Page 61 of Tortured Soul
I had no idea who this Becca was. Was it one of the girls working with Aymeric at the bakery?
“I’m not sure who she is,” I said with a small shrug.
“You don’t? She works at the clothing store a few streets over.”
Oh. Right. The cashier.
“I’ve talked to her once, for about a minute. Not sure there’s anything to brag about.”
He chuckled and picked a wine glass, pouring red wine before handing it to me.
“That’s more than most of anyone here,” he said.
I accepted the drink with a slightly forced smile, and turned to the side to look at the people in the room.
“You can’t blame them for being curious,” the bartender said, leaning on his elbows over the counter. “A lot of them have been lusting after Arc for quite a while now, and he never returned the attention.”
I narrowed my eyes at some of the bystanders looking my way. Some of them turned their eyes away in embarrassment.
I ignored the small pang of jealousy at the idea of Arc being with someone. I had no right to feel this way about him. Not when, without my soul, I could never be what he needed me to be.
“I mean, there was a bet going on about who would manage to finally seduce him, it kind of makes sense that aSuccubus—”
“People should mind their own business,” I snapped, turning abruptly toward him. “What’s your angle here? Are you searching for juicy gossip about Arc and Carter? Trying to get a rise out of me? You’re asking the wrong person.”
He took a step back, pinching his lips together.
“I was just making friendly conversation.”
“Were you?”
His eyes drifted behind me and he groaned, teeth grinding.
“Get lost,” the person at my back rumbled.
The hair on the back of my neck and my arms rose, my hands turning to fist on the counter.
The barman scurried away, grumbling something inaudible under his breath.
Of all people that could have joined me at the bar, it had to behim.
“I don’t understand what’s so special about you,” he drawled, sitting on the stool next to me. “You’re a damned Succubus. If you were atleasta powerful demon, I would have understood. But aSucc—”
“Will you shut up already? All of this is getting old, and fast.”
Carter scoffed, leaning over the counter to grab a bottle of beer by himself. He opened the cap using one of his rings.
“You shouldn’t talk to me like that. From what I saw yesterday, you’re barely able to defend yourself against a scum demon. It would be soeasyfor me to just destroy you and be over with it.”
I rolled my eyes and turned to face him. He didn’t put up much of an effort in his presentation, wearing a barely buttoned up khaki shirt and ripped Denim jeans. His hair was a mess of dark blond waves and his blue eyes were empty of any warmth.
At least he shaved…
“Been there, done that.” I sighed. “Didn’t end well for you, did it?”
His eyes darkened in anger, probably at the memory of Arc handing his ass to him for his behavior toward me.
“You think Arc will always protect you? It’s only a matter of time until he realizes that you’re worthless and that we’d be better off ignoring the mating link binding you to us. There’s something wrong with you. He’ll see it, eventually.”
