On the right wall, pinball machines, a minibasketball hoop, air hockey tables, ping pong tables, and otherassorted games were set up and ready for someone to play with them.The left wall had a large mahogany bar with a mirror behind it. Thebar sported five taps and enough liquor bottles to stock anightclub on the shelves lining the mirror.
A man with sandy blond hair, broadcheekbones, and the build of a football player stood behind thebar, staring at the bottle in his hands. He placed it on one of theshelves before grabbing a bottle of tequila. Lifting his head, hisblue eyes met hers in the mirror behind the bottles.
He stared at her for a minute before a grinsplit his handsome face. Mia almost clutched David’s arm forsupport, but she kept her hands by her sides. She had to learn tostand on her own two feet before she could allow herself to lean soheavily on another. And she refused to be a clingy, needy mess infront of his friends.
The man behind the bar turned to face themas a loud groan came from her left. A poker table was set up there.Four vampires were gathered around the table. One chair was pushedback from an empty spot that she assumed had been vacated by theman behind the bar.
A grinning man leaned over the table toscoop an armful of chips toward his already large pile. The motioncaused the man’s black hair to fall across his forehead in waves.His emerald eyes sparkled in amusement as the other two men, andthe woman sitting at the table, glowered at him.
The man laughed as he stacked his chipsneatly before him. “You three have no poker face whatsoever,” hetold them.
“Oh, fuck off,” Jack said.
She didn’t know what to make of Jack yet,but Mia found herself smiling as he flipped his friend the fingerbefore running a hand through his short, light brown hair. Fromwhere she stood, she could see the hazel of his eyes, and that,like David, his nose had once been broken and crooked a little tothe side. A small bump had formed in the middle of it.
In between the two men the most beautifulwoman Mia had ever seen sat facing her, while another vamp sat withhis back to them. The woman finished dealing out more cards andlifted her head. Her violet-blue eyes widened when she spottedDavid and Mia in the doorway. The vamp who was winning leanedforward to grab his cards, but the woman grasped his wrist beforehe could pick them up.
Mia felt like a lab specimen when the womangestured toward them, and all their heads turned in her direction.The one who had been sitting with his back to them twisted all theway around in his chair. Mia’s fingers curled into her palms whenthe vampire who had turned in his seat rose to his feet and cametoward them.
The man’s ocean blue eyes sparkled withwarmth when he grasped David’s hand and clapped him on the back asthey briefly embraced. When the man stepped back, Mia got a goodview of his dark blond hair and round, friendly face that couldonly be described as cute. He was shorter than David, but hisstocky frame spoke of strength.
The man turned to her and extended his hand.“I’m Doug,” he greeted.
David grabbed Doug’s wrist, halting himbefore he could touch her. Doug’s eyes flew to David as he liftedhis other hand in a pacifying gesture. All smiles vanished as alleyes became riveted on David and Doug. Mia held her breath,uncertain of what was going on, or what to say as David’s bodyvibrated with tension beside her.
Then the chair Jack had been leaning back inthudded to the floor, breaking the silence.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to go allbatshit crazy like Liam did,” Jack said, jabbing a finger at theman with most of the poker chips.
Liam scowled at him as he rose to his feetand positioned himself in front of the woman who Mia now realizedmust be Sera, Liam’s mate. The unease in the room ratcheted up. Theman behind the bar set the bottle down and walked out from behindthe bar.
“No, I’m not,” David said.
At least I hope I’m not.David keptthose words to himself as he released Doug’s wrist and steppedcloser to Mia. He didn’t know what to make of what had justhappened. He didn’t want any of his friends to upset Mia bytouching her when she wouldn’t welcome it, but it had been morethan that. For a second, the idea of Doug touching her had sent aflood of possessiveness through him and caused a red haze to blurhis vision.
David trusted Doug with his life, but hecouldn’t stand the idea of him anywhere near Mia. He ran a handthrough his hair, tugging at the ends of it. Taking a deep breath,he composed himself once more. Liam had warned him that he’d beable to better deal with an uncompleted bond if he took it slowwith Mia, but he hadn’t expected his instability to control himselfto start so soon after their relationship had progressedfurther.
I will control it.
“I’m fine,” David assured everyone in theroom.
Despite his words, Doug kept his hands inthe air as he backed away from him.
“He is fine,” Mia said, though she wasn’t socertain. David had always been so confident around her, but therewas a baffled look on his face that she’d never seen before. “Ijust… I don’t like being touched.”
Pride filled David when Mia admitted this tothem and gazed defiantly around the room. The others in the roomstared at her before glancing at him.
“Completely understandable after what you’vebeen through,” Sera said and stepped out from behind Liam.
Mia winced at the reminder that they allknew what she’d endured while in captivity. Even if David hadn’ttold them about what had happened in the warehouse, they would havelearned it from Vicky or from the other family members who had beenthere when Mia was rescued.
Sera’s golden hair swayed with her steps asshe strode across the floor toward them. Liam stayed close to herside, his gaze focused on David as Sera stopped before Mia. Sera’seyes were kind, and the aura of warmth she exuded made itimpossible for Mia not to like her instantly.
A radiant smile lit Sera’s face when shespoke. “We’re so happy you came. We’ve all been looking forward tomeeting you.”
Mia’s shoulders sagged in relief as theothers nodded their agreement. She’d had no idea what to expectfrom David’s friends, but she believed Sera truly meant what shesaid.
“Thank you,” Mia replied.
