Chapter 7 #3
“Gotcha. Childhood trauma?”
“Ever hear of a pageant mom?”
He winced. “I find that hard to picture—not to say you’re not a beautiful lady, of course.”
I bit back a smile. “I own a mirror, Lamont.”
“Is that why you don’t wear makeup? Is this some kind of late-stage teenage rebellion?”
“I don’t wear makeup because I’m too lazy to wipe it off later.” Strictly speaking, I had no experience with beauty pageants; my mother had had a different type of glory in her sights for me.
“I’d wager it was the Gorgon in your mama,” Lamont said. “Bet she was desperate for you not to feel like a hideous beast the way she did.”
“You’re probably right.” The lie rolled off my tongue without a pang of guilt. I’d been telling that story for so many years, I’d almost managed to convince myself it was true.
Almost.
As Lamont wandered off, a stoop-shouldered woman approached Vale. “Care for a spin, stranger?”
“My feet are on vacation.”
“Your loss.” She joined the crowd in search of a willing partner.
“Your feet are on vacation?” I repeated with a laugh.
“It was the first thought that came to mind.”
Dr. Adam passed by on my left, then backpedaled when his brain caught up to his feet. “Maya, I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I wasn’t planning to be here. It’s only a pit stop. We’re not staying.” I motioned to my companion. “Dr. Adam, this is Vale.”
The healer took a long look at my companion. “You don’t live on the island.”
“No, I live in Savannah. I’m here in my official capacity.”
“He’s the Protector of the Region,” I added.
“I wouldn’t think Evermore is considered part of your domain, Protector.”
“It’s right off the coast of my headquarters in Savannah.” Vale turned toward the water. “I can see the city lights from here.”
“Yes, but you know the island is special. It doesn’t fall in the same category as Savannah or anywhere else that humans live.”
Vale looked at me in exasperation. “Does everyone on Evermore have an issue with authority figures? Is it part of the criteria for admittance?”
I smiled at Dr. Adam. “We’re an insubordinate bunch. That’s why we need more than one person to handle security.”
“Justine mentioned she has a list of applicants,” Dr. Adam said. “That might free up some of your time.”
“Yes, I’m waiting for more information from her.”
“I don’t think Maya wants free time,” Vale said. “I think she likes to hide behind her title.”
“I could say the same to you.”
Dr. Adam looked from Vale to me. “I didn’t realize you two were so well acquainted.”
“Everything I know about him has been against my will.”
Joan cut through the throng of square dancers and grabbed Dr. Adam by the hand. “Your turn to dance, Dr. Handsome.”
The healer made no attempt to disengage. He was too smart for that. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.
“Nobody says no to Joan,” I told Vale.
“I can see why. They’d be endangering their lives.”
“More like a body part, but you get the idea.”
Vale observed her from a safe distance. “She’s a one-woman mafia.”
“Not quite. All her actions have been retaliatory.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Murder?”
“Absolutely not. Murder isn’t Joan’s style.”
“Too risky?”
“Too easy. Insufficient suffering.”
Admiration twinkled in Vale’s eyes. “A shame she’s committed to Evermore. We could use someone like her on the mainland.”
“Joan isn’t going to torture someone on your say-so. Besides, you shouldn’t be running the Protectorate that way.”
“It was a joke, Maya. I don’t operate like my brother or my father. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t want the role in the first place.”
“Because you knew you’d have to commit unsavory acts?”
“Because I knew I’d need to do things my way and that some people wouldn’t like it.”
“And?”
“And I was right. It’s been an uphill battle.”
“Why not pass the torch to someone else?”
“Because I’ve been given an opportunity to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I’m not going to give that up just because it’s hard.”
I expected him to throw out words like “duty” and “honor,” so his answer was a welcome surprise. “I guess that’s something we have in common, then.”
Vale gave me a curious look but said nothing. “We look awkward standing on the perimeter while everyone else is dancing.”
“Then let’s get back to the golf cart.”
“Or we could dance.” He let the suggestion linger between us.
“Your feet are on vacation, remember? Besides, I don’t know the steps.”
“But you can follow instructions, can’t you?” He squeezed his eyes closed. “I forgot who I was talking to. Never mind.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You think I can’t follow orders?” Boy, would he be wrong about that.
“Not that you can’t follow commands, but that you’d rather give them. Because not so deep down, you like to be the one in charge. I don’t know why you deny that part of your nature, but I sense it—that need to make the decisions. To control the outcome.” His voice grew huskier the longer he spoke.
I cleared my throat. “I need to be careful,” I said, trying to erase the sound of that husky voice from my mind. It was having an effect I didn’t like.
Vale edged closer. “Do you?” His voice dropped an octave lower. “Why?”
“Because other people’s lives are at stake where I’m concerned. Many, many lives.”
His attention shifted to my lips. “Anything else at stake?”
My reputation. My safety.
My heart.
“Vale,” I said, so softly I barely heard my own voice.
“Maya.” My name emanated from the deep, erotic timbre of his throat. Now it was my turn to gaze at his lips and wonder.
No. I didn’t have the luxury of wondering.
I dragged myself back to reality, kicking and screaming. “I think we’re done here. Why don’t you head back to the mainland now? I’ll drive the golf cart back to Justine’s office.”
“Why do I get the sense you’re trying to get rid of me?”
“Because I’m trying to get rid of you.”
“Hot date?”
“Not quite.” But first I needed to swing by the cottage and pick up Jinx.
Vale slid his hands into his pockets in a relaxed gesture. “I’m in no hurry. I can wait.”
“It’ll take hours.”
“I’m patient.”
“It’s a party, and you hate parties.”
“I’m expanding my horizons. It’ll be good for me.”
It was like trying to move a mountain. I gave up. “Fine, but only if you promise not to speak a word about what you see later on.”
His eyes brightened. “A pack of werewolves couldn’t drag me away.”
I bit back a smile. “Care to test that theory?”