Page 29 of Just Dare Me
And Jay’s not through yet. “Everybody, listen up. I know that we work together, we have jobs to do, and you all have other people in your lives, family and friends. But for me, you’re it. You’re not my 9 to 5’s, got it? You’re my 24/7’s and 365’s. You’re my family. Nora, tell them you know how I feel.”
Her face glows with adoration. “I knowexactlyhow you feel.”
“I second that emotion,” Russo chimes in.
Jay kisses my forehead. “Shayne?”
“Well, duh.” I slap Muppet on the butt, and he barks. “Muppet says ‘Me too.’”
That leaves only Charlotte. After thinking it over, she surprises us all by taking off her sunglasses. It feels like months since I saw her eyes. Her typical flinty expression softens almost to a smile. “Us too. Me and Matt.”
The feeling that settles in among us at that moment is somehow both calming and energizing. I feel my dominance sighing with great relief, while expanding with confidence at the same time. I feel like a battery that’s been on empty for so long now finally getting plugged in, charging up, crackling with new energy.
“All right, then,” Jay says, his voice husky with emotion. “Let’s have us a wedding. Danny, we’ll need you to do the honors. I’d apologize for putting you on the spot, except that I know you’re absolutely loving this.”
“Are you kidding? There werethreepeople born for this moment—the two of you to get hitched, and me to pronounce the words.”
Nora sniffles and dabs a coat sleeve at her eyes.
I give her a playful shove. “Are you kidding me? We haven’t even started yet!”
“I’m sorry! You guys are just too much.”
Jay rubs his eyes. He looks exhausted. Run down. “Well, I hate to kill the mood, but there’s one more thing we have to do before we start.” He lowers his voice to a murmur. “We have to invite Dominique.”
I’m pretty sure that I literally hear a record scratch. “Ew, no!”
“Shhhhh. I know it’s not ideal, but trust me, we need to do all we can to stay in her good graces.”
“Good graces? She’s not a real queen, Jay. She’s just a spoiled brat.”
“I know it, I agree. Hell, she knows it too, believe it or not. You think she doesn’t realize that nobody can stand her? But for a vampire queen, acting like anything but a total diva tyrant would just show weakness. It comes with the job.”
“Are you defending her?”
“Only because Dominique is the whole reason I’m here right now.”
“That’s funny, because I thoughtIwas the reason you’re here.”
“You know what I mean. Dominique is the one who’slettingthis happen. Look, we’re playing a game of high-stakes Capture the Flag between six different teams, andI’m the flag. That makes Dominique queen of the hill at the moment. Having me gives her all the leverage, so letting me come here is a big risk. And to be honest, I feel safer with her than with any of the other teams. We know what the East Side wants to do to me; same with Theo Coltrane and the Cleveland vampire clan; Washington can’t be trusted, and the FUA might be compromised. Am I right?”
“Spot on,” Charlotte confirms.
“Okay, so I’m not asking anybody here to side with Dominique, or to like her. Only to play along. Stroke her ego a bit. I mean, really, when she’s alone, she’s not that bad.”
Speaking of Capture the Flag, a big red flag is now waving frantically in my mind. “Oh, really? Is there a lot of this alone time, Jay? When she’s ‘not that bad?’”
“Babe, what do you want me to say? She gets what she wants, and I’m her shiny new toy. I’m like her pet, like if a cat had a tiny pet bird, and she can’t decide if she wants to be friends or just eat me. Now, can we please just invite her in already?”
Jay knocks on the back window, and immediately the passenger door opens. Dominique slinks in, clutching at her fur cape against the cold. She skewers Charlotte with a dagger glare. Sighing with exasperation, Charlotte takes the hint, scooting over to make more room. Russo doesn’t mind at all. He and Charlotte now occupy the space of one seat, while Dominique claims half the bench for herself. We’re crammed in like sardines.
An awkward silence settles in. Dominique stares expectantly from face to face. Jay gives me a little pinch, prompting me to speak. I clear my throat. “Dominique, hello again. Thank you…forgracingus…” Jay pinches me harder. I pinch him back. “Thanks for being here, and for bringing Jay back to me.”
She tips her perfectly pointed chin up to me and snaps, “Don’t thank me. I’ve told him repeatedly that this is a mistake.”
“I know it’s a risk, him coming out of hiding and all, but—”
Her eyes flash with indignation. “I’m not referring to him coming out of hiding. Do you think I can’t protect my own? The mistake to which I refer is him marryingyou.”
