Page 50 of Vulnerate

Fitting into her role, Lilah strokes across my shoulders and her body language doesn’t match the conversation as she says, “My brother wants to speak to you.”

Hiding the topic from our audience, I tilt her chin up as I watch Dani turn green, so fucking beautiful.

“Did he send you to sweeten his deal?” I ask.

I’m not even looking at her and she laughs lightly following my line of sight. “You’re not my type, Valentin.”

I think I’ve fucked her before so that’s clearly bullshit, and she stares back at me with a smirk. Keeping my voice low creating the false picture of intimacy, I lean into her. “What’s your type?”

She looks over her shoulder towards Dani, her smile faltering slightly as she hums with her answer. “Hmm, mine. Not obsessed with someoneelse.”

I’m not going to correct her, even if obsession weakens what I feel about my artist. Tapping her thigh, I nod my head for her to get up and she pouts waiting for me to stand. My nape heats as I follow her to the elevators hidden amongst the private rooms. The Courts are weird as fuck with all of their habits and sneaky entrances, I never know where I’m supposed to meet them. Dani hasn’t taken her eyes off me as I turn to see her before getting in the elevator to go see the nutcase.

She can think whatever she wants but this is business and if I’m going to become a Vor, I need to do the shit Vlad does and learn to compartmentalize like the neurotic fuck. It helps that the back rooms have full length two way mirrors so I can watch Dani comfort her body like it’s my own private show and make sure no fucker touches her. Including my brother.

NINETEEN

Daniela

Ican’t tear my eyes away from where I last saw Val as we make our way back to the table from the bar. The stupid bastard had his hand on my thigh and didn’t even stop someone sitting on his lap. I’m not drunk but I’ll use that to excuse my actions in the morning as I turn to Tali and hope he repays the favor I once did for him.

Keeping my voice low so no one overhears my petty plotting, I lean forward speaking into his ear, “Do you remember Jess?”

We were dumb teenagers, but she broke his heart by cheating on him. Understanding washes over him and he pulls me closer, remembering how I helped in his pettiness. He kisses my cheek as he asks, “Want love or lust?” The question is weird, until he explains further. “Lust will make them angry. Love will hurt.” Kissing my cheek again he pulls me up, so I’m sat across his thighs and asks into my neck, “Who is it?”

I’m not going to tell him it’s his brother. There’ll be a whole conversation and I don’t need to relive the night Tali tried to warn meaway from Val by telling me every fucked up thing he’s done bracketed by the words “cursed dick.” When I don’t answer he keeps his face in my neck, there’s no movement against my skin but to everyone else’s eyes we’re doing more than having a conversation.

“Want me to beat the shit out of him?”

It’s not a token offer and he gives me a warning before putting his hand on my thigh.

Anger parts the crowd as Val emerges, alone. Not looking away from him, I move back and become a toxic asshole using my own friend. There’s no pause in his movements as I get further away, and Tali plays the role of a lifetime, banding an arm around my waist like he can’t bear not to touch me as he pushes his head into my neck again and directs my toxicity.

“Hug my arms, laugh, then look up at me.”

Blowing a raspberry on my neck to get the reaction he wants he winks down at me.The fake smile on his face doesn’t match the violence laced between his words.

“Are they watching you?”

I turn in his arms so I can check, and Val is glaring not watching.

“Yeah, he’s not looked away since you touched me.” Being a nosy shithead, he tries to turn but I hook my arms around his neck to stop me getting caught.

The immaturity leaves as he turns serious, asking, “Did he hurt you?”

I don’t know how to answer. Val hurt me and he didn’t at the same time. I did it to myself by ignoring who he really is. I know what he’s really asking though, and I don’t have to lie.

“No,” I say confidently, “he’s moved on and I don’t want him to think I can’t.”

I want Val to hurt, to know that I think as little of him as he does me.

Tali drops the topic, thankfully, and he holds my hips, discreetly positioning me how he wants me and leans down so I have an unobstructed view of his asshole brother. “Can you see him?”

He’s all I can see, even with the crowd moving around us and the other people at the table. I could pick Valentin out of a line up blindfolded. My voice is low, and my lips don’t move as I give one word in confirmation. “Yeah.”

Tali pulls me closer and plays his role, pretending to kiss up my neck. “Look in his eyes for a second, then pull my head back by my hair like you can’t stand not touching me.”

Soaking Val up one last time, I do as instructed.There’s no lust coursing through my body, but jealousy and rage pour off Val in the final snapshot as Tali brings us face to face and sticks his tongue out at me. Their eyes are similar in hue, but they don’t stir the same feelings inside me. I don’t get lost in his eyes like I do with Val. There are no sandy parts, Tali’s have darker edges of blue that are nearly black.

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