Page 28 of Vampires and Violas

“I have to run upstairs, too,” I quickly add.

“Sure,” Ashlyn answers. “We can’t leave until everyone clears out anyway.”

“You can handle that, can’t you?” I ask Cassian. “Clearingeveryoneout?”

I don’t have to tell him I mean Ashlyn as well. The vampire might not be psychic, but he’s not an idiot either.

“Of course,” he says smoothly.

Shooting daggers with my eyes, I let my gaze linger on him for another second, and then I head up the stairs after Noah.

My ex-conservator waits for me next to Max’s pool table. He turns to face me when I join him, unimpressed.

“I didn’t say I wanted to go to that axe-throwing place with Cassian,” I tell him, feeling the need to defend myself.

“And I didn’t say I thought it would be fun to join you.”

“You know what Ashlyn is doing, right?”

His expression hardens. “Trying to set you up with a vampire prince?”

“Yes, but mostly, she wantsyou. And she’s realized we’re somehow connected, so she’s cozying up to me.”

“The only person I’ve seen cozying up to you is Cassian.”

“I don’t like Cassian.”

He frowns, looking pensive. “I don’t think he likes you either.”

“I know. What’s his deal?”

“He wants us to get back together, partially thanks to his guilty conscience, partially because he’s ancient and bored, and he’s decided the situation is amusing.” He sighs, vexed. “He thinks if he makes me jealous, I’ll fight for you.”

“That’s ridiculous and juvenile, especially for someone so old.”

Noah grunts.

I avert my gaze to the pool table’s green felt top. “But…is it working? Are you jealous?”

Noah turns his head to face me. Like a magnet, I meet his eyes. The air becomes charged between us.

After a long moment, he steps closer and drops his voice. “Maybe.”

My stomach clenches, and those butterflies I ordered away come out of their hiding spots.

“Even though you know what he’s doing?” I add, a touch breathless.

He nods.

I swallow, growing flustered. “So…did Ashlyn give you a plant?”

“Yeah.” He smirks. “Does that bother you?”

“A little.”

“Because it came from a grocery store? Or because you don’t like my hands on another girl’s greenery?”

I bite back a smile. “That’s an odd way to phrase the question.”

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