I nodded and raised my glass. I pointed to Landon before taking a large gulp.
“Having sex with that guy.”
26
“This is insane. I’ve— I’ve never heard of anything like this before. Do you know what that means?” Elvie was gushing after I explained to her everything that had been happening to me over the last few weeks. I had blown her mind.
She sat back, stunned. Her eyes glazed over as she took in what I had just said.
“I really don’t. Do you?” I finished my third drink and caught our waitress's gaze. She was talking animatedly with a group of fellow waitresses, and appeared to be in distress. She turned backtowardthem, and a moment later, a different vampire woman left the group and cametowardus, smiling wide.
“Hi, so Prue, your original waitress, has to leave. She has a family emergency. We’re going to get you a new waitress for the night. Can I help you while we shift some things around?”
“Fireball, three fingers, no ice.”
She grinned tightly and lookedtowardLudovica.
“Just another glass of blood, please. Warmed.”
The stand-in rushed away, leaving us to our conversation. Elvie’s face was still washed in shock.
“Desiderio, I think she really might be something special. That’s why they want her.They know.” The words came out of her mouth and slid down my body in an icy chill.
And then, there she was.
“Hi, I’m Scout, and I’ll be taking over for—” her voice caught in her throat as her eyes ran across the booth. “Desi.”
She barely glanced at Ludovica. Her eyes were locked on mine. I had to look away. Shame filled my face. The last time we were truly in the same room together, I hurt her.
She looked beautiful. Her long messy hair was in a high ponytail, just like the other waitresses. Her uniform was tight and sexy, but the tattoos covering her body made her look fun. The red lips, her beautiful face, all of it, Scout. In the flesh.
“Why are you here?” she asked sharply.
The sudden change in her face and demeanor caused my stomach to turn so hard that I almost threw up the alcohol. I swallowed it down and took a long, steady breath.
“To get you back,” I said. I sat up straight. “Come on, we’re leaving.”
“Oh, is that how that works? Nice fucking try. You should leave.”
“Scout, we need to talk to you about some things. You can’t stay here.” Elvie reached her hand out, but Scout took a step back as if it were poison.
“And I should believe you?”
She turned around and stormed offtowardthe bar, where her boyfriend stood beside our drinks. They had a small conversation, glancing at our table, and then she scowled. A moment later, she was sliding them onto a tray and bringing them over. She slapped them down so hard that the liquid in both glasses spilled over the rims and onto the table.
“Did you tell him who you’re serving tonight?” I asked, my voice low and mocking.
She glared. “If I did, you’d be kicked out.”
“We’re guests of Ginata’s,” Ludovica said calmly. I noticed she looked at Scout as if she were seeing the Aztec Goddess herself. “We won’t hurt you.”
“You’re psycho.”
“We’re the ones keeping you safe,” Ludovica argued.
Scout laughed and put her hand on her hip. “Keeping me safe? The only person I need to be protected from ishim.” She shot a look at me.
A moment later, Landon stepped up beside her. He put his hand on her hip, and my jaw instantly clenched. I started to emit a low growl that I couldn’t control.
