Page 22 of Rebellious Harmony
“I’m just as responsible for this mess.My dad delivered her to me, and I didn’t make the call to Lord Stryker so she could take the vow.I knew I was playing a dangerous game, keeping her on tour, but I couldn’t bring myself to send her away.”
Bakari looks me over and grins.“You’re not claiming her.Interesting.What’s wrong with her?She seems great.”He leans forward and stares past me at Ava.
The fact that he’s looking at her fills me with hostility and dread.I hate his eyes on her.In reality, however, she’s fair game.
“Your loss, man.I would claim her in a heartbeat...Maybe I will.”He smirks at me and then moves around me to sit on Ava’s other side.
I take a deep breath and watch them out of the corner of my eye, getting more and more irritated with every giggle and smile she gives Bakari, ignoring me altogether.
A cocktail waitress arrives.“What can I get you all?”I toss a chip on her tray, and I look at Ava.
“What can she get you, sweetness?”She glances at me and then looks back at her machine.I tense.I hate that I no longer have her undivided attention.
“Umm, I’ll have a seltzer with lime.”Her gaze moves to me again.“I probably shouldn’t start drinking.I feel a bit off.”
Now I’m clenching my fists.I give Ava my guarded rock star smile.I want to rush her out of here, away from my friend, and ensure her safety in our suite, with my security, but I know that would confuse her.The concert’s in a couple hours, there’s still plenty of time to get her situated and comfortable.If an unmated Alpha from another vampire house catches her scent, all hell could break loose.It’s bad enough to have Bakari near her and showing interest.I can’t tolerate the thought of a strange Alpha placing a mate claim on her, biting her, taking her away from me, and promising her to their lord.As an unclaimed Omega with no necklace to signify her promise to Lord Stryker, any Alpha would have every right to take her from me.She has a say in our house but might not in others.
It’s fine.She’s safe with me.
“I’ll have a Sazerac,” I say, smirking.
“Oh my gosh, that is hilarious; Nolan Szasz wants a Sazerac...What are the odds?”Ava says, laughing.
I drape my arm across her chair to get as close to her as possible.I want to eat up her joy and bathe in her intoxicating scent.Bakari looks at my arm with an unreadable expression.
Joining in her laughter, I can’t help but think I’ll miss these moments once her Alpha mate claims her.Some other guy will hear her bright laughter, hold her warm hand, and the intensity of the jealousy that reaches up my throat is sharp and biting.Until Ava, I never had a reason to feel envious of anyone.
The waitress looks seductively at Bakari.“And for you?”
“Black Russian, gorgeous.”
The waitress smiles.“I’ll get your drinks to you right away.”
“Are you having fun yet?”I ask Ava, willing her to look only at me.
“Who, me?Yeah, I’m ready to lose all my money.Who needs money anyway?”she says, and chuckles to herself.Her soft laughter is infectious.
I haven’t told her, but since she was thrust into my life and has become a fixture in my tour bus, new lyrics are flowing effortlessly.One song in particular is about my new muse.I’m not sure I can share that part.Should a muse know of their role in an ’artist’s creations?It might make her feel like she has a more permanent role in my life than I’m prepared for.I can’t hurt her like that.
Sharing space with her has gotten difficult.Her enticing rosewater scent is getting stronger by the second, her Omega perfume encircling me like a delicious fog.I could bathe in her scent with the pleasure it provides me.Shit!Yet another sign that her heat is approaching.
“Whoo-hoo.Yes!I’m up by ten dollars.”Ava’s smirk is just as charming as her arresting smile.
“Are you doing dollar pulls?”I ask her, acting affronted.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?I’m not loaded.”Before she can stop me, I swipe my black card into her machine and wink at her.“Nolan, what are you doing?You can’t just give me your money to gamble with.”
“You are so wrong, sweetness.I just did.You should bet more.This will just make it more interesting.I’m curious how much of my money you can lose tonight.”
“That’s the whole point.I don’t want to lose your money.”
“Well, it looks like that decision has been taken from you,” I say, grinning at her, “Have fun, beautiful.”
Bakari looks at me and shakes his head.He knows I need to step up as an Alpha; if I don’t, he truly might take my place.
She glares at me when I wink and continue with my pulls.She might want to fight me on this, but we both know I have access to more money than I could ever need.Unlike Larissa, she’s more cautious of it than hungry for it.It’s just another reason to want her in my life.It’s my money; I can give it to whoever I want.What’s the point of having it if I don’t spend it?Giving it to the happy, gorgeous Omega sitting next to me feels right...and that’s terrifying.If I were her Alpha, I would slaughter anyone who even looked at her with desire.
Continuing to bask in her amazing scent, I try to focus on my games.She moves, and I watch as she removes her cream jacket and drapes it over the back of her chair.Her navy and white shirt shows off her collarbone, and I can’t help but look at her neck.I wonder what it would be like to taste her blood.She’s teasing me and doesn’t even know it.If her scent is any indication, feeding from her during claiming would be heaven.I glance at her gray skirt and then down at her blue heels to stop the thoughts of biting her and her delicious curves.Curves that are driving me to madness.
