she would have her diploma in her hand.
“So call him.”
“He’s. Married.”
“And maybe they’re separated or going through a divorce or something. Call him and talk about it.”
“I already talked to him about it.” Her voice came out muffled.
“And when did you talk to him exactly?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“No, really. I’m a little hazy on when this break-up went down. You said when you were in the hospital, but you made it sound like it happened after the cafeteria incident, but it happened before, right? Ramsey didn’t visit you in the hospital—which by the way is kind of a dick move.”
“He did visit me,” she mumbled. It was because of Ramsey that she was alive. But she didn’t tell Bride or anyone else that her vampire boyfriend had fed her his blood, allowing her to make a miraculous recovery. She’d walked out of the hospital three days later on her own leaving a dumbfounded surgical team scratching their heads.
“When?”
The doorbell rang. Dani sprang off the couch. “I’ll get it.” She didn’t need to answer any more questions about Ramsey or the “meltdown” which everyone thought she had.
Libby had beaten her there first, barking and growling. If Libby had weighed more than her thirteen pounds she would be a force to be reckoned with. But as it stood, Libby was all noise and no bite. “Move.” She nudged Libby with a foot and opened the door.
The last person she’d expected stood on her doorstep.
“Alex?”
His perfect mouth eased into a lazy smile. His teeth seemed vibrant and white. Gleaming. “Hello, beautiful.”
Dani frowned. He looked … different. His face was smoother, hair shinier, and his eyes were crisp and bright. An alarm sounded in her head, a slow rhythmic tone, warning of danger. “Wh-where have you been?”
She pushed Libby back with her foot. Libby barked and growled, snapping at Alex from behind her. “You were fired from work. You were a no call, no show for a week.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t need that job anymore. I have bigger and better things that I’m in to now.”
She couldn’t put her finger on it. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“I came to see you.”
“Why?” She folded her arms. “Did you get the message that I left you, asking you to leave me alone?”
“Ah, the message.” He gave her a knowing wink. “I got it.”
Uneasiness crept around her. Something wasn’t right. He wasn’t right. “I don’t want company. I-I’m still recovering.” She touched her forehead. “You’ll have to go now.”
Alex took in a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly as he did. Then he erupted into violent coughs and gagged. “You reek of him. It’s pungent.”
She eased her hand around the doorknob and engaged the lock. “Who?”
“Ramsey,” he spat when he said the name. “I’m going to kill him for marking what’s mine.” Venom radiated off of him.
Her knees wobbled, and she eased closer to the side, pulling the door close to her back. “H-he didn’t mark me, a-and I’m not yours.” She couldn’t back down. She knew guys like Alex. He would walk all over her if she let him.
Alex sneered and threw a hand up. Dani jumped.
“He did!” Alex spit when he shouted. He leered at her. Dani held tight to the door, preparing to slam it in his face. “His scent is all over you. It’s coming out of your goddamn pores.” Alex cursed and turned in a tight circle, pawing at his head. “This won’t do. This just won’t do. How can I claim you if he already did?” Then Alex stopped and snapped his fingers. “Mistress will know what to do. She knows everything.”
“Mistress? Who are you talking about?” Her mind told her to slam the door in his face, barricade it and hide. But she stood there gripping the door frame. Her hands trembling.
“Angelina.”
Vampire.
Dani slammed the door and locked it.
Alex laughed, loud and hard from the other side. “Do you really think that will stop me?”
Dani stared at the door, shaking her head. No. No. No. No.
“Dani? Who is it?” Bride stood at the end of the hallway.
“Go hide, Bride.”
A scraping sounded on the door. More laughing. “Dani. Let me in,” Alex sang.
Libby barked and snarled at the door.
“Huh?” Bride asked.
Dani picked up Libby and took off down the hallway. She forced Libby into Bride’s arms. “Go out the back.”
Crash!
Both Dani and Bride jumped. Dani looked over her shoulder just in time to see the front door crack and splinter. “Go! Now!” She pushed Bride away.
Bride pushed back. “I’m not leaving you. What the hell is going on?”
Bam!
The front door split in two. One side hung on the hinges, and the other fell against the wall then slid to the floor. Dani could only hope that the piece of door that now blocked the hallway would give Bride enough time to scramble out the back window. Alex watched them from the other side. He glared at them from the slits of his eyes.
Wasn’t there some rule about a vampire not being able to enter the house unless she invited him?
Alex stepped inside and lifted a foot then slammed it down on the door, crushing it.
Scratch that myth.
Her stomach twisted in a massive knot. He was going to kill them.
“Who is he?” Bride asked, her voice rising to a hysterical level.
“Come to me,” Alex commanded.
“No. Get out of my house!” Libby barked and stru
ggled against her, trying to get at Alex.
Alex frowned, confused. Then he stomped and pointed to a spot in front of him. “Dani, come to me. Now!”
Dani moved in front of Bride, shielding her. “Leave my house now, Alex!” She wanted to call the police, but what could they do? Alex was a vampire. They couldn’t do anything but get killed.
Alex balled his fists and let out a bloodcurdling scream. “Are you fucking kidding me! I finally have the ability to make anyone do whatever I tell them to, and it doesn’t work on you?”
Dani stared at him wide-eyed. He was losing his mind, and there was no way to get him out of her house. “Please, just leave, Alex.”
“You’re immune to my allure because he gave you his blood, marking you as his.”
Thank you for the blood, Ramsey.
Alex shook his head at a violent pace. “That’s okay. Angelina will figure this out for me.” He talked to himself. “I have to stick to her plan.”
“What do you want?” Dani asked. She found renewed strength. Ramsey had at least left her a parting gift. Alex wouldn’t be making her hurt herself anytime soon.
“I told you. I came for you. You’re mine now.” Alex sauntered down the hallway. “I wanted to make this easy. To come in here and enthrall you so that you would come with me willingly, but I guess I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way. By force.” He threw back his head and chuckled. His vampire teeth were on full display. He was ready to feed. Pee dripped down her leg. “I like it a little rough anyway. This should be fun.”
Dani’s mind raced. Ramsey said not to run from predators. Should she fight? She glanced around for a weapon. Unless an empty pizza box could be MacGyvered into a sharp object they were so screwed.
“I’ll do whatever you want. Just let my sister go.”
“What the fuck?” Bride yelled over her shoulder. “You will not be doing anything this asshole wants.”
“Really?” Alex asked jokingly.
Dani put up her arms, blocking Bride from doing anything crazy. “Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know anything.”
“Dani, it’s two against one. We can take this asshole.”
Sweet Jesus.
When a Vamp Falls (War of Blood and Bonds Book 1) Page 18