Chapter 13
Wade stormed out, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against the wall, her back turned to me. My teeth gritted as I studied her strong, perfectly poised figure; she and Jager filled out their suits impeccably, unlike Ethan.
I cleared my throat to grab her attention, but it was in vain. I could hear angry voices from inside, but I doubted they belonged to her. She was a damn mute—a mute princess. Nowhere in the numerous headlines, social media posts, and blog articles I'd read had I discovered that she was mute.
Perhaps she hid it from the public eye. Still, I'd never seen her speak in the media. While Jager was like an open book, she was a mystery—impossible to decipher. She had a tough demeanor, as if nothing could faze her.
I cleared my throat again, but she continued to ignore me. I hated that her attention wasn't on me; she seemed lost in her own world, and I was determined to be a part of it, despite my annoyance.
I punched her back lightly. She didn't flinch, didn't groan, didn't even look back. She just stood there, like a bird perched on a swaying branch, her body steady and showing no signs of breath.
I stepped around her and leaned against the wall beside her. "What were you discussing in there, Icelandic princess?"
I groaned in annoyance. "Yes, I searched you up, you mute. But can you please break your vow of silence and tell me what you were talking about?"
She shook her head.
"Do you even speak?" I asked, stepping closer. She slowly backed away, shaking her head again.
"Are you scared of me?" Why would she be scared of me!
She shook her head, her eyes darkening again as I approached her. "Then why aren't you talking? Did something happen that made you refuse to speak?"
Again, she shook her head.
"Then talk, you Icelandic princess!" I slapped her lightly. "You just don't want to."
She nodded. I rolled my eyes. "You should talk," I said, studying the mute vampire who clearly looked uncomfortable.
I huffed in frustration. "I don't know what Ethan's problem is. I know he's in there spinning lies," I growled.
Anger simmered within me as I stepped away from her. She smelled like a princess—sweet, with an air of old money. Her pale skin, like all vampires, looked well-kept, unlike Ethan's, which appeared sickly, as if he were about to turn to dust at any moment.
"Not that you would care. You're all just a bunch of copy-and-paste replicas of each other. I know he's getting away with everything, isn't he?"
She shook her head.
"I don't believe you. He thinks he's the boss."
She nodded.
"Well, he's not the boss."
"I can speak just fine," she murmured, her voice rich and almost incoherent. It made me feel like putty on the spot.
"You're really not a mute."
"You sound disappointed, snow bunny."
Only two people in my lifetime had ever called me by that performance name with such intensity: Jager and Wade.
"I...I am...just so...shocked."
I could listen to her voice all day and night. It brought comfort, just like Jager's voice did. I felt my cheeks flush deeply.
"You don't talk much."
"I can do a lot instead, snow bunny. I like to perform."
Now it was my turn to be mute as I nodded in response.
I could feel her gaze burning into me, like soap stinging my eyes during a shower. "Pull your skirt up."
Despite my struggle to find my voice, I instinctively pulled the skirt down, exposing my hips.
"Up."
I tugged at the other end. She seemed determined to make this happen until my skirt was at my feet, brushing against the tops of my bare toes.
She stepped closer, reversing our roles as she guided me back against the hallowed board walls. "Up," her smoky voice purred.
"Down," I whispered, forebodingly. Our eyes locked together, intertwining like two vines.
"Up," she commanded, her tone gravelly.
"Down—"
The door swung open, cutting through the tension, and out stepped Jager. In an instant, I found myself caught between the two towering figures who had my heart racing.
"Here. For the trouble of tonight," she said, handing me two stacks of cash.
I quickly grabbed it from her hands, wary she might change her mind. "I'm going home." It was free money, and I would be foolish to linger and risk losing it.
I stood before her, our bodies level. "Spend some time with us up by the VIP," she offered.
Both of them made my knees weak with their voices.
Jager's voice was deep and smooth, while Wade's was rich and sultry.
Jager's tone set my mind racing, and Wade's left my breath quickening as I tried to comprehend her.
"No thanks, I'd rather go home."
She shot me a look that brooked no argument. "I wasn't asking," she whispered.
I groaned. "How many hours?"
"However long we desire. And didn't I tell you to wear jeans and a T-shirt?" Her gaze was piercing as it lingered on my low-hanging skirt.
"Not my style," I shrugged, stuffing the money into my bag and tucking it under my arm, squeezing the already shut purse tightly.
Jager stretched her hand out for me to take.
"I know where the VIP is," I said. "The furniture might change, but the area stays the same.
" I wondered if she or maybe this time Wade would push my limits.
I figured there was only one way to find out if the ride would be enjoyable, and that was to hop on.
I took her hand, and she smirked, as if she anticipated a good time with me.