Chapter 24 #2
“Not helping, Sterling,” Quinn says under his breath.
“Were my orders not clear?” Aamon leans over the island, the skin beneath the ink on his arms straining against bulging veins.
“Your orders were perfectly clear,” Sterling says, setting down his mug and folding his arms across his chest. I don’t know how he’s remaining so calm with the way Aamon is staring him down. As if he’s about to lunge over the island and tear his head from his shoulders.
Quinn must sense it too because he reaches behind to rest a hand against my hip. I yelp at his touch, not realizing how sensitive my hips must still be after last night. Both Sterling and Quinn track the movement, and catch the reaction.
I cringe, snapping my eyes shut as I bury my head against Quinn’s back—finally understanding what this is all about.
Aamon’s cut. The one discarded on my desk last night, which just so happened to be where Sterling and I engaged in our .
. . activities. Once again my mind seems to have forgotten how much sharper a vampire’s senses are.
Things like sight, hearing. And most importantly, smell. My cheeks burn with embarrassment.
“I said you were not to touch her.” Aamon turns his attention back on Sterling. “Did you think fucking her on top of my cut didn’t count as touching?”
“I’m well aware of what I did, Aamon. After all, it was my dick inside—”
“Sterling,” Quinn growls, shaking his head slowly in warning.
Sterling puts his hands up, feigning surrender. But it does little to satisfy Aamon. “You gave impossible orders to follow, Aamon. Wrong orders.” He levels those silvery eyes at Aamon in challenge.
“And who the fuck are you to question my orders?” Aamon seethes.
“I’m the only one being realistic about the situation here!” Sterling yells. “Me and perhaps Quinn.” He gestures to where the aforementioned male is, now fully covering my body in a defensive stance.
“Don’t bring me into your drama,” Quinn snaps back. “I followed my orders.”
Sterling’s jaw feathers in irritation. “But the only reason you followed them is because you’re bloodbound. Aamon’s obedient right hand. My point is you didn’t want to.”
Sterling steps closer to Quinn and everyone bristles.
The energy in the air is volatile. One wrong move and I fear it will be a blood bath.
Sterling stops, catching my eyes over Quinn’s shoulder, and offers an apologetic look before continuing.
“For fuck's sake, Quinn, you haven’t even been able to look at her let alone address her head-on all week. Because you know the second you do, your restraint will slip and you’ll be at odds with your orders.
The bloodbond doesn’t erase your instincts.
I know you feel it, too. That Evangeline is special. ”
I look up at Quinn, at how close we are to each other.
At how instinctively protective he is over me.
Just like Sterling, despite the fact that he has barely talked to me since that first night together.
I swallow hard, searching Quinn's face. But I can see it in his eyes, the briefest moment of hesitation as he leans into me. The desire in the motion. The moment passes, too quickly to acknowledge, and he’s suddenly so much more hardened than I’ve ever seen him before, turning his attention back on Sterling.
“This shit is between you and Aamon. Watch your mouth before you do more harm than good.”
“What is all this yelling about?” Zeke stalks into the kitchen, stopping short when he notices the tension in our postures.
His gaze drifts from Sterling to Aamon, then landing at last on me.
His fists flex, a vein in his neck protruding as he stares me down.
He sidesteps over to Sterling, angling himself just the slightest bit in front of him.
“Aamon, can we address this in private, please?”
“So you knew.” Aamon nods, crossing his arms over his bare chest. “Not one but two members of my crew have decided to defy my orders, then?”
“Hey,” Zeke growled. “I haven’t touched the girl. I’m just simply asking for the privacy to discuss this without the opportunity for collateral.”
I don’t know why his words hit me so hard when we’ve barely interacted since I’ve arrived here.
I haven’t touched the girl. As if it’s the worst thing he could do.
As if he not only has no desire to be near me, but that it would actually pain him to do so.
As if I'm diseased, undesirable. An abomination.
Aamon’s jaw flexes for a moment, a war happening behind his eyes. Finally, he turns his attention back to Sterling. “We will deal with this later. I have other shit to handle at the moment and I’m not going to let your insolence ruin our business.”
“What business?” Sterling asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Uh uh.” Aamon waggles a finger at Sterling, a villainous grin on his face. He turns away, sauntering through the kitchen as if he didn’t almost paint the cabinets in Sterling’s blood. “You’re staying here,” he throws over his shoulder. “Watch duty.”
“Watch duty?” Sterling repeats in protest.
“I don’t need a guard.” I speak up, hoping to help alleviate some of the tension between them. “I promise, I won’t run off. Nor will I snoop, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Aamon comes up to me, Quinn still covering my body as if he’s not sure he can trust Aamon’s temper yet. “Not for you, Angel. Watch duty for something else. You are coming with me.”
“I—am?” I ask, surprised.
“Well, me and Quinn. And Zeke.” He hikes a thumb over his shoulder to where Zeke is still standing beside Sterling.
“If Sterling stays behind, then so do I.” Zeke’s voice is quiet but firm, and I know there’s still a fire building inside of him at the sight of Aamon threatening Sterling. He seems to have a natural inclination to defend Sterling.
Aamon spins halfway, pointing at Zeke. “You’ll go where the fuck I tell you to go. This isn’t up for discussion.” And when Aamon turns back around to face us, Zeke doesn’t argue.
“Wh–where are we going?” I ask. My fingers cling to the fabric of Quinn’s T-shirt. My cheeks are hot with embarrassment. Maybe shame, even. I want nothing more than to disappear behind the closed door of my room and to get away from all of these eyes on me.
“I thought I’d give you a proper tour of the Market Ebon, since you seem to have such an affinity for it.
Besides—” There’s a glint in his eye that unravels something inside of me.
He leans in like he’s sharing a secret between the two of us, despite knowing everyone in the kitchen can hear him.
“It appears Sterling here has left you with a couple wounds that need tending to. And this time of night, Laurel is far too busy for house calls.”