Chapter 18
“You’re willing to risk me?” the words leave my mouth before I have a chance to even think about it. Of course, he’s willing to risk me. I’m nothing more than a breeder to him.
“You think I’d let anyone hurt my wife?”
I cock an eyebrow. “You married me out of convenience, not because you can’t stand the thought of living a day without me.”
“That was true.”
“Was?”
He steps in, closing the distance between us, with his large body towering over mine.
My heart skips a beat in my chest and heat rushes through me at the thought of his cool skin touching mine again.
I blink and get a flash of his lips pressed to mine and no matter how hard I try, I can’t fight off the desire I’m feeling for him.
“You are my wife, Florence. And I will do whatever it takes to protect you.”
I look up at him, breath hitching as he gazes back into my eyes. I want to believe him. Hell, I want to trust him, too. But in the back of my mind, I can’t forget that he’s a very bad man and has done very bad things.
And for the life of me, I can’t make myself hate him for it.
“Okay,” I whisper, voice small. Apprehensively, I reach out, letting my fingers touch the material of his suit. Overhead light glints off the rock on my left hand and suddenly I realize exactly what it means to be Mrs. Xavier Malus.
I have to act the part. I have to obey.
It scares me as much as it thrills me.
“Now,” Xavier starts, hands settling on my waist. My eyes flutter shut as the want for him threatens to take over. “I need you to be a good little witch and use that emotion-sensing ability.”
“On who?” I ask, fighting to catch my breath. Xavier is well aware that he’s turning me on, dammit.
“Kristina Davis,” he says softly, leaning in so his lips brush against my ear as he talks. Holy fuck, I want those lips on other parts of my body. “She works for the coroner’s office and has alerted us to any deaths caused by vampires.”
I tip my head. “Why would you care about that?”
“Part of building a bigger community of vampires is offering protection.”
Slowly, I just move my head up and down. “So you cover up murders?”
“It’s not quite that simple.”
Just nodding again, I keep my thoughts to myself. Not only is Xavier dangerous on his own, I’m realizing he has half—if not more—than Charlotte’s influential people working for him.
“What do you want me to suss out?” I ask.
“See if she’s lying. A body was found a few days ago and the cause of death was quite clearly exsanguination from two puncture wounds on the neck.”
“A classic vampire overkill.”
“Yes.”
A few people come over near us, picking up plates to fill with dessert. With no warning, Xavier kisses me again, and if his hands weren’t around my waist, I would have fallen. Everything around me fades and spins at the same time. His kiss is electric yet drinks from my energy. I want—no need—more.
Sliding my hands up his chest, I hook my arms around his shoulders and press my hips against his.
I can feel his cock, still flaccid, through his pants, and I’m already impressed with its size.
Feeling like I’m suddenly unable to process a logical thought, my mind goes to imagining him on me, in me, and how fucking good it’s going to feel.
“Classic newlyweds,” someone says, voice pulling me back to the here and now. “Unable to save it for the bedroom.”
Breathless, I break away and remember that I’m in a crowded ballroom. Theo claps his brother on the back, laughing.
“Nice to see you two getting along,” he adds pointedly.
Stepping back, I feel blood rush to my cheeks both from being turned on and from the slight embarrassment of getting caught. If Xavier can tell I’m in the mood then so can Theo.
"I take it you handled the unwanted guests?” Xavier asks his brother, totally unbothered by the fact we just got called out for making out at a public event.
“They won’t be bothering us anymore,” Theo replies.
“What did you do to them?” I ask, gaze shifting from Theo to Xavier and back.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” Theo replies and I make a face.
“Seriously? You can’t leave me hanging. If you killed them, I have a right to know. They might be assholes, but they’re hunters. And I’m still a hunter.”
His brows furrow and he turns to Xavier. “You need to control this one.”
“She’s not easily controlled,” Xavier starts. “And I like that.”
Theo just shakes his head and goes off to talk to someone from the VC.
I pick up a glass of champagne and go with Xavier to meet Kristina Davis.
Right away, I can tell she’s jealous of me because she wants to fuck Xavier.
I don’t blame her, because who wouldn’t want to have this beautiful man’s head between their thighs?
“It’s nice to meet you,” I tell her and shake her hand after Xavier introduces us. “My husband has told me how much he appreciates what you do for our family.” It’s so easy to roll with this it’s almost unnerving.
“Oh, of course.” She smiles. “I’m happy to help.”
“Your earrings are really pretty,” I say and her smile grows. “My mother had a pair just like that. She got them in Paris way back when I was just a kid.”
“Oh my gosh, I got these in France! Not Paris, but a little town nearby like ten years ago.”
“You’re making me want to go back. Mostly for the food.”
She laughs. “The food was to die for.”
“We have the cutest house on the outskirts of Paris. If you ever find yourself over there, reach out and let me know so I can give you the keys.”
“Seriously?”
“Why not?” I shrug and let out a small giggle. “It’s not like we’re using it.”
“That would be amazing! My sister and I were just talking about taking a girls’ trip to Europe.”
“We’ll have to exchange numbers,”I start, and then quickly shake my head. “I don’t have my phone on me, so I’ll get it from my husband.”
“Sounds good. It was so nice to meet you,” she presses.
“Yes,” I reply. “But please excuse me, I need to find a ladies’ room.”
“Right down that hall to the left.”
“Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your night.”
I keep my arms looped through Xavier’s as I walk away. “She’s very proud of the fact she’s working for your family,” I whisper to him. “She probably has drunkenly confessed to a few close friends that she’s done favors for you. So maybe a little dumb, but loyal.”
“How did you know about her earrings?” He stops walking and stares at me. The shock on his face is priceless.
I shrug. “I don’t know. It just felt like the right thing to say. I get feelings like that a lot. Sometimes the feeling was to do the opposite, though. This time, it turned out to be right.”
“You’re an empath,” he tells me, lips curving into a smile. “Aren’t you?”
“Honestly, maybe?” I shrug again. “The Order, uh, never really labeled any powers. And this one…with the feelings…isn’t really scientific.”
“You could easily come to some sort of conclusion, though,” he goes on, thinking out loud. “Follow through with each feeling and see how many times you were either right about it or not.”
“Oh, I did. Only my brothers really had much faith in it, though.”
“Interesting.”
“Yeah,” I agree, feeling the dark cloud of dread start to cover my mental starry sky. It’s weird, when I think about it, how much clarity I feel around Xavier. He’s done bad things, yes, and even told me only an hour or so ago that he considers himself a bad person.
But he’s honest about it.
Unlike how the Order has been to me.
The flash drive is still at the house, burning a hole in my mind.
What the hell am I going to see when I open it?
The saying ignorance is bliss is all too true sometimes, but that ignorance can cost you.
I need to find out what happened to my parents.
I swore to avenge them one way or another, and for the last twenty-some years, I thought that meant finding the monsters that tore them apart and killing them one by one.
“There is one problem with your story,” Xavier starts. I take a sip of the Champagne and set the empty glass on a table as we pass it by.
“Yeah? What part?”
“I don’t own a house in Paris.”
I shrug. “Then you better buy one.”