Page 7

She screwed up her face. “Huh?”

Wes shrugged. “He hasn’t lost a game at this table yet.”

My gaze slid to Colt, who smiled behind his beer. Taking a long drink, his attention flicked to the window.

I followed his line of sight to where Reid stood staring out to the dock below. He stared into the distance like that often, like he was lost in his own thoughts. Many times, I’d wondered what was on his mind in those moments, but he was never one to overshare, so I left him to it. He knew I was here if he ever needed to offload. I’d made that clear many times before.

When the game finally started, I hung back, hoping to blend into the banter that rounded the pool table and miss my turn. If I just kept my mouth shut, I might get out of this.

Reid

Turning my attention back to the pool table, I rolled the cue through my palms. “Red, you’re up.” I eyed her from across the room where she hung back as if we were a form of the plague she didn’t wish to contract. “You can’t be that bad,” I goaded. She was one of those girls you could have a laugh with, throw banter at, and she never failed to dish it right back.

When her hazel eyes met mine, she shook her head profusely. “Let someone else have a turn. I told you I’m no good.” She tilted her glass of red wine to the roof, taking a lengthy drink from it, the other hand pinned to the curve of her hip overtop her black knit dress.

Those goddamned curves. I’d pried my eyes from them many times in recent years. Because I didn’t get involved with anyone. Much less her. The fucking goddess I’d somehow feigned disinterest in for one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days and counting.

I attempted to lighten her mood. “All you have to do is avoid sinking the black.” I flashed her the grin I hoped would break whatever was causing her to be so reserved. It wasn’t like her.

She tousled her long hair, the glint of red in it reflecting in the moody lighting of my apartment. “That’s the least of your worries. I won’t hit a ball, let alone sink the black.” She laughed, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Like humor would distract me from her reason for not wanting to play.

I didn’t understand it. Normally a confident woman, this was a side of her I rarely saw. I held the pool cue in the air, offering her a turn. Her glare burned my skin as she followed the movement. “C’mon Red, it’s just a game. I’ll teach you.”

She drained the rest of her drink, staring overtop of her glass at me until it was empty. “Nah, I’m out.” Turning on her heel, she paced back to the kitchen, where she refilled her glass.

I fixed her with a bemused stare, wondering why she would avoid joining the group. It was just a game. As if sensing my eyes on her, she looked up at me, placing the bottle back on the counter. She took another drink, then swiped her thumb over her bottom lip.

I didn’t for a second let that action register for any longer than it should. I didn’t understand her unjustified reaction. Usually, you knew where you stood with her. Because she told you. That was something I liked about her. There was no pretense. No bullshit.

Passing my pool cue to Ty, I left the group and made my way over to her. “Hey, everything okay?”

She shrugged. “I just don’t want to play is all.”

“It’s just pool,” I countered.

“And?” She held my gaze, determined not to back down, and I knew at that point that she wouldn’t. Because Red was stubborn as all fuck, and, once she had a bee in her bonnet, you could not change her mind. She rolled her shoulders as if it gave her some sort of confidence boost, her voice still pitching her resolve. “Just leave it, okay?” She turned her attention back to the group.

I ran my hand over my nape. “If that’s what you want.” Leaning against the counter beside her, I took a drink of my beer, watching as the group continued to play pool. They cheered when Colt sunk two balls simultaneously. “You know you don’t have to hide in the kitchen,” I said, steering a sidelong glance at her.

She nodded, avoiding eye contact. “Well aware.”

I fought the urge to question her further. This wasn’t like her at all. Pushing off the counter, I headed back to the group and looked back at her momentarily. Her hazel eyes were guarded, and that didn’t sit right with me. Not wanting to make her feel any more uncomfortable, I opted for humor.

Nodding to the pool table, I gave her the cheekiest look I could muster. “When you’re ready to handle these balls, let me know.” I fixed her with the grin that had never failed me before.

Banter. Our thing.

She shook her head, a smile tugging the corner of her mouth as she rolled her eyes. “No chance of that,” she replied in the same tone she always fired her digs with, and I immediately felt lighter.

Good, that was the woman I knew, firing blanks like live bullets. It wasn’t like her to be so defensive about something so small. I buried that thought and made a mental note to bring it up again another time.

The rest of the night passed quickly, and, as usual, Colt backed up his King of the Table title. I kept a close eye on Red, watching her hang back from the group as she hovered in the kitchen, happy to make everyone’s drinks as the night progressed. It seemed Skye also noticed her change of demeanor because she spent a lot of the night with her. My two beers turned into six, and I soon felt the effects of the liquor swimming in my veins.

Heartbeats raced. The scent of blood heightened.

The couples in the room and their fated bonds drove the beat in my ears, flooding my nostrils with their arousal. Alcohol always made my gift worse.

It was one of the many burdens of a blood mage. I could scent people’s hunger for another in their veins, consequently giving me a high sex drive. I’d never told anyone about this, not even Colt. Because admitting that when you drink, you constantly spend the time fighting a boner at someone else’s expense was too much.