Page 46 of Viper

And he apparently thought that she was going out of her way to avoid seeing him. Not the case, but she didn’t need to explain that to him. Didn’t need to sayanythingto him. In fact, she should end this conversation, block his number, and go on about her evening.

It would be smart. It would also drive home the point that she had no interest in conversing with him. To continue theconversation would be … well, not quiteflirting. But it would encourage him, wouldn’t it?

Yeah, she should definitely block his number.

What Ella instead did was settle at the dining table, her phone in hand, and type a response:I’m not avoiding you. My sister has a situation that needs her immediate attention.

Setting her phone down on the table, she sighed at herself for having such poor self-control. Ella couldn’t say what it was about this guy that made her go against her own good sense, but there seemed to be no changing it.

At least her demon wasn’t passing judgement. As it happened, the entity quite liked that he’d gone through the trouble of getting her number. It liked the idea of being pursued by someone as dark and powerful as him.

If Ella was honest, she could admit to herself that she did, too.

When she’d seen nothing of him following that night at the Red Rooms, she’d concluded that the whole “I’ll come for you if you don’t come to me” claim wasn’t something that she’d needed to take seriously.

She’d spent days telling herself that she didn’t care; that it was for the best. But in truth, she’d found it slightly disappointing. Not shocking, though. After all, why would he need to pursue Ella when women no doubt regularly flung themselves at him?

Her gut went tight at the thought of that.

Another message popped up on the screen:Anything I can help with?

Ella double-blinked, surprised by the offer. The Black Saints were an exclusive bunch. They made alliances, but they generally didn’t get involved in other people’s business. Or so she’d been told.

She picked up her cell and texted:Thanks, but Mia has it covered.Pausing, Ella nibbled on her lower lip.I’m not sure ifI should be annoyed that you went ahead and got my number without my permission.

More dots bopped on her screen.I couldn’t ask your permission without talking to you, and you haven’t come to me yet.

Ella swallowed, her stomach dropping.Why would I?

You want to.

“Arrogant bastard,” she muttered. “Acorrectarrogant bastard.”

Why fight it?

Sighing, she typed:I told you, I’m not into meaningless sex. I get that my behavior the other night might have given a different impression, but that was an aberration for me.

Sex doesn’t have to be meaningless, Ella.

Well, that was true. She’d had flings that, though they hadn’t been serious or stepping stones to relationships, hadn’t been meaningless. They’d been fun, light, and even made her smile when she thought back on them.

But he wasn’t asking for a fling. Or, at least, it didn’t seem that way. He just wanted them to roll in the sack again.

Right then, another message appeared:Come to me.

“Why do I have to be the one who goes anywhere?” she grumbled even as she texted:Do you do this a lot? Text women demanding they go tend to your needs?

The phone in her hand began to ring, his number showing on the screen.

She stilled. “Oh, shit.” Her demon chuckled, amused that he had Ella all befuddled.

Clearing her throat, she thumbed the screen and answered, “Hello?”

“Baby.” The word was low. Soft. An amused reprimand. “I’m not demanding anything of you. I want you to come to me of your own free will.”

It was wrong that she was developing a crush on his voice.

“Sure, I could instead kiss your consent right out of you. But then you’d tell yourself you got swept along for the ride again; that you had another moment of weakness.”

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