“It’s about security,” I continued.
“Security?” That got her attention. Her gaze snapped to mine.
I cleared my throat. “So… Lucien may have already assigned someone to watch the bar.” And me. But common sense told me to leave that bit off.
She was quiet while she processed that.
“Lucien?” she repeated, and wow, I’d never heard someone spit a name like it was poison before. The pants slipped from her hands, and she marched over to me, her expression caught somewhere between betrayal and curiosity. “What does that arrogant, soul-sucking turd have to do with any of this?”
Yup. Saw that question coming.
“Well…” I hedged, stalling like my life depended on it. “It’s kind of complicated.”
“Try me,” she said flatly, folding her arms. “And speak in very small, clear words, so that there’s no misunderstanding.”
I sighed and glanced at the window again, as if Rue might suddenly appear and save me from this conversation. She didn’t.
“Okay,” I said. “So, last night, after you dropped me off here, I went upstairs and found all this.”
She hummed a noncommittal response.
“I, uh, may have immediately assumed Lucien was responsible.”
She nodded. “I mean. That tracks.”
“I stormed over to The Crimson Veil and, well, accused him of breaking into my bar and destroying my possessions. I may have made some impolite assumptions.” I paused, struggling to find the right words. “He was…”
“Insufferable?” Thorne offered.
“Livid,” I corrected. “Not at me. At the situation. He was pissed that someone would dare break into my home. He assured me he doesn’t play those types of games.”
She blinked. “Are we talking about the same guy?”
“He said those kinds of games were beneath him. That when he went after someone, they knew it.”
“Hmph,” Thorne muttered. “He does tend to prefer large-scale destruction over petty theatrics. I’ll give him that.”
“Eventually, we came to a sort of truce.” I quickly decided to bypass the dance. Word would spread—I knew it would—but for now, I focused only on the truly important parts. “He walked me back here to check the place out and make sure it was safe. He did his duty, and…”
“And?” she prompted.
I hesitated.
She leaned in. “And, what?”
“He left,” I said, skipping the kiss. “Afterward, he sent Elias over with some blood for me, and Rue to keep watch. She’s still out there right now.”
Thorne narrowed her eyes, planted her hands on her hips, and stared at me. “What did you leave out?”
“Hmm?” I asked, feigning innocence.
“Don’t hmm me. Girl, something stinks about your story. I can smell it a mile away. What did you leave out?”
I puffed up my cheeks, let the breath out through my nose…then blurted, in one single word that barely qualified as English, “Hemayhavekissedme.”
Thorne blinked once. Twice. Then, like a shark scenting blood in the water, she leaned in with a grin that was all fangs. “Ohhh, we are not skipping over that part.” She made a dramatic rewind gesture with her finger. “Start from the beginning. What do you mean he may have kissed you? There is no may in kissing. Either his pretentious vampire mouth was on yours or it wasn’t.”
“Uh, was. It definitely was.”
