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Not much time at all, but he’d manage. “I’ll deliver them before nine, and I’ll see you at midnight, Ian.”
He hung up, sitting in silence until Annette came into the room. She was wearing a robe, and she smelled of Tate in much the same way that Bones’s skin was now layered in Cat’s scent.
He stared at her, letting his shields down. She shuddered as if his rage were beating her with invisible blows.
“Crispin-”
“Nothing you say matters. Only your actions do, and we both know what those were.” A harsh laugh left him. “It’s ironic that as I’m plotting to betraymysire, the first vampire I made has betrayed me, too. On that count, I suppose I deserve it.”
“I didn’t do it to betray you.” Annette’s voice was very quiet. “I only sought to save you from future pain.”
Bones rose, towering over her. “And how is that?”
“By having her leave before she breaks your heart again.” Annette reached for him, and then drew back when Bones recoiled. “She left you once, and she’ll do it again.”
Bones snapped on his shields. He couldn’t let her feel his secret fear of that same thing. “Seems you already tried to scare her away, and that backfired in an impressive fashion.”
Annette’s mouth curled down. “Yes. Her reaction was…unexpected.”
“Get used to being surprised by her because she’s not going anywhere,” Bones said curtly. “In fact, once this business with Ian is over, I’m asking her to marry me.”
Annette’s eyes bulged. “You can’t be serious, Crispin!”
“Lower your voice,” Bones hissed. Her outburst had woken Tate, though thankfully, Cat still seemed to be asleep. “And I’m very serious. I’m only telling you this because while I should kill you for what you did, I have long owed you a life: mine. That’s why you get to keep yours despite your actions, but now, we’re even. So, if you ever betray me again,especiallyover Cat, I will show you no mercy. Do you understand?”
She stared at him, incredulity stretching her features into near unrecognizability until a perfect blankness covered them.
“I understand. I’ll go fetch my things and-”
“Oh, you’re not leaving,” Bones interrupted. “You’re staying because Ian’s moved up the timetable to tonight, and your atonement to me startsnow.”
* * *
Several hours later,Bones sat on the edge of the ruined bed. The blankets were up to Cat’s chin and her hair half covered her face. He brushed that dark swath aside, revealing her alabaster skin, rose-colored lips, and deep scarlet brows that hinted at her hair’s true color.
“Wake up, luv,” he murmured. “It’s nearly noon.”
Her eyelids slanted to half mast as she blinked up at him. Then, they opened fully, and she glanced at the pieces of bed frame he’d stacked into the corner-and blushed a vivid scarlet.
“Ah, there’s my payment,” he said with a throaty chuckle. “The rubies in your cheeks. Are you properly scandalized by your wicked behavior? You’d singe the ears of the priest you confessed to if you were Catholic, especially since you made me swear to repeat all those naughty actions no matter what you said this morning.”
She pulled the blankets up to cover her face. “God, Bones…some of that was depraved.”
He tugged it down. “I take that as a compliment, but don’t be ashamed of anything we did, no matter if your prudery is on life support.”
Her gaze went from his neck to his mouth and back again. “I’ll never look at your fangs the same way again. Part of me wants to apologize to you for holding you back, but the other part wantsyouto apologize tomebecause you knew better!”
He came closer, loving how her heart sped up and her gaze went to his mouth with knowing anticipation. “I still have more to show you, trust me. But regretfully, there isn’t time now. We’re already behind schedule since I let you sleep.”
She took that as a call to action, jumping out of bed and going into the bathroom. Moments later, the shower turned on.
“There’s something you should know.” He didn’t bother to raise his voice. With all the blood she’d drunk from him, she’d hear him if he whispered. “Tate’s here. He spent the night.”
A surprised pause, and then a suspicious, “Why?”
Because he’s a jealous, spiteful fool who’s eavesdropping on us even now.“He convinced Rodney to drop the others off and bring him back out of misguided concern since things were tense between you, Annette, and me when he left. But when he arrived, you and I were well occupied. So, Annette invited him to stay and entertain her, and he accepted.”
A loud metallic thud made Bones come into the bathroom. The shower rod was now on the floor, and Cat’s hand was still curled around the curtain. Bones hung the rod back up, noting the new anger leaking from Cat’s scent that not even the steady spray of shower water could hide.
