Regardless, she was thankful these men were assigned to the case. She gained not only answers, but what she suspected would become lifelong friends. Life went on despite the pain, and she would have to, as well.
She glanced around and realized that no one was eating and the jovial mood was gone. She wanted it back. She was tired of being sad. “Eat you guys. Put in one of your movies, Orlando. You know, I never would have pegged you for a chick-flick-kinda-guy.” She smirked at the blonde-haired hottie. “I’m going with the drink-‘til-you-drop plan. Anyone with me?”
She turned from the table and headed back to the refrigerator where she pulled out a can of Limeade and other key ingredients for her passion-inspired margaritas. Her neck tingled with awareness, and she felt eyes on her.
Elsie cocked her head to the side and noticed not only her sister watching her, but Zander’s blue eyes focused on what she was doing. She felt censure in her sister’s gaze and erotic heat from his.
“Stop,” she hissed at Cailyn.
Cailyn placed her hands on her hips, “Then eat before you drink. You haven’t had much food since yesterday.”
“I try to eat, Cai. If you thought getting that information from Orlando and Santiago was going to magically make me eat, sleep, and be fucking merry, you were wrong,” she snarled.
No one understood what she went through and she was tired of trying to make it okay for others.
“It’s been well over a year since he died. You don’t sleep, and you’ve lost a ton of weight. You need closure. You can’t survive like this,” her sister replied as she rounded the counter and grabbed her shoulders.
“You know what Cai? Closure is a myth. The most insidious myth ever created. I haven’t forgotten about him, or stopped loving him. Nothing can make his murder any less traumatic or tragic. There is no magical cure to erase his memories. My emotions aren’t a dry-erase board that can be wiped clean. It wasn’t your husband and best friend that was ripped from your life, so get off your fucking high-horse!” she sobbed and fell into her sister’s arms.
A large, hot hand settled on her back. “Why doona you have a seat. I’ll make you a drink.” She lifted her head as the deep timber of Zander’s voice sent goose bumps coursing down her spine. When she met his gaze, the emotions she saw floored her.
“That would be great, thank you.” Elsie walked over and settled into one of the chairs at her kitchen table. Cailyn helped Zander, giving her space to regain her composure. Still, no one was eating, and the tension in the apartment could be cut with a knife. That didn’t work for her. Not tonight.
She took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat. She threw her hands up in exasperation. “For crap’s sake, people, please lighten up and have some fun.”
Orlando and Santiago chuckled and headed towards the food. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m hungry as mountain lion. Can I fix you a plate?” Orlando asked.
An animalistic noise sounded in the apartment. Was Zander growling? As he approached, she lost her train of thought. It flew right off the track, and the heat that she felt before was now a blazing inferno. She wasn’t ready for the desire she saw in his eyes, and didn’t think she ever would be. Her devotion to Dalton produced guilt far too potent to ignore.
Zander prowled up to her and set the shiny bag in her lap then propped his hands on the arms of her chair. His hair brushed her cheek when he leaned in, and his warm breath was a lover’s caress against her cheek. She had to change her imagery. He wasn’t her lover, and never would be.
“For you, my sweet, Lady E. I hope these bring a smile to those luscious lips of yours,” Zander whispered.
She sat stunned as he kissed her cheek again. He hovered, waiting for her to lift her head. Chicken that she was, she kept it downcast. He stood over her for a few more seconds before he straightened and picked up a plate. She lifted her head and watched as he began piling it high with food, envying his healthy appetite.
She met her sister’s questioning gaze and shrugged then turned her attention back to the shiny bag. “Thank you for the gift, but you shouldn’t have,” she murmured.
“Nonsense. ‘Tis nothing. The drinks are ready, but I agree with your puithar. I’d feel better if you had something in your stomach before you drink. Can I get you some food?”
The letdown from their news still sat in her stomach like a stone. Her purpose in life was to hunt down and kill the vampire that murdered Dalton, but that wasn’t going to happen.
“Just a drink, please. I promise to eat in a bit, but I really need a drink,” she explained when she caught sight of his stern expression.
She glanced down at the unopened bag in her lap and felt awkward and rude. Zander went through the trouble of purchasing a gift, and he probably thought she unappreciated his gesture, which wasn’t true. Elsie peeked into the bag and pulled out green tissue paper which revealed several small boxes at the bottom of the sack.
A musky, oak fragrance wafted from the bag. It was Zander’s masculine scent, and it drove her crazy. Her skin tightened as a zing ran through her body. Her head swam. Where was that drink?
She clutched the tissue paper, fighting a warm rush. If she wasn’t mistaken, Zander was quite interested in her. She glanced over at him, and the lust was back in his eyes. It slammed into her, and she blushed furiously. She was in uncharted territory. She and Dalton had been high-school sweethearts, and she was not familiar with how to handle the situation.
Choosing the ignorance is bliss approach, she picked up the first box and lifted the lid. It was filled with gourmet chocolates. As she opened the remaining boxes, she discovered each had the delicious treats inside. Yum, she loved sweets. Before she indulged, she met Zander’s gaze and felt an odd constriction when his eyes revealed nothing. She stood on shaky legs and took three steps then stopped in front of him. He was very tall, and she had to crane her neck to look up at him.
“Do you give all your friends gourmet treats? If so, I’m glad we became friends. Thank you.” She stood on tiptoes and stretched her arms around his neck, hugging him. Every muscle in his body tensed and she worried she had offended him until he softened and clasped her back. Zing!
Her sister cleared her throat behind them. It was surprisingly difficult for Elsie to let go of Zander. She released him and tried to turn, but was unable to move. Zander’s grip was tight around her waist. She gazed into his eyes and murmured, “You have to let me go now.”
One corner of his mouth lifted along with one of his eyebrows. “Do I? I’m no’ accustomed to following orders. Typically, I’m the one giving them,” he husked, winking as he loosened his grip.
He picked up his plate of food as she smacked his arm. “Well, aren’t you Mr. Bossy Pants?” she teased then turned to her sister and took the drink she was holding out to her. “Thanks, sis. And, I promise I will eat. In fact, I plan to start with these chocolates.”
She sipped her drink and popped one into her mouth. Delicious. Chocolate and tequila, her favorite combination. She drank and watched the men interact with her sister for several minutes.
Orlando stopped next to her and picked up her empty glass. “Would you like me to refresh that?” A man after her own heart, especially since he didn’t gripe at her about eating.
She beamed at him and replied, “Yes, thank you.” A pleasant buzz was humming in her system, compliments of the alcohol.
She grabbed her chocolates and went to the living room. A salted vanilla caramel was calling her name.
“Mmmm,” Elsie moaned as she ate it, closing her eyes and enjoying the candy.
Her lids popped open when the cushion next to her dipped. Zander was beside her on the futon. A quick glance around told her Cailyn was talking to Santiago on the other side of the small room and Orlando was in her kitchen. All of a sudden, her apartment felt even more cramped.
Distracting herself from his presence, she picked up a honey saffron and lavender chocolate and took a bite. Not as good as the caramel, but tas
ty nonetheless. She tucked her legs up under her, sitting cross-legged and turned toward Zander.
“You mentioned giving orders. What do you do for a living?”
He set his fork down and put his arm across the back of the futon. “I head up a large…corporation. We deal with safety and security. What aboot you? The other evening you mentioned being a student. Do you work, as well?”
She took a bite of a peppercorn chocolate. Ugh, she thought and placed the uneaten portion back in the box. She didn’t want to be rude, but that tasted awful. She needed to wash it down with a drink.
“Orlando. Margarita, please?” He was handing it to her as quickly as the words left her lips. She took a healthy swallow and killed the nasty aftertaste in her mouth. Peppercorn and chocolate were a horrible combination.
“I’m a waitress at Earl’s. It’s close to UW, and the schedule works with my classes,” she answered, picking up another candy.
*****
Zander watched Elsie eat the caramel. The way she moaned her pleasure and closed her eyes was maddening. He clenched his fist and gulped his margarita. He needed to cool down. A bath in a tub of ice may do the trick.
“You like those,” he observed.
What had possessed him to bring her chocolates? He picked up on her love of candy from her thoughts during their last encounter, and was compelled to purchase her the best in the area. Dear Fates, he was flirting with a human. It was mistake and he needed to stop pursuing her. He didn’t need the problems that came along with her kind.
“Mmmm, these are incredible. My favorites are the salted vanilla caramels. The others are…unique. But, I could live on those caramels alone,” she groaned in ecstasy as she ate another.
She had a drip of caramel on her lip that he wanted to lick off. He ached to taste various places on her delectable body. His salacious thoughts did nothing to calm his raging erection. His fangs shot down for the hundredth time since entering her apartment, which only made matters worse.
They ached to sink into her flesh and taste her life’s blood. It was an urge beyond his control. Too many months had passed since he’d been able to feed properly, and he desperately needed blood. The revulsion he would see in her eyes stopped him from acting.
“You will have some every day then,” he declared, ignoring his better judgement. Truth be told, he would buy the damn store to see the joy on her face.
Elsie finished her second drink and waved her cup at Orlando. She already had the warrior wrapped around her finger as he jumped to refill her glass. And she called Zander bossy.
“Uh, I hate to tell you this, Mr. Bossy Pants, but you can’t say that. And, you definitely can’t buy me some every day,” she smiled, patting his cheek.
His eyebrow arched imperiously, and he took on the challenge she unknowingly issued with her words. “Doona be so sure aboot that, lass. I have powers beyond your imagining,” he whispered in her ear.
She laughed out loud at that. “You have powers beyond my imagination? What, can you leap tall buildings in a single bound? Oh, or do you have x-ray vision?” she giggled.
The mirth in her expression was breathtaking. He sat up straighter knowing he had brought her happiness.
Her sister strolled over and sat between him and Elsie. She grabbed up the empty candy box and huffed, “Wow, El, you could’ve saved one for me. It’s so good to hear you laughing again. And, I will help pay for the candy if it gets you eating.”
The sight of Elsie sticking her tongue out at her sister brought the blood right back to his groin. “Sorry, biz-nitch, they were too good to stop eating. Like Lays potato chips, you can’t eat just one.” The alcohol was obviously affecting her, he thought and enjoyed seeing her have fun.
“Funny, I don’t have that problem with Lays. It’s John I can never get enough of,” her sister tossed back.
Elsie broke into laughter then stopped and gaped at Cailyn. “I can’t believe you said that in front of all these guys.”
Santiago settled his muscular frame on the floor and leaned back against the wall. “It’s no big deal. We’re family now,” the bald detective declared.
Elsie smirked. “In that case, I need another drink, Cabana Boy,” she called to Orlando.
“Sure thing, cupcake. Always at your service,” Orlando said and bowed with a flourish in a joking manner. There was no doubt that the warrior liked her, and she seemed to like him, too. Jealousy had Zander wanting to punch his friend.
A knock at the door interrupted. Zander opened his senses and noted it was Gerrick and Jace. He watched Elsie’s shapely ass sway as she walked to answer the door. He wanted to take a bite out of that tasty flesh. And, his fangs were back. They wanted to sink into the vein running up her inner thigh. He cursed under his breath, willing them to retract.
“Um, may I help you?” Elsie asked, confusion on her face.
“Yeah, Orlando sent us a text and told us to bring this over,” came Gerrick’s voice.
“I’ve got this, El. Here’s your drink. Go back and join Zander and your sister.” Orlando said and pushed her back into the apartment.
“I think someone needs to start explaining what’s going on,” she exclaimed with her hand on her hip.
Orlando began talking, and for once, Zander was grateful for the insouciant warrior. “Honey, I cannot watch the Mariners on that dinosaur you call a TV. Plus, our Blu-ray discs won’t play in your ancient VCR. And, I can’t let you paint my nails without the proper chick-flick playing,” he teased and bumped Elsie with his hip.
“You assume I will allow any of you back into my house. I don’t need a new TV. Mine works perfectly fine,” she countered.
Zander braced for a battle between Elsie and Orlando. He already understood how stubborn she was.
Orlando chucked her chin lightly. “Ouch, that hurts. I thought I was irresistible. Think of this as being on loan for my viewing pleasure.”
Elsie flipped her hair over her shoulders, causing her curls to bounce before they settled against her back. Her honeysuckle scent hit him again, making him want this human beyond reason. She was going to be the death of him.
“Like I’d let you watch sports on my TV. No, it’s perfect for Food Network,” she retorted. “Snap to it, would ya? I want to watch that movie you promised.”
Saucy wench. He may have just fallen in love.
CHAPTER SIX
Cailyn gaped at the hot men who’d taken over her sister’s little apartment, and life. She was especially mesmerized by the gorgeous one with the beautiful, amethyst eyes and long, black hair. Something stirred in her chest and reached for him. She fantasized about undoing his long braid and running her fingers through it as he pleasured her body.
Where did that come from? Surely, she wasn’t that drunk. She’d only had two margaritas. Having such thoughts was so uncharacteristic of her.
“Jace, Gerrick, this is my sister Cailyn,” Elsie introduced the two new guys as they carried a TV between them.
Gerrick was frightening, and it was hard for her not to stare at the scar on his face. She wondered what happened to leave such a nasty mark. Feeling rude for gawking at the man, Cailyn’s gaze roamed back to Jace, and his captivating amethyst eyes.
Jace smiled slyly and set the box down. He reached a hand toward her and murmured, “It’s nice to meet you as well, Cailyn. Orlando didn’t warn me how beautiful you and your sister are. I suspect he was hoping to keep you for himself.”
He laughed when Orlando began punching him and cursing. Cailyn watched Jace and wondered at the feel of his full lips. Would they be soft when he kissed her?
Her sister plopped down next to her and heaved a sigh as the guys went about setting up the electronics. Cailyn saw right through Elsie’s feigned annoyance. Her sister had not smiled so much since before Dalton died. She grabbed Elsie’s hand and squeezed it.
“They are something else, aren’t they?” Cailyn asked.
“Yes, they are. Delicious eye candy,” Elsie muttered,
and they fell into a companionable silence, watching the men work.
Cailyn found she was helplessly transfixed by Jace’s bulging biceps as he hefted the TV out of the box and helped mount it on the wall. The muscles in his arms rippled under his dress shirt. And damn, when his chest flexed, and strained the buttons. Have mercy.
She prayed some of them would pop off and give her a peek. His chest tapered into a perfect V at his waist. Her gaze traveled down his pants, which he filled out nicely in the front. Righty, she surmised. Her mouth watered. She wanted a view of the back, too, and almost asked him to turn around. She slammed her lips back together before the words flew out. She didn’t want to embarrass herself or her sister.
She tapped into her ability and tried to listen to his thoughts. It was surprisingly difficult for her to pick up on anything. She only caught snippets, enough to determine that he was a doctor and was anxious to get to the hospital where he worked.
Without conscious thought, fantasies of them played through her mind. Energy raced through her bloodstream as she obsessed over this stranger. No matter how hard she tried to pry her eyes away, they didn’t budge. She’d never seen such a handsome man. Thoughts of her boyfriend, John, finally penetrated her lust-driven brain.
She stood, needing to get out of the room. It was one thing to fantasize about other men, but she was perilously close to acting on her desires. Her fingers itched to run across his copper skin. So long as she was involved with John, or any other man, indulging was off limits.
*****
They placed the TV on the wall, and suddenly, the most delectable aroma hit Jace. An enticing, cinnamon scent mixed with a hint of sultry, feminine heat teased his senses. He flared his nostrils and drew in a deep breath. His body hardened as he became unbearably aroused. This time, his arousal was not accompanied by anger, shame, hopelessness, and unbearable thoughts of his past.
His cell phone vibrated with a text message, cutting off his ruminations. “I have to get to Harborview. Catch you guys later. I’m on patrol with you and Rhys tomorrow night, right Santi?”
Bad Boy Billionaire Boxset Page 5
