Page 65 of Roman

Danny was getting awfully tired of Luc finding everything about him “interesting.”

“We’ve only known each other a few days,” he gritted out through clenched teeth.

“Of course, of course.” Luc’s voice was a parody of sympathy. “But still, you love him already, don’t you?”

What was it with everyone trying to pull love confessions from Danny today?

“He tends to have that effect on people,” Luc continued. “And I’m sure he’s very fond of you too. Staying here even with the big, bad wolf in town.” He reached out with the hand not gripping Danny and pushed a piece of hair behind his ear, a horribly intimate gesture.

Danny suppressed a shudder. It felt wrong to be touched by this vampire. He only wanted to be touched byhisvampire.

“Tell me,” Luc crooned. “Has he made you promises? Vows to stay by your side forever?”

“I know where this is going. You’re not going to make me doubt him.”

Luc smiled again. “Wouldn’t dream of it. But I think it’s important to have all the facts when making big decisions like these, don’t you? He promised me forever too, you know. Promised he’d stay by my side, through thick and thin. And at the first sign of difficulty, he was gone. Like I wasnothing.”

Danny wasn’t sure trying to kill your best friend counted as just a “sign of difficulty,” but regardless, there was real pain behind Luc’s words. Danny could feel it. There would have to be, for Luc to be so fixated on Roman. And Danny knew what it felt like to be left behind by those you loved. He may not have murdered anyone about it, but still. “I don’t understand why you two don’t just talk it out.”

“Oh, you sweet, naive little boy.”

Rude, but okay.

Luc’s grip on Danny tightened to the point of pain. He’d have bruises from the vampire’s fingers. “Monsters like us don’t just ‘talk it out.’ Wefightit out. And mere mortals should be very careful about getting caught in the crosshairs.”

“My brother wasn’tinthe crosshairs though, was he?”

Luc tutted. “You’ll have to take that up with Soren. I apologized already, and I’m frankly a little bored talking about it. Now, when I let you out—graciously leaving you unharmed, I’d like to point out—I need you to tell Roman something for me.”

Danny’s irritation got the best of him. “What is this, grade school? Tell him yourself.”

Luc hummed at that. “Well, see, I’m a little worried that after this morning, he might be in a bit of a ‘punch first, ask questions later’ kind of mood.’”

“Well then, wasn’t that the whole point of attacking Gabe? Sending your message?”

“I told you,” Luc gritted out. Apparently Danny wasn’t the only one getting irritated by this exchange. “I gotannoyed. Things didn’t go quite as planned. Probably shouldn’t have bothered at all, but it seemed convenient at the time.”

Danny thought about the vacant look in his brother’s eyes, the confusion and fear Gabe had shown him. The impending surgery and weeks of recovery ahead of his brother, all because Luc “got annoyed.” Danny’s blood boiled. A noise he’d never made before came out of him.

Luc just laughed, the absolute dick. “Did you justgrowlat me? Adorable. Tell your boyfriend I want him to keep his promises. A man should be held accountable for his words.”

“That’s it? That’s the big message?” Honestly, Danny expected more maturity from centuries-old beings.

“That’s it. I find simple is best with these things.” Luc released his grip on Danny. “Now run along before your white knight comes bursting in. You stink of human, and it’s making me hungry.”

Danny hated that he was shaking as he exited the supply room, walking down the hallway as fast as he could without it being technically considered running.

How was this his life right now?

He was getting awfully tired of being threatened and pushed around and just generally messed with. He may not have been physically strong enough to fight back when it came to Luc, but he wasn’t willing to just sit around and play the victim either.

He may be a human, but he wasn’t weak.

It was time for a conversation.

sixteen

Roman

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