Page 4 of V for Vindictive

Mia’s lips lifted mischievously. “When had I said I didn’t like a good makeover?”

Tiff giggled and stole a glance at the group of men hovering at the front of the cave, ready to go out for their nightly scout. “The whole evening out was Mia’s idea.”

Shocked, I offered the goth seductress a flabbergasted look. “This was all your idea?”

Bending down to fix a spot along my lips, one of Mia’s fingers lingered along my jaw. “Just enjoy yourself. You deserve to take a break.”

Mia proved more complicated and mysterious with every new nugget of information I discovered about her, and I was wholly enslaved. I wanted to know all I could about the she-wolf now that it was clear I hadn’t a fucking clue who she truly was. Mia was an enigma.

Really, there weren’t words that expressed how outright befuddled I was by the turn of events as Tiff pushed me towards the front and into the view of the rest of the group. Aka, the men.

In a pair of slacks and name-brand shirt that exposed his powerful but slim build, Sloan looked like an A-list celebrity. His hair was tossed back in a way that spoke of talented fingers and an attention to detail. Not out of the norm, but tonight was another level entirely for the Brit.

Is he actually glowing right now?

I eyed the treetops, convinced he’d caught a stray beam of moonlight. But sources of light were scarce outside of thin threads peeking through the overhead, none of which aimed his direction.

Theory confirmed—the man was glowing.

Ice-blue depths landed on me first with intrigue, and then with the intention to devour every inch of my body. It did things to my pulse that made me fidget under the intense scrutiny, and my heart failed to beat in any way effective for what I worried would be the rest of the evening.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, love.” In his sensual accent, the compliment landed with the precision of his blades and put me into a full-blown swoon.

What a devil this man is.

It was going to be a long night if I didn’t figure my shit out and get my body to listen. Or if Sloan kept sweeping me off my feet with straight-forward comments like that one.

I don’t stand a chance in hell.

Sloan wasn’t Phillip, so the way he looked at me was different. But it wasn’t any less provocative or lustful. No, if anything, it was a hundred times worse because Sloan didn’t give out his lascivious looks to just anyone.

The subtle smirk the Brit gave me was specially crafted for me and me alone, and I couldn’t deal. Even though it was likely seconds, the waySloan’s eyes moved over my body felt like hours. And by the end of his inspection, every bit of embarrassed, fascinated interest was sure to show on my face.

So much for Hunter training…

Intense heat reached my face, turning my cheeks cherry-red when Sloan came forward and offered me his hand. His other arm was bent behind his back like this was some Victorian period courting and he was a gentleman calling on a lady. “It’s my honor to accompany you on a night out, milady.”

Holy shit.

I placed my hand on his, not totally loving how easily he got me to comply. “Uh, sure thing.”

“What a joke,” Nigel mumbled. “I don’t get Hunters.”

Topher scoffed beside him, agreeing. “Neither do I.” Topher grunted, all animal, his voice softer than Nigel’s. “Got to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in a long time.”

Despite the peanut gallery and their vicious barbs, Sloan barely responded. Instead, the other Hunter took gentle hold of my hand before guiding my arm through the loop of his. “I hope you don’t mind, but I made reservations at a restaurant. I thought we could walk around the nearby town to do a little shopping afterwards.”

After escaping Eros and fleeing to the US, nothing I wore were clothes I owned. Everything was either from Mia or Tiff, and a lot of what I’d sported lately was to their taste. I wasn’t one for shopping, but the idea of picking out something that felt more like me was massively appealing.

It was just another reason to admire how much the other Hunter thought about me, and I spared a moment to get my pulse under control again.

“Shopping?” I asked, jaw a little lax in light of his affectionate demeanor. “Um, sure?”

The Brit’s tender smile hit me the same way his compliments did. “I’d like to buy you a few things, if that’s okay. All to your specifications, of course. But do me this little favor—let this unworthy bloke feel like he’s helped you decide.” Sloan winked at me, and I let loose a giggle that was by far the cutest and most girly of my life.

If this was how Sloan bewitched women, it worked. Holy shit, it worked so well even I was clinging onto every word he said. It was effortless and potent, and nothing like how Phillip played his hand.

I’m doomed.

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