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I glanced back again. His brother, Sorin, had looked up from his phone and was watching us now with his head cocked. He gave me a polite smile when our eyes met, which I returned before quickly facing forward again, just as var Rorik was leaning over the bar to speak to the bartender.

“Do you do flaming shots here?” he asked, shooting me an amused smirk.

The bartender chuckled. “Afraid not, chief.”

“Ah, shame.” var Rorik flashed him a charming grin. “Just a glass of the souterraine and two waters then, please. And whatever else my, uh… friend here is ordering.”

After I’d rattled off the rest of my order and the bartender had walked off to start making our drinks, I side-eyed var Rorik with a weak glare.

“I thought the flaming shots discussion had been put to bed.” I immediately cringed at my choice of words. “No longer acceptable to bring up.”

var Rorik chuckled. “You’re not allowed to bring them up again. That was the deal.”

Ah yes, the deal we’d made while he’d been smoothing his ridged tongue over my clit and pinning my thighs open wide with his big, clawed hands. The agreement that if he made me come, I’d never mention the flaming shots again.

Had I actually agreed to it at the time? I couldn’t remember now. If I hadn’t, it technically didn’t count. Maybe I should demand a redo.

Our eyes met, the reflection of the glinting red gems in the chandelier above the bar dancing in his yellow ones. We were clearly both remembering it, his pupils big and wide, his gaze growing heavier as it drifted to my mouth. Then it dipped lower, just for a second, to trace over my frame before he cleared his throat and looked away.

I was wearing a plain black dress that reached mid-thigh and had a high, squarish neckline. It was my one evening-appropriate dress. I wore it to every event we held with a fitted grey blazer over the top, but tonight I had my denim jacket on. It was tight, which made me a little self-conscious of my nearly flat chest and barely there ass, but I’d bought it several years ago while shopping with Devi because she’d said it made my collarbones and shoulders look lovely.

It was a warm evening, so I wasn’t wearing any tights, just plain black boots with a chunky heel. I rarely wore jewellery, but I’d put some small gold hoops in my ears to look a bit more glamorous, and I had my hair down, which was rare. But as I glanced around the bar at all the human and demiurgus women in their expensive, elegant slub silk blouses and tailored, high-waisted trousers, trendy jackets and fitted jeans, I felt plain. A little boring. Usually, I didn’t care what I looked like—my clothes were practical and comfortable and that was all I was concerned about.

var Rorik was definitely the opposite. His thin sweater looked soft and expensive. His pants were tailored—just the right level of tightness to showcase his pert, round ass under his tail. Even his brown leather boots looked high-end. And there was his ever-present bling, which should’ve made him look like a douche—the diamond in his ear, especially—but it all suited him.

He could probably charm every single one of the available women in this bar. I could already see several of them giving him appreciative glances. But when I shot him a wary look, I froze as I realised his eyes had returned to me. His gaze was roaming down my bare legs before it drifted back up to meander over my collarbone and neck, then the hair falling over my shoulder.

My breath caught in my throat, but when var Rorik’s yellow eyes flickered to mine and he realised I was watching him, he looked away quickly as his ears fluttered. A second later, the bartender was placing a tray of drinks in front of us.

I’d forgotten to ask for the shots Tamyn had requested, and she must have been watching out for them like a hawk, because she appeared at my side a moment later.

“Boooo, no shots.” She slung her arm around my neck, looking over my head at var Rorik to flash him a flirtatious smile. “Hi.”

He gave her a brief smile back as he tucked his wallet into his pants pocket. “Hi.” Then his eyes returned to me. “See you around, Anita.”

“Yes.” I cleared my throat. “See you. Thank you for the drinks. I’ll make sure to tell my sister.”

“No problem.” He gave Tamyn a polite nod, then somehow gathered both the wine glass and his water glass into one hand, the right one still permanently embedded in his pocket for some reason.

“Who the fuck is that?” Tamyn whisper-shouted in my ear the moment he’d walked off. “Is he into women? Is he single? Can you introduce me?”

A flash of irritation drew my brows together as I carefully slid the full tray off the bar. “I don’t know,” I lied. “We’re just work acquaintances.”

“He has the most spectacular ass I’ve ever seen in my life.” She sighed as we made our way back over to the group. “But I guess I can’t hook up with someone on Devi’s birthday. She’s staying at mine tonight.”

My hands gripped the tray harder. Tamyn was tall and beautiful and fun and creative. And demiurgus. She’d probably suit Nuni var Rorik. They’d probably look amazing together.

But I found myself saying, “No, you probably shouldn’t.”

And when I was unable to stop myself from glancing over at his table in the corner, I found him already watching me. Not Tamyn.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Anita

T wenty minutes later, I was tense and edgy.

Tamyn had already pointed out var Rorik to Devi. When I’d let my sister know that we were loosely acquainted and he’d