Page 77 of Cruel Legacy

I had to sit through another one of his “She’s on our shit list” rants. I get it. We’re planning to annihilate her in public fashion, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun along the way.

I’ve shadowed her enough to know that watching from a distance won’t reveal anything. All she does is go to classes and take long walks. I don’t mind when she goes to the beach, but I draw the line when she’s off traipsing through the woods. I leave getting bitten by fleas and wood ticks to Holden.

Thankfully, Pax was outvoted. Sometimes coming right out and asking people questions gets better results, and since I’m not studying, now’s a good time to start the interview process.

I gather up my things and slide down the railing to the first level. I smile at a few people I recognize before slipping into the spot across from Thea. She drops her head lower, trying to ignore me. It’s ok. I don’t mind waiting. She’ll talk eventually. At the four minute fifty-seven second mark, she looks up and scowls at me.

“What do you want?”

“A lot, Pet. I have dreams and ambitions in abundance. How much time do you have to listen to my list?”

“None.”

“Okay, so shall I just give you my top three? A new set of pointys, a nap, and watching you smile.”

“Just like I thought.” She grumbles. “You’re here to waste my time and yours, because I can’t help with any of those things.”

Sliding my gaze along her body, I say, “I disagree. I think you’re the perfect candidate for all three.”

Initially, it was a joke but now that I’m thinking about it, she absolutelycanhelp fulfill my daydreams. Her tits are pointing at me. I can do delicious things to them to make her smile, and afterwards I’ll be ready for a nap. Besides, experience has taught me that a little pillow talk is a great way to get a woman to lower her defenses and spill all her or her husband’s secrets.

I give her my most charming smile. Any second now, she’ll start blushing. Any second. I scan her neck for that first hint of a flush, a pounding pulse.Anything.

“What are you doing?”

“What?” I’m still watching, waiting for her skin to pink up. Did she not get embarrassed about me giving her the full weight of my stare? She should be squirming in her seat by now. Maybe I should pull out some French.

“Why are you staring at my throat? Are you one of those vampire people or something?”

Vampire? “I don’t mind blood or getting it on my hands and clothes, but I don’t drink it, if that’s what you mean. Do you know people who really do that? Wow. Yeah. Not my thing.”

“Okay, so same question. Why are you fixated on my neck?”

Maybe she didn’t catch my flirty banter before. I try again, adding an obvious compliment to the mix. “It’s a pretty neck.”

“Thank you.”

“It’ll look even prettier with some nibbles on it.”

“I thought you just said you’re not into biting.”

Awe. She’s trying to catch me in a lie. She’ll have to pay better attention to my words to do that.

“No, Pet. What I said was I don’tdrinkblood, though I’m happy to lick it off of the right object. But now, we’re talking about biting and other markings I’m into.”

She drops her head back down and flicks her finger across her phone screen, ignoring the very obvious meaning to my words. “What about you?”

She sighs, like I’m bothering her. “Me, what?”

I ignore the whole dramatic sighing thing. She’s not annoyed. She likes spending time with me. Our bonding time just keeps getting interrupted. “Do you chomp on necks?”

She lifts her head and looks me dead in the eyes. I like that she makes eye contact with me. Most people have a problem doing that. Like staring at one of The Trium is a bad omen or something.

“Not in a fanged way, but yeah, I’ll wrap my teeth around some flesh when warranted.”

She gnashes her teeth together, trying to intimidate me. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Nobody ever tries to scare us off. They just fall at our feet. This is new. Her scowling and slamming doors in our faces. Calling us names.Out loud.I think I like this game.

I go to pull her phone over to see what she’s reading. A flash of steel embeds itself between my fingers.

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