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“You assured us you had Lauren’s safety handled,” Nathan told Gavin.
“And I failed. There is no penalty I can pay to make things right between us. I will accept whatever you decree, so long as the three of you agree it will settle our score.”
“What? No!” Lauren looked around at the men, who all seemed like they were discussing the end of the world. “It was my fault! I promised I’d have one of you with me, or Ambrose or Ellania, and I didn’t! That isn’t Gavin’s fault! I turned my back on the bastard to try to show him he wasn’t a threat!” She sighed. “Wow, that was stupid. He’d lost face, and then I taunted him.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Gavin told her. The rest of the room probably saw his usual emotionless, stony face, but she could see the sadness in his eyes. “I made a promise to secure your safety, and I failed. I’m foresworn.”
Lauren shook her head and turned to her mother. “Stop them. This is ridiculous.”
Her mother sighed. “I agree, but sometimes we have to step back and let our men do their testosterone thing.” She looked to Nathan. “So long as they don’t go overboard with it.”
Nathan didn’t look at Lauren’s mom, though Lauren was certain he saw her looking at him. He stared at Gavin, unflinching, his face made of granite. “We could order you whipped.”
“You could,” Gavin agreed.
Lauren’s mom’s look told her to be quiet and let them talk, so Lauren did, but she wanted to stand up and drag her men from the room. She wasn’t going to let them whip Gavin becauseshe’dbeen an idiot.
“Wait, does that mean I’m foresworn to Gavin?”
“That is between the two of you,” Mordecai said. “Gavin’s promise was not dependent upon you doing as he said. He told us you would be safe during the party, and that we didn’t need to stick with you, and we believed him.”
“It’smydamned fault I wasn’t safe, not his!”
“No, dearest Lauren,” Gavin told her. “My promise wasn’t dependent upon your word to me. I should’ve known you’d think you were fine and would try to go solo. I made myself responsible for your safety, and you could’ve died — or worse, been enslaved by the Concilio because you levitated in front of such a large crowd in order to save your life.”
She furrowed her brow. “Being enslaved would be worse than death?”
“We’re getting off the subject,” Nathan said.
“You were pointing out you could order me whipped,” Gavin said, his voice completely conversational, as if he’d accept such an order if Nathan gave it.
“I’m willing to offer an alternative,” Nathan told him. “I would like to move a small team of two in with you. Sloan and Ember, whom you’ve met.”
“Eagle and dragon,” Gavin said.
“Ellania already lives in one of our guest rooms,” Lauren protested. “I don’t needmoreguards!”
“The vampire doesn’t have enough control over Lauren to give her orders and expect them to be followed,” Mordecai noted.
Nathan looked to Mordecai. “If he could, I’d kill him where he stood.”
“And yet, you expect him to control her enough to keep her safe?”
Lauren suddenly understood what was happening — Nathan wanted Gavin’s blood, and Mordecai was letting the arrogant lion work through his thoughts to realize it wasn’t Gavin’s fault.
Okay, so legally, it was apparently his fault, but realistically, it was purely Lauren’s arrogance that had allowed the asshole wolf a doorway to throw her off the fucking roof.
“Wait,” Lauren said, because she remembered there was still an unanswered question. “Why do I have a few seconds of missing time? Did a vampire fuck with my mind to let the wolf get close enough to me to get the drop without me fighting him?”
Because being thrown up and over the twinkle lights had answered that question, but there were still the seconds between her turning her back and finding herself flying through the air. She should remember them, but she didn’t. She should’ve heard the wolf coming towards her and had time to turn and deflect his grab.
“Not a vampire,” Mordecai said.
Gavin stood and walked to the window, his back to them as he looked out on the lights of the strip. No one said anything for several long moments, and Gavin finally turned and said, “God or demon? They didn’t mess with her mind — they folded reality for a few seconds.”
Mordecai’s face remained expressionless, but Nathan looked furious. “You and your motherfucking silence are going to get someone we love killed one day.”
“I’ve been in the same room with her since three minutes after she hit the water. Nothing will happen to her when she’s with me.” He looked to Lauren. “Yes, even while you were in the shower, but you know me well enough to know I can give you your privacy while I watch over you.”
