“I see you’ve met my sisters,” he said smoothly.
“I have,” I replied. “Delightful company, if a bit unwanted.”
“You invited us to sit,” Juliette reminded me, amusement tugging at her lips.
“Yes. And I shall make a note to learn from my mistakes.”
“So,” he said lightly, folding his hands. “What are we discussing?”
Juliette opened her mouth, but I beat her to it. “Oh, nothing important. Just casual threats and outdated racial slurs.”
Lucien’s brow lifted. “Sounds like you’ve had quite the afternoon.”
“You could say that.”
He looked at Evangeline. “I trust you’ve behaved?”
She grinned. “Define behaved.”
He sighed, the sound of an older brother exasperated with his sibling. Then, those eyes of his found mine again.
Something flickered in them. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It wasn’t warmth, not exactly. But it wasn’t anger or hatred either. Interest, perhaps? Amusement, definitely.
Or maybe I was imagining it all.
Because I had to be, right?
Someone like Lucien would never be interested in someone like me. Maybe in the past, I would have caught his eye, but now, I was little more than an ex-socialite who had been broken by her power-hungry, narcissistic ex-mate. The last thing I needed was to start thirsting after another vampire with expensive taste and an over-inflated sense of ego.
Lucien leaned back in his chair, still studying me. “I assume you’re settling in well enough?”
I gave him a sharp grin. “You mean since last night, when you broke into my bar and offered unsolicited commentary? Yes. I’m thriving, thank you.” I gestured to Thorne. “The bar is coming together nicely, thanks to the help of my business partner here. She’s been pivotal to the restoration so far.”
Lucien’s gaze flicked between us. “How entrepreneurial of you.”
Thorne set her cup down with exaggerated care. “Well, we aren’t all handed empires on silver platters lined with blood contracts and hush money.” She flashed what I was sure she’d call a pleasant smile. “Some of us work to earn our reputations.”
Juliette’s brow arched, but she didn’t interject.
Evangeline gave a low whistle. “And here I thought we were being civil.”
“I am being civil,” Thorne said smoothly. “I haven’t bitten him. Yet.”
Her gaze sliced to Lucien, and all the warmth immediately drained from her expression. Centuries of bad blood came to life in that single, scathing look. If I hadn’t already known about their family feud, I would have just figured it out.
Lucien gave a low chuckle. “Charming as ever, Thorne.”
She tipped her head. “I try. But I must admit, keeping my claws sheathed around your family takes real effort.”
Juliette made a soft, disapproving sound, while Evangeline rumbled a small growl.
Sighing, Lucien shook his head, then turned his focus back on me. “Miss Laurent, I think it’s time we addressed the elephant in the room.”
I raised a brow. “Only one? I count at least three.”
Lucien’s lips twitched. “Clever. Now, this new business venture of yours is located two blocks from The Crimson Veil. I assume you’re aware of what this means?”
I rolled my eyes. I was hardly unintelligent, no matter what he might have thought of me. “It means I’m stepping on your surprisingly fragile toes. Or perhaps I should say ego.”
