His gaze softened, but he turned his attention back to the ward. “How does it work?”
“I have to give the ward permission to allow entry for my visitors. I can choose to let someone in once or give permanent permission.” I squinted at him. “Permanent permission can be revoked at any time.”
He grinned at me. “Warning noted.”
“Hold your hand up to the ward.”
It took a few moments. Now that my adrenaline had disappeared, I was exhausted.
Everything that happened today…it was just too much.
“You okay, Mere?”
I nodded and forced myself to concentrate. The ward turned green, and Vas followed me inside. I pointed at my sofa, then searched through a closet until I found a spare comforter and pillow.
“Don’t wake me up in the morning. I can’t open the bar tomorrow, so I may as well sleep in.” I watched as he slipped off his shoes, stretching out on the sofa. He gave me a long look that told me exactly how he’dliketo wake me up, and my toes curled.
“Goodnight, Mere.”
“Goodnight, Vas.”
10
VASSAGO
Iwatched Mere as she padded around her apartment, bleary-eyed and grumpy. Fuck, she was cute.
“What?” she snarled.
“Just wondering if you’ll give me some of that coffee.”
I watched as she poured me a cup. And something shifted uncomfortably in my chest. I liked that she wasn’t a morning person. I liked that she worked harder than anyone I’d ever met. I liked that she’d never been afraid of me, that she wasn’t afraid ofanything.
I scowled. The truth was, I just likedher.
She handed me my coffee. Then she sat at the dining room table and took her first sip.
Her hazel eyes turned dazed, then slowly began to brighten, and I reached for the comforter, balling it over my crotch. I wanted to see that glazed look in her eyes when I made her come.
I glanced away, staring at the wall until she’d had enough coffee that her eyes were alert.
“It’s time to tell me about it, Mere.”
She knew exactly what I was talking about, and her gaze darted away. “Why? You already know what happened.”
“I need to know everything so I can keep you safe.”
“I promise, that’s got nothing to do with who messed up my bar.”
I just stared at her. “I already know what happened, but right now, I only know the bare bones. Tell me why.”
She got up and began to pace. I wished I could rewind time and go back to when she was heavy-eyed with sleep, relaxed and languid, not tense and frightened.
Her secret. The one I’d learned when I looked at her. It meant nothing to me. There was probably nothing Mere could do that I wouldn’t justify in my mind. And that was a realization I’d deal with later.
She took a deep breath. “My father knew what I could do. My powers skipped my mom, but he somehow figured it out when we were still in Ireland. It was small things at the beginning. Once we moved to the states, he would take me to a casino and make me ‘adjust’ the slot machines. At first, I was allowed in because he knew the owners, and he said he couldn’t leave me alone. But then, I guess they figured out we were cheating somehow…
“They beat us both. Him more than me since I was a kid, but they still knocked out one of my teeth.”
