“I’m sure you don’t, little peacock you are.”
Jakob’s eyes linger on my chest, on what he can see through the mesh top I’m wearing under the satin shirt. Everything.
“Was there something you wanted?” I ask, tone one of utter boredom. “Or can I go and actually enjoy myself?”
Okay, now I’m pushing it. The bodyguard’s shoulders tense and Jakob’s smile turns brittle. Make or break time. Does he want me more than he hates my bitchy attitude?
“I just wanted to learn more about you,” he finally says, tone sweet and sickly as syrup. “What’s a pretty young thing like you doing running around without his sire?”
Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. I force my eyes wide, expression shocked, but only for a second. Just long enough for him to see it and feel good about catching it. I pick up my drink and take a hefty swallow.
“Don’t have one,” I mutter. “I mean, it doesn’t matter, does it? I can be out on my own. I can take care of myself.”
Oh, can I. My power pushes at my skin when Jakob slides closer, and I swallow, trying to force it back down.
“I’m sure you can,” Jakob purrs. “But it must be exhausting, no? A young vampire, all on his own…” He reaches out, thumb brushing my chin, and the bond between me and Vlad goes taut.
Fuck. I huff and turn my face away when Jakob goes in for a kiss. His lips glance off my cheek and I try my best to push back against Vlad.
This is fine. This is what we talked about.
Jakob draws back, expression tight and angry. I meet his anger with my own and down the rest of my drink without breaking eye contact.
I need him angry, too. Need him to want to conquer, but to be happy to hand me over to his fae when the time is right.
“I’m not trading one arsehole for another,” I say and go to stand.
Jakob grabs my wrist. Hard. Terror sweeps through me for a moment, but only one. Vlad is here. Even if he weren’t, I’m stronger than Jakob. I can feel that.
He blows out an explosive breath. “My apologies. Tell me what you need from me.”
Even that, an order. I bite back an instinctive response. “A gentleman,” I say instead. “No one’s going to be in charge of me again.”
“I understand,” Jakob says, and when he tugs on my wrist, I settle back in my seat. He gestures to the decanter. “May I?”
I shrug, but he takes it for the affirmation it is as his bodyguard sets down two clean glasses. Jakob pours us both a drink and sips his first. I take a sip of my own and try not to frown at the taste. The blood is too tart, alcohol strangely strong. For a second, it goes to my head, but then my power burns it right out of me.
I give Jakob a soft smile. “Nice.”
“More than,” he replies, and I know he means it’s expensive, but I don’t care. “Tell me about yourself, Quinn. I want to know everything.”
I don’t jump at the name, but only just. He must have been listening in when I spoke to Steve last night. That’s hardly surprising. I take another sip of my drink. “Everything? Do we have enough time for that?”
“Where are you from?”
“A town like this one.” I angle my body towards Jakob’s. I don’t dare look around and try to spot Vlad. I can sense his irritated energy, anyway. “What about you?”
“Nowhere so nice as this.”
Doesn’t matter to me. “When did you get here, then?”
“A few decades ago. I like the sea.”
“So do I.”
He moves closer the more we speak, and I let my smiles get a little looser as time progresses. Jakob’s smile is smug when he pours me another glass. I rest my head on my hand and slow my blinks.
“How are you feeling?” he asks an hour or so later. “That’s a lot for a little thing like you.”
