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Piper waved him back in his seat. "You're fine. I promise."
Whatever Jack was going to say next was lost in Rayne's appearance in the doorway. "What's going on? I was just about to kick your brother's ass in -" his words trailed off as he finally took in the kitchen and our guest. "What's he doing here?"
I choked a laugh at the utter hostility in Rayne's voice. He never had been the one for subtle.
Piper shot Rayne a warning look before putting on a polite face. "Rayne, you remember my boss, Jack Biggs, from Seabrick? I believe you two have met."
Jack stood and offered Rayne his hand. "I'm sorry to appear so abruptly, but I didn't have a number to call. Piper's line was disconnected." He shot a questioning look in Piper's direction.
Piper gave a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, well, the cell phone service here is better than what I was using in Seabrick. I meant to give it to Bethany."
If that wasn't a clear indication of who she valued more in seeing again, I didn't know what was. It seemed that Jack Biggs didn't get the hint or didn't care. One made him oblivious, the other, stupid.
"So, you're doing films now?" Jack asked, taking a sip from his water.
Stupid. I'm counting on stupid.
Rayne snorted beside me, obviously listening to my thoughts. Piper shot us another warning look before answering Jack. "Uh, yeah. On the side, for a friend of mine. It's nothing big. Just a low budget indie film." She chugged water from her own glass as she tried to cover her ass. She was going a pretty good job of it until Marcus opened the backdoor and walked in.
Jack choked on his water, staring up at the large man.
Marcus was only a few inches taller than me and my twin Allister, but what he made up in height we made up for in style. Allister and I could charm the pants off of any woman or man. While Marcus had to get past the whole, 'I look like I eat baby giants for breakfast' reflex. Jack was right to be wary of him. Of all of us, he'd be the one to blow the whole thing.
"Why do I smell blood?" Marcus scanned the room with his dark eyes before landing on Piper. He didn't even give Jack a passing glance.
Crossing the room, he knelt by Piper's side and tilted her face toward him, searching her face and body for the extent of her injuries. Jack had barely gotten his breathing back under control, not that any of us had helped him.
"I'm fine, Marcus," Piper muttered, covering his hand with hers as she tried to soothe him. "Really."
"I thought you were making a film. Why would you have real blood on you?"
Marcus's head slowly shifted from Piper to Jack as if seeing him for the first time. Jack's face paled, and he gripped his glass with both hands, the fight or flight instinct clearly having been triggered.
Piper squeezed Marcus's hand in warning. "Marcus, this is Jack Biggs, the attorney I worked for back in Seabrick." To Jack, she said, "I am, and sometimes accidents happen, and you get hurt while doing stunts." She said it so forcefully that Marcus finally turned his gaze back to her.
Jack, having recovered from his initial fear, asked, "And you could smell the blood from the door? That must be one super nose you have there." He chuckled, trying to make a joke of it.
Marcus's face began to turn back to Jack, but Piper caught him, grabbing his nose playfully between her two fingers. "Marcus has an extra special nose. A regular hound dog. Aren't you?" She teased him with her voice and actions, but her eyes screamed, 'Don't fuck this up!'
Gently, far more gently than I'd ever seen the older vampire do, Marcus withdrew his face from her grasp and stood. "I will be in my room." He turned to leave but then paused and did something I'd never seen him do. Marcus bent down and kissed Piper on top of the head, smoothing his hand down the back of her hair before striding out of the room.
Piper sat with a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. She hid it with her glass, using the drink as a way to bide time. Silence fell over the kitchen. The only sound, the beat of the three humans’ hearts and Darren puttering around the kitchen. To the outside looker, it would seem Darren was going about his business and not bothered by Jack's presence. Someone who has lived with the man for several decades could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he slammed things down a little more forcefully than usual.
I gave a sidelong look to Rayne, who shrugged.
"Dinner is almost ready," Darren broke the silence finally. "Will I be serving our guest in the dining room or the kitchen?"
Piper's head jerked toward Darren and then to us. This time it was my turn to shrug. It wasn't my call. He wasn't my guest. For all I cared, he could starve.
I must not have hidden my thoughts well because Rayne nudged me with his elbow. Forcing a polite expression on my face, I offered, "Wouldn't it be better to eat in the dining room where there is room for everyone? I'm sure Antoine and Wynn would love to meet your old boss."
There was a hint of malice in my voice that was lost on Jack, who grinned and stood. "Sounds great. Lead the way."
Rayne and I opened a space for Jack to pass through, barely big enough for him to pass by without touching us. Jack grinned nervously up at us and said, "Excuse me."
While Jack might have his head shoved up his ass, my intentions were not lost on Piper. She followed after her boss, her eyes narrowed on me and her teeth clenched. She stopped before Rayne and me, pointing a finger in the space between us. "I know what you're trying to do, and you better knock it the fuck off."
Rayne had the decency to look contrite.
I gave her an innocent smile. "Whatever do you mean?"
Piper's eyes narrowed even further before she pushed passed us and into the dining room. I exchanged a look with Darren who shook his head in disapproval but didn't wipe the smug grin off his face. At least, in this area, all of us were in agreement.
Jack Biggs had to go.
