“Tandy?Tandy?Is that you? For fuck’s sake? Do you see this? Help me!”
I swallow the nervous lump in my throat. Then, Ilie. “See what? There’s nothing there. Are you okay? What’s wrong with you?”
Whether it’s because of the fact that I’m here or that Lucian is, or that he’s been caught, Damien’s dark shadows fade until, like his twin, he’s barely visible. I still sense him, though, and he hovers close enough to Jared that he can swoop down on him again at a moment’s notice.
I have to diffuse this situation. I have to find a way to explain what happened that won’t get Damien in trouble, then get out before Jared realizes that me even being here is impossible.
“Was it a bird? You know better than to leave a window open in the city.” Here’s hoping he’s actually stillinthe city—and that’s still thick and self-obsessed enough to buy my explanation. “All kinds of riffraff can get in.”
He straightens. His gaze travels over me, from my ‘just got fucked’ hair to the slinky, black shadow dress that might passas a LBD, only it’s so tight, you can seeeverything. From the outline of my pussy to my nipples poking through the woven shadows—and my bare fucking feet—I can only imagine how I appear.
Like a former lover desperate enough for a taste that I’d show up unannounced at his place like I’m ready to seduce him so we can have sex.
If I invite him to the bedroom, he will. I have no doubt about that. But since it seems likeI’m the desperate one, he’ll get his kicks knocking me down first.
That’s what Jared Turner does, after all.
“Speaking of riffraff, Tan… I thought you learned your lesson. Breaking in to see me? Didn’t that earn you your first probation?” He smirks, and I can’t help but wonder how I ever thought of him as so handsome, I’d throw my friendship with Sierra away for his grin.
He’s not wrong. I was wild in my youth, and more reckless than I should’ve been. I didn’t take the break-up with Thr33peatorJared well. With the band going away and my life falling apart, the rumors of Jared fucking Molly May on the side broke me.
So I broke into the hotel where they were in bed together, got really pissed, broke some stuff, and got my ass arrested. His manager pressed charges so that Jared could keep up his image as a golden boybander, and the story told to the press was that I couldn’t accept it when he broke up with me, so I attacked him and his new girlfriend.
It was the perfect PR move. After the fallout he endured for cheating on Sierra, he got the public back on his side by painting me as the seductress who tempted him away from his true love, and the insane ex who couldn’t take it when he tried to find love with someone else.
I became the villain in both stories, Jared’s rep got cleaned-up, and it only received another boost when, out of the kindness of his heart, he ‘convinced’ his manager to drop the chargers.
But not until my mug shot was splashed all over the papers and blogs, of course.
How did I ever think he was charming? How did I ever fall back into bed with him, even while knowing I was his second-choice whenever Sierra turned him down again?
Because I was lonely. Because I was desperate.
Because he had a hold on me…
Not anymore.
Jared chuckles, completely unaware what’s really going on here. It’s like he completely forgot he was being cornered by Damien in his shadow form a moment ago, and if that means my demon didn’t break that stupid first law, I’m cool with whatever made him suddenly forget. I’ll make my excuse to leave before he wonders out what I’m doing here, Lucian and Damien will come with me, and everything will be okay?—
And then Jared just has to go on and say,“Tandy Lewis. Look at you. Still think you’re twenty, huh?”
It’s the way his smirk reaches his tone. It irks me even more, and though my demon twins are still hiding in this room, I only have eyes for Jared as I glare at him.
“I’ve grown up, Jared. I’ve moved on.”
“Sure you have.”
I fist my hands at my side. “Screw you. Know what? This was going to bemyyear. Sierra and I finally patched things up. I’m getting jobs, Jared.” Before I found out I was meant to be a pair of demon twins’ mate. “I’m doing better. Definitely better thanyou.”
“You said that same shit when you were twenty-one,” he says, laughing. My blood fuckingboils. “Twenty-four. Twenty-seventy. The big three-oh. I guess, at thirty-two, maybe this could be your year. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.”
“You’re such a fuckingdick?—”
“Oh,” he says, running his fingers through his hair, straightening his back as I haven’t just caught him cowering and whimpering moments ago, “I know that. That’s something you always like about me. Being a dick.” He drops his hand to his crotch, squeezing himself. “Sucking my dick.Fuckingmy dick. Huh, Tan?”
Off to his side, Damiengrowls.
Uh-oh.