I had my hands shoved in my pockets, one hand playing with my cards, the other slowly unwrapping a fireball. I pulled the candy out of my pocket and popped it into my mouth, trying to keep casual. Arsenio raised an eyebrow expectantly. I sucked on the hard candy and replied. “Because I don’t know who else to talk to about it.”
“Sit, friend. Have a drink.” He motioned to the expensive chair in his den that we were currently standing in. “Blood, whiskey?”
Suddenly a person appeared in the doorway. I turned to see a bloodshed woman smiling kindly at me. Arsenio nodded to her. “This is Fanny. She’s my housekeeper. She has one of the more interesting deaths of a Bloodshed I’ve heard so far. Sucked dry by leeches.”
“Full-time staff?” I ignored his explanation of her in favor of the more interesting bit. I was mildly surprised. Because of the business, he conductedin his basement, Arsenio didn’t like people in his home regularly.
“It was time. Plus, now I can enjoy my guest's company while Fanny prepares drinks. Two warmed, please.” He nodded to his housekeeper,and she disappeared quickly. After she left,we sat down across from each other. Arsenio picked up a remote and pushed some buttons, turning on soft piano music. He grinned at me then. “So, what all do you need from me?”
I hated that I was here in the first place for this, but I had no other leads to the answers I sought. Arsenio, one of my closest friends and my fellow Seven Sin member, was also Scout’s ex. I swallowed my bitterness and repeated my original question.
“I want to ask Scout to marry me.”
“Again, this doesn’t involve me in the slightest. You’ve already asked and received my blessing. Not that you needed it,” he laughed. “If I had known that the reason we couldn’t seem to make a connection was that she’d already had a taste of your blood,it would have saved me two solid years.”
“Of your immortal life?” I smirked. He rolled his eyes and tossed me the middle finger.
“You keep pushing it,and I’ll tell you all the dirty details, friend.”
I gritted my teeth. Instantjealousyflared in me. Neither of our pasts was squeaky clean, but I didn’t need to hear about Scout’s intimate moments with another man. Especially if that man in question was Arsenio, the buff ItalianAdonis.
I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. I clasped my hands together and sighed. “Do you think she’ll say yes?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Probably. I don’t really talk to her too much these days.” He paused and leaned forward himself, making direct eye contact with me. He opened his mouth,but just then,Fanny returned with a tray. It had a tea kettle and two mugs. Silently she poured us our drinks and handed them to us. We waited until she left to continue talking. Arsenio spoke first. “I feel like there is something else that is bothering you. What is it?”
I struggled to communicate my thoughts, but after a moment,Arsenio began to guess. “Is it because of your previous engagement with Aleida?”
I nodded and looked down, guilt swimming in my stomach. “There’s a lot to deal with….” I paused. “With all that.”
“How so?” He leaned back in his chair and raised a curious eyebrow.
“Well, for one, when I got my memory back, so did Aleida, Scout, and our parents.”
Hisblood-red eyes went huge. “Oh. And now they’re angry.” He responded, not asked. He knew all too well how traditional Bloodborn families were.
“They are. I have gotten calls, emails, and even some certified mail, from pretty much everyone.” I pressed my lips together and shook my head.
“Do they still expect you to marry her? Surely they can understand. It’s been thirty years!” He exclaimed.
“I know. You’d think they’d relax some.”
The phone call I had with my brother just last night rang through my mind.
“Good genes are good genes.”
“So why did you lead with whether or not Scout would accept your proposal? It seems as if you’re getting a little ahead of yourself.”
“I am.” I agreed. I finished my cup of blood and then asked for some of the cinnamon whiskey he kept here just for me. He stood up and went to the bar to pour me a drink. He poured himself one, too, and then returned to the conversation. I took a sip and continued. “I just needed a reason to come here and talk.”
He laughed. “Desiderio, my dearest friend. You never need a reason to visit. If you need help, I’m here. You want me to go with you to talk to your parents? Or what about Aleida herself? Have you spoken to her?”
I snorted. “I’m really trying to avoid her if I can. Which is probably what’s causing the problem. Who knows what she’s been telling her parents? Who is then going to mine.”
“She still wants to marry you?” His eyes went wide with skepticism. I made a sour face.
“I think if I offered,she would. Not out of love, but of duty.”
“Desiderio,” he paused and shook his head at me. “I think you need to have a sit down with everyone. If you truly want to marry Scout and have your parent’s approval,then you need to explain to them what you two did.”
