Page 75

Nuni

I managed to escape Carnelians without bumping into Beryl, who I’d heard Corva mention being here with. It wasn’t that I

actually disliked Beryl, but if she called me Pooni in front of Corva, the embarrassing nickname might get back to Anita.

And that could not happen.

Luckily I’d given Sorin my keys so he could wait in the car while I took a piss before we left, but my brother did not look happy when I finally slid into the driver’s seat.

“What the fuck, dude? You took ages.”

My ears fluttered weakly as I cleared my throat and grabbed the keys off him to start the car. “Sorry, bro. Bumped into an acquaintance and lost track of time.”

I could feel his eyes on me as I pulled away from the kerb.

“An acquaintance,” he echoed dryly. “So why’s your hair all messy and why is there a bite mark on your neck?”

I refused to answer, pretending I was concentrating on driving.

“Was it that human woman you were talking to at the bar?” he asked slyly.

“What?” I barked out a laugh. “Who? What?”

“Smooth. So what’s her name? Do you know her, or was this just a horny one-off with a stranger?”

“She… Yeah, I know her.” My voice was rough. “She’s, uh, the event planner for my firm’s anniversary event.”

Sorin laughed. “I see.”

Sudden panic gripped me. “But you can’t mention her to anyone in the family, bro. Seriously. She works for Beryl’s friend Corva, and Corva can’t find out that we…”

“Oh. Right, okay.” He glanced over at me. “Like a conflict-of-interest thing?”

I scowled. “I guess. She just doesn’t want her boss finding out.”

“Fair enough. So… are you dating her?”

“What?” I burst out laughing, maybe a touch too loud and harsh. “No, dude. It’s just…”

I forced myself to give a casual shrug, even though my insides were getting all tight as I pictured Anita’s dark eyes gazing into mine. Her hands on my chest over my pounding hearts. The soft sounds she made into my mouth while I was touching her.

The way my hearts had stuttered when I spotted her across the bar. How I hadn’t been able to tear my eyes away from her long legs and slender neck and the sweep of silky dark hair falling over her narrow shoulders. It had felt so nice between my fingers as she teased my cock with her full lips and tongue. Thick and smooth and almost cool to the touch.

And fuck, she’d smelled so good. When I’d felt her pulse rabbiting beneath my lips as I kissed her neck, something weirdly possessive had come over me.

I shook it off with a sharp jerk of my head, realising I hadn’t finished answering Sorin.

“She’s hot,” I said woodenly as we made our way out of the city and toward the suburbs.

“I see.” Sorin was quiet for a moment. “She was very pretty.”

“Yeah.” I coughed awkwardly and changed the subject. “So how about you? Met anyone recently?”

He snorted. “That would require leaving the house.”

I frowned. “You do leave the house. You came to see Greid tonight.”

He’d asked if I wanted to meet him there before we went for a drink, but I’d made up some excuse about running late. I’d only been to Greid’s house a handful of times, always with Mom and at least one other sibling in tow, and I always got the sense that he hated me being there.