With a roll of his eyes, he said, “Apparently, I do.”
He handed the dustpan off to a human, then grabbed a martini glass and the bottle of vodka from the back shelf.
“It will not take the edge off,” Jared said.
More laughter came from her friends. She kept her gaze locked on the vampire pouring her drink.
“Why did you come?” Jared asked.
“They’re my friends.”
“Yet you are here with me.”
“I am not with you,” she said, glaring. “You shouldn’t be here. This is my domain.”
“Now it is mine.”
“Sell it.”
“Are you in the market for a wine bar?” He sat on the barstool beside her. “Or, perhaps the more appropriate question is if your father is in the market for one? Since you are one of his agents, your priority is of course to carry out his agenda.”
That was a deliberate barb against her freedom, or lack thereof.
“Tell me, Nora. Did you return to your pack after we fucked? Or did you make excuses to stay far away?”
Her body flushed, partly because his suspicion was correct—she’d avoided the pack—and partly because of the cultured way he spoke the word fucked. It vibrated something deep inside her.
She controlled her response before it radiated enough for him to notice. For the first time that night, she faced him fully, letting him have an unobstructed view of her tight dress. His gaze lingered on her throat before he took in her breasts, her narrow waist, her long, smooth legs.
“What exactly do you want?” she asked.
“Have I not made that clear?”
She glared. “Perhaps the more appropriate question is what does your master want? Since you’re his scion, you don’t fuck without his permission.”
She couldn’t tell if the twitch of his mouth was a small smile or a sneer.
“I would take you on the countertop this time.”
She maintained control of her expression, her posture, even the wolf beneath her skin, but her body temperature shot up, and a deep throb of desire pulsed between her legs. It was so very tempting. But she couldn’t forget he was Arcuro’s puppet. He had a motive for being there.
“Nora!” Jennifer’s shrill voice preceded her approach. “He let you in!”
Her friend swayed between her and Jared, barely catching herself on the bar.
Nora’s eyebrows rose. “How is it possible you are already drunk?”
“I’m only drunk because you’re not.” Jennifer waved toward the garish vampire bearing Nora’s martini.
Nora grabbed her drink and started to turn away.
“That will be twenty dollars,” the vampire said.
Jennifer made a choking sound. “That’s way overpriced.”
The vampire shrugged. “New owner.”
Nora had the sudden desire to choke him with his fancy jacket. Instead, she downed the martini, then tossed the glass over the bar.
