“Two vampires fed on you tonight. Of course you needed it.”
I suppress a shiver at the mere mention of it. “How bad is it? This thing with Dante, I mean.”
“Depends.” Gray frowns, but doesn’t evade the question. “He’s always been the jealous type. I’m sure he thinks that you and I are together.”
“But we’re not,” I say too quickly. “Together, like dating, I mean.”
“That doesn’t matter to him.” Gray shakes his head. “He probably scented me on you and assumed the worst. The dead man, though? I’m not sure of his motive.”
“He sounds spiteful.”
“That’s a dangerous understatement.” Gray moves the coffee cup aside and folds himself forward, crossing his arms on the table. “Spiteful is an angry ex locking you out of your home. Dante would lock you in the house and set the whole place ablaze.”
“Oh, so he's fucking psychotic.” Of course Dante would check every single box thatwouldandcouldmake him a hot, but crazy, ex. The burst of energy I had before is gone; I’m tapped out. This has been the most exhausting night of my life.
“Millie, I’m… I’m sorry. I want you to know that.” Gray bows his head, silver-white hair spilling forward over his arms. I want so badly to reach across the table and run my fingers through it, to feel how feather soft each strand is against my skin. But I don’t. I pick at a fry and take an absent bite, chewing mindfully.
“It isn’t your fault. I mean, you couldn’t have known that this would happen, right?”
“You’re too forgiving.” He gives a little shake of his head, but doesn’t look up.
“We can handle him,” I say, startled when his head shoots up.
“No.” His voice is cold and harsh. “There’s no reason for you to get involved any more than you already are. I’ll handle him.”
“Seriously?” It wasn’t the response I was expecting, especially when I thought we made some headway tonight. “What is your issue?”
“It’s complicated.” Gray runs a hand through his hair and leans back against the seat.
“I bet it’s not.”
He levels me with his gaze. “I told you before… I don’t get mixed up with mortals.”
“Says the guy who turned my leg into a juice box forty minutes ago.” I squint, scrutinizing him with the full power of my face. He’s trying to pedal backward now. “Be real.”
Speechless, he rubs the back of his neck and groans. “It’s obvious that I’m not the best at controlling myself around you.”
“I’ll say.” I pick up another fry and bite into it heartily. “For someone who doesn’t want to get mixed up with a mortal, you were more than willing to add sex to our deal. Remember?”
“I do.” He flinches at the accusation. If he was alive, then I’m sure all the blood in his body would have turned his face red by now. It’s easy to see that I’ve caught him red-handed, and he’s embarrassed.
“Don’t make this into a thing, Gray.”
He considers me for a long moment, then sighs.
“The night we met, I mistook you for someone else,” he says, brows furrowed. “Do you remember?”
“I do.” How could I forget? It was partly the reason he didn’t kill me. If I'm honest, it still hurts to hear it said aloud. “Francesca, right? What about her?”
“She died, and I blame myself for her death.”
“What do you mean?”
“While I was locked away, she… she tried to help me and it cost her her life. Just like you’re trying to do now.” His entire body is rigid with tension. This isn’t something he’s forgotten about since the tower.
“Gray, that’s not fair! I’m not—” But I trail off. I’m notwhat? Her? The woman he lost? He knows that, right? He has to know that.
“I know what you’re going to say, but it doesn’t matter.” He crosses his arms tightly over his chest and bears the full weight of his gaze down on me, like I’m a child being scolded. “I promised myself that I wouldn’t let it happen again. And I plan to keep that promise, if only to do good by her memory.”
