Page 39 of Bound By Blood

“Lily, you shouldn’t have done that.”

“Obviously, you needed it. My new assistant can handle everything.” She grabbed the bottle of vodka and headed back to the table. She sat down and began pouring their drinks. The stinging scent reached her nose as it wafted in her direction. “Okay, well, I guess now we need to figure out how to get Landon to speak to you again. Obviously, looking for another guy is out of the question for now, with you falling for him and all.”

Carly blew out a breath and took the offered glass from Lily’s hand. “Well, we’re supposed to go on a trip soon.”

Lily downed her shot. “Was that before or after you were a total bitch?”

Carly frowned. “Well, before, but I don’t think he’ll change his mind about taking me.”

“Why? What makes you say that? I wouldn’t want to be stuck on a trip with someone who treated me like crap. What makes him so different?”

Carly scratched the top of her head. How the hell does she tell her this? “Because he needs my help . . . looking for something. Let’s just leave it at that. My point is we will be going on the trip, so maybe I can talk to him or something then?”

Lily looked at her for a long moment. “I’m not sure I like the sound of this, Carly. Surely, there are other people who can help him. You are really starting to worry me, you know. You keep being so damn vague when it comes to him.” She paused and pressed her lips together. “Is he . . . is he hurting you? Forcing you to do shit you don’t wanna do?”

Carly waved a hand in the air. “No, no. Nothing like that. None of it is dangerous, and he isn’t dangerous either,” she lied. “It’s just not my business to tell is all.”

The chair squeaked a little as Lily leaned back. “Okay,” she said hesitantly. “I can accept that, but you’d tell me if you were in trouble, right?”

Carly smiled sweetly at her, touched. “Yes, I’d tell you.”

“Okay, good.” Lily looked a little more relieved. “Then, if he has to take you on this trip, it would probably be your best bet to talk to him. However, you also have to accept the fact that the damage may already be done. I’m not trying to be mean here. I’m just saying, I know men, and they don’t like being yanked around like that.”

“So, what? Just tread carefully and try to talk to him?” Because she wouldn’t even entertain the idea that the damage wasn’t reversible.

“Pretty much. Just be honest with him. No matter how hard it is. You need to give him something, or he will cut you off completely. Guys like Landon, they don’t stick around if they believe it’s all one-sided. Does that make sense?”

She thought about it for a moment and then nodded. Lily gave her some time to think it over, but before she could say anything, her cell phone started ringing. Lily rose from her seat and went to pick it up off the counter. She frowned down at the screen, and then, to Carly, she said, “I’ll be back in a second,” before she disappeared down the hallway.

Carly watched her go until her own phone chirped with an incoming message. She picked it up and swiped at the screen, pulling up the message. Her heart jumped when she saw Landon’s name.

Jet leaves at 8 a.m. whether you are there or not. Pack warm.

Chapter 15

Landon Creed

Landon was sitting on the jet, sipping on a glass of bourbon and scrolling through his phone while he waited to see if Carly would show up or if she had finally realized that she was better off staying away from him. He had meant what he said in the text message; the pilot had orders to take off at eight a.m. sharp, whether she was there or not. And there was a part of him that hoped that she wouldn’t show as it would make the trip a lot easier to handle. He wouldn’t have to worry about her safety while also trying to convince Kata to tell him how to break the bond, which he wanted to do now more than ever.

The last four days had been miserable for him, and he felt more monster than man by this point. He hadn’t shaved, slept, or even fed. He was sure he looked like a mess, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was antsy, anxious, and on edge, not to mention starving. Then, when he had been sent on a few jobs for his father, he had been particularly ruthless in his torture, taking all of his anger and frustration out on his targets instead of the person he was truly angry with. This bond was proving to be far more trouble than it was worth.

The blood and their screams of agony had helped him though. It reminded him of who he was, of who he had been before Carly had come into his life. It also gave him hope that he could get back to that when they broke this bond between them, and that was all he really wanted. To get back to his old life where he could feed and fuck whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted. And he had already begun taking steps in the right direction.

Thankfully, Irma understood why he had left her at the bar when he told her that he had something come up that was work-related. She had asked if he wanted to go out again, and he told her he would once he came back. He still couldn’t bring himself to do so while he was bonded with Carly, but that was being taken care of.

Landon had also spent the last four days building the walls up around himself, hardening his heart once more. The only reason he had invited Carly along on this trip was because he had made a promise to her, and he always kept his word. It had been her idea after all, and she had insisted on accompanying him. But after this, he owed her nothing.

It had been fairly easy to persuade his father to let him leave the state. He had told him he had come across a property for sale that would make a great nightclub. He explained that he wanted to check it out and negotiate the price with the guy in person. Because Drayton was always trying to expand their reach, he had easily agreed and even gave Landon a few pointers. Not that he needed it.

Her familiar scent hit him only seconds before she stepped onto the jet. Carly was carrying a duffle bag with her, but not much else. He barely spared her a glance, but the dark circles under her eyes did not go unnoticed. He briefly wondered if she had been sleeping but crushed that thought the moment it entered his mind. It was not his job to care anymore.

Carly slid her bag beneath one of the seats just as the flight attendant came up to her. “Can I get you something to drink, ma’am?”

“No, thank you,” Carly replied softly.

The flight attendant nodded before turning her attention toward him. “Can I get you a refill, sir?” she asked him.

“Yes, please,” he replied with a panty-dropping smile as he gave her an obvious once-over. Her cheeks flushed as she poured some more bourbon into his glass.