“Yes. I’ve brought you the diamonds of the Lady Charisma. Before I became a vampire lord of the city, I toppled several other cities along the way. A domino effect, if you will.”
“I’m well acquainted with your exploits,” Graves said in a crisp, bored tone.
“This was my first conquest. My very first spoil of the war that I started.”
“Hmm,” Graves murmured. He gestured to Reyna. “And this is the necklace?”
“Yes.”
“Gaudy thing.”
Beckham bristled. “It’s worth a king’s ransom.”
Graves replaced the book on the table before returning to Reyna’s side. He seemed unconcerned with the worth of the diamond necklace or really with Beckham at all. He had his hands back in his pockets and he stood less than a foot from Reyna, staring intently at the jewelry.
“May I?” he asked Reyna.
“I can remove it,” Beckham interjected.
“Now, what would be the fun in that?” he muttered under his breath. Then louder for Beckham’s benefit. “Lift your hair.”
Her eyes found Beckham’s as she gently lifted her dark hair off her shoulders and held it to the side. Through his eyes, she could see the torment raging in him. How much he wished they hadn’t come here. Neither of them had anticipated someone likeGraves. Vampires were used to being the highest rung on the ladder. She didn’t like finding out there was something more dangerous out there.
Graves examined the necklace with delicate fondness. Then he slowly, purposefully removed his black leather gloves. Reyna tensed at the deliberateness of the move and inhaled as his hands moved to either side of the diamond choker. The pads of his fingers skimmed the section around her neck, moved to the hollow of her throat, before slowly dragging down the V of the necklace. A finger circling each diamond as he dragged his way to the one dangling between her breasts, stopping just above.
“Yes, I think this will do,” Graves said.
His hand moved back up the necklace, and he shifted around to stand behind her. Beckham’s chest was rising and falling heavily. His hands were balled into tight fists. She could see that Graves wanted to toy with them, but she didn’t understand why.
Then his finger touched her.
She couldn’t suppress her gasp. Barely a touch—just his index finger against her shoulder blade drawing a line across her back to the clasp on the choker. And suddenly her cheeks were aflame, her body flushed, her heart beating furiously. Just one touch had made her skin tingle and her knees threatened to buckle.
If the signature had felt like magic, it was nothing compared to this. She had so many questions running through her mind and yet…she could do nothing but stand there.
“Ah,” Graves said behind her. “I see.”
“What the fuck do you see?” Beckham seethed.
Graves carefully unclasped the necklace and removed it from her neck. He took a step back and finally she was able to breathe regularly again. She dropped her hair down her back, feeling utterly exposed to him. It was as if one touch had bared her soul to him. It was unfathomable, of course. He hadn’tdoneanything. But it was as if he had stuck his hand straight through her and rifled through all the locked drawers in her mind. And the only person she was comfortable letting inside was Beckham.
She was starting to wonder if coming here had been a big mistake.
He might be able to help, but the cost felt greater than any necklace.
Graves tossed the priceless jewels next to his book on the table as if it meant nothing to him, then carefully pulled his gloves back on.
“What did you do to me?” Reyna gasped out.
“I took your payment.”
“I don’t have anything to give.”
“True. Material possessions. It is a good thing for your sake that I don’t only deal in the material.”
She furrowed her brow. “What doesthatmean?”
But a shiver ran through her at the words. Because shedidsort of understand them. She had felt something different at his touch. As if he had taken something from her. But that had just been metaphor, right?
