“With me.” He smiles. “I lust for your…talents.”
“You don’t know me.”
“And we have lifetimes. No matter what Lucian thinks, he doesn’t own this city and he doesn’t own you. I plan on making both of those things very clear.”
“You tried to kill me!”
“Not you.” He steps closer. “It would’ve made things easier if Lucian weren’t in the picture anymore, but he’ll be dealt with soon enough.”
Something ugly and incandescent surges through me.
The idea of Lucian dead by Santiago’s hand surges hotter than the fire ever did. My fingers curl, nails biting into my palms, a feral need to protect roaring up so fast it steals my breath. It shocks me how immediate it is. How instinctive.
I force myself to breathe. To slow it down. Rage won’t help me here.
I school my face, swallow the violence, and remind myself that I can use him, and to do that I can’t afford to lose control.
Kayla would hate this version of me. The sharp edges. The convincing nature. The way I’m already learning how to lie without flinching.
“You and I both know Lucian can’t satisfy the hungercoursing through you. The thirst for more,” he says. “I can give it all to you. I’d never hold you back.”
With his gaze never leaving mine, his hand slips into the open luggage and pushes aside clothes. Then he draws out one of the framed photos of me and Kayla and holds it between us.
“Who is she?”
I shove past him, out into the small living space.
It’s a mistake.
Santiago follows and pins me against the back of the couch with his body.
“Leave me alone, Santiago.”
“Wish that I could.” He pauses, leans in. “Who’s the girl?”
“My friend,” I say and shake my head. “It doesn’t matter anyway. She’s dead.”
His eyes seem to glow in the dim light of the room, like a gloat, like he knows something.
“Are you sure, Elliot?”
“Of course I’m sure,” I counter. “She went to work at VMR and they killed her.”
He lifts a brow. “And you don’t even care?”
“Of course I do.” My stomach claws at itself. I take a breath and face a horrible truth. “There’s just nothing I can do about it now.”
When he slides a finger down between my breasts, I push at him, but he doesn’t move.
“Oh?” he asks with a chuckle as I knock his hand away. “And you’resureshe’s dead?”
Santiago’s question takes me off guard.
“Yes. No. I-I don’t know…”
His sly smile turns into a wolfish grin. “You trust that Lucian is telling you the truth?”
No, my mind yells. Lucian hasn’t given me any reason to trusthim. All he’s done since I’ve met him is dance around the truth, doing everything to never touch it unless cornered by me.
