A knock at the door pulls our attention away, interrupting the post-orgasmic bliss. The door blows up without a secondwarning, and Tannis is in the doorway. They blur over to the bedside and dump a pile of clothes on my legs unceremoniously. They spare us no extra glance or uncouth remark before they are back at the door.
“Get dressed,” Tannis commands, their voice hard and deep. Something about it signals the alarms in my head to go off in a panic. “We have company.”
Gray is out of bed with his pants already on when he asks, “Company?”
“It’s Dante,” Tannis says, their tone tipped with irritation.
“What?” Both Gray and I say at the same time.
“He came alone,” Tannis says. “He wants an audience with all of us. Now, get dressed and meet me at the stairs.”
The door closes, leaving us alone. I steal a quick look at Gray, who barely has a shirt over his head. He doesn’t look happy, not that anyone would if their toxic, murderous ex was hanging around. I would say he has the right amount of shock and indifference teeming in his expression for just such an occasion.
“Why is he here?” I sit up and pull at the clothes Tannis dropped on the bed. Leggings and a crop top.No underwear, no bra? Jesus. If Dante doesn’t like me now, he’s not going to like me with my nipples and tits poking through this tee.
“I have a number of guesses,” Gray says, sitting on the edge of the bed as I crawl out to get dressed. “But I think we’re going to find out.”
The leggings fit like a glove, and the crop top does very little to hide me from view. Thankfully, though, the hem does fall past the curve of my underboobs, giving it a more modest look. Sometimes being short has its benefits. Still, it’s obvious that I’m not wearing a bra, something I’ll have to rectify at some point. I can’t keep wearing Tannis’s lover’s clothing. I need my own, especially my own underwear.
Definitely need to go back home at some point.
“Millie…” Gray stands and presses a firm hand against my back. “I won’t let him hurt you.”
A nervous laugh escapes me. “Likewise.”
“You’re too brave for a human, do you know that?” He smiles, and it makes my heart pound.
“I know. I was born with the audacity.” Have to be, otherwise I have to admit that I was lying about being afraid. Dante does scare me, and it isn’t just about what he can do; it’s about what he’s like.
“Stay close,” Gray says before pressing a kiss to my lips. It’s quick and light, but it gives me a little boost of confidence.
Hand in hand, we hurry out of the room and meet Tannis at the stairs. They look disheveled and annoyed, which doubles the moment we join them. I’m sure this isn’t the reunion either of them imagined when the irrevocable happened, in that Dante would eventually show up.
“Could you have taken any longer?” They scrub at their face with a gruff sigh.
“He came alone, you said?” Gray ignores their attitude in an attempt to shift attention from us to the current situation.
“He did,” Tannis confirms with a subtle nod. “Let’s not keep hismajestywaiting.”
The walk downstairs is painfully slow. I know I slow them down, but somehow the current situation makes it worse. When we’re on the first floor of Tannis’s giant manor, they lead us to the space that was a dance floor the night we came. It’s bigger now, less crowded, and there are some expensive looking pieces of furniture at the center. Sitting on one of the plush cream couches is Dante.
Goosebumps rise along my arms, causing my hair to stand on end. Seeing him again makes the first time we met so much worse. I grip Gray’s hand harder, hoping to stem the fear that is doubtlessly showing on my face. I don’t want to give Dante thebenefit of seeing me afraid, but dammit if he doesn’t make me want to find a dark closet to hide myself in.
“Good evening,” Dante says from his perch. He’s looking runway perfect in his Gucci silk button up, black pleated pants, and shiny black shoes. His dark hair is braided over one shoulder, highlighting the thick gold chain at his throat. If it wasn’t for all of this, I could easily picture him sitting idly by, waiting for some kind of photoshoot for Tom Ford.
Eau de Asshole, featuring strong tones of spite, jealousy, and bergamot.
Gray directs me to a single armchair and I sit. He remains standing while Tannis takes their own seat. There’s a fuck-ton of tension firing off between the three vampires, and knowing their history now, I can tell it’s been like this for ages.
“Dante,” Tannis replies boredly. “With all due respect, what thefuckare you doing here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Dante sighs, as if annoyed.
“No,” Gray seethes beside me. “Answer the question.”
For the first time since coming down the stairs and entering the room, Dante looks at Gray. It’s the craziest feeling, but I swear the room falls away and there’s no one there but the two of them. Years of sentiment laid bare in the few feet that separate them, and I’m one insignificant little speck in observation of it all. I shrink into my seat, squirming at the look in Dante’s fierce eyes. There’s admiration in his gaze, accompanied by hate and love and all the complicated feelings that come with seeing your ex after so many years. I can only imagine how Gray feels, but Dante? He wears it plain as day.
Nothing says I want to “hate-fuck-then-kill-you” the way this guy frowns at Gray.
