Page 29 of The Donor’s Dilemma

Well, normal meant going to her support group. So she went, and she really wished she hadn’t. The second she walked through the door the cool kids pounced on her. Laughing and joking and teasing.

“So,” Adam sang, elbowing her in the ribs. “Where did you and Theo sneak off to this morning?”

Verity blushed. She didn’t know why, they hadn’t done anything, but the implication alone was enough to heat her cheeks.

“You naughty girl,” Adam giggled and Sienna rolled her eyes.

“Ignore him, Verity. He’s still on one,” she said.

“Am not!” Adam laughed, smile crinkling his bright eyes.

“We were just having some drinks for his birthday,” Verity said.

“If you insist! But I saw the way he looked at you! Bet he ate you alive!”

“Adam! Take a breath!” Sienna snapped and Adam clamped his mouth shut. “Go sit down,” she told him. He did and Verity couldn’t decide whether she was relieved or horrified that he’d followed her order without question.

Sienna watched him go before turning to Verity. The others were still milling about, being loud and obnoxious. Same as every week. But not Sienna. Never Sienna.

“It’s like herding cats,” she said to Verity with a smile.

“They are a little wild,” she agreed.

Georgie sat next to Adam; the two started chatting and she looked… fine. Better than fine. She looked great, happy and smiling, practically glowing. Verity couldn’t take her eyes off the girl.

“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Sienna said. “They feed from us all the time, that’s why we’re here. We all do it but seeing other people… it’s different.”

Verity turned to her. “Yeah, wasn’t sure what to expect,” she admitted.

Sienna smiled. “Harris doesn’t like it either, public feeding. He prefers it more… intimate.”

Verity didn’t know if they were still talking about feeding but nodded anyway.

“Would everyone like to take a seat!” David called, and everyone shuffled over to the circle of chairs.

Chairs screeched on the polished wood as the group settled and Sienna told Georgie to move so that she could sit next to Verity. The redhead happily obliged. David’s smile was more forced than normal as he watched before meeting Verity’s eye and nodding.

He knew? It had barely been twelve hours, and he already knew she had been to the club. Shit! She quickly ran through what little she had said to Sienna, wondering if any of it was incriminating, if her every move was going to be reported to Phoenar only knew who.

Her heart raced. She had learnt early on that this group wasn’t really for sharing and gods she hoped no one asked her anything.

Panic had her scanning the circle and freezing when she found Mike staring at her. Watching her. Great. No doubt Mike now thought the real reason he was given a new client was so she and Theo could fuck. She squeezed her eyes shut at the thought.

For some reason it worried her more for Theo’s sake than her own. Her reputation was already in tatters, but if her actions somehow besmirched his name? If he had to pay the price for her… recklessness? Verity wouldn’t forgive herself.

David gave his little speech like he always did. Then a few donors took turns sharing dull, pointless stories, but it was all white noise. None of it mattered. Verity only sat in silence, waiting for it to be over.

When David finally asked if anyone had anything to add, and no one spoke up, he thanked the group for coming, and Verity breathed a sigh of relief.

“When are you at the club again?” Sienna asked her, as they left.

Verity shrugged. “I don’t know, depends on Theo.” Never, hopefully.

Sienna grinned. “He’s got a bossy streak, hey?”

“Don’t they all?” Verity laughed as they reached the door and stopped dead.

The usual row of blacked-out sports cars and SUVs lined the street outside, and right in the middle, leaning against his four-by-four, was Theo.