Page 28 of Blood Bought

“She looks just like you,” I said, proud of myself for keeping the bitterness I didn’t understand to a minimum. “Maybe that’s why he’s choosing to keep her. But he looked me in the eyes and told me he was, told me they were going to be happy together, and then told me he wants me to bait for Ciro instead because he won’t need anyone new.”

Her nose was scrunched up as she moved around me to pour a glass of green liquid, then shot it back. “He’s seriously trying that hard to get under your skin?”

I laughed, suddenly and awkwardly. “Yeah. I think he’s past that. Last time I tried to ask him why he cared so much, he broke a plate and screamed at me to get out. He barely spoke to me again until this morning.”

All that did was make her look more confused. “I don’t know what to say. He’s never really gave a shit about anything before so... this is new territory.”

“What, he doesn’t take an interest in everyone’s toes?” I quipped, knowing she wouldn’t understand the reference. “Thought maybe he just had a foot fetish. Anyway, you don’t need to worry about me. You’ve got a doppelgänger up there who is more of a threat to you than I am now, so... bewitch her bracelets next time.”

She raised her eyebrows and bit back a smile. “So it’s the fire in you, got it. I won’t bewitch anyone’s bracelets. I already apologized.”

I softened, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Sorry. Didn’t mean for that to come out like it did, I’m just... confused. One minute he’s basically Satan and I’m in legitimate fear for my life, and the next he’s doing something that makes me think his heart might be good for something other than pumping magical black blood through his extremely pretty body. I can’t deny the things he’s done, but I mean that in a good way and a bad way. It’s making me a little crazy.”

“Satan? Have you met Ciro yet?”

“Nope,” I said slowly. “But I’ve heard he’s worse, so I really don’t want to. I’m just afraid I’ll have to since I need to know something about the guy in order to bait for him.”

“Go blonde and on the thicker side. He’s nicer when they’re actually his type. About Alaris... it’s not my place to convince you to look past the shit he’s done. For some reason, you bring out emotions in him that I’m sure he hasn’t felt since his teen years. I don’t know why, but since the day I met him, he always seemed distracted. Like he was waiting for something? Maybe. I don’t know, but emotional, angry, soft? Those weren’t words people associated with him.”

I didn’t miss the way she looked away when she spoke, like she knew a lot more than she was letting on. “What wordsdidpeople associate with him?” I asked, dying to know what everyone else saw that I didn’t.

“Um... hung, picky, indifferent, honorable, rough—” she tapped her finger on her chin — “kind, fair, thirsty. Do you want me to keep going?”

“No, no. That was enough, I think.” My mind immediately tripped up on that very first word, so I stared at her weirdly-patterned carpet and picked at my fingernails as I let the rest of them sink in. Enough people had dropped enough hints now that I was starting to get a pretty clear picture... even if that picture made no sense.

Alaris had almost certainly been waiting for me. The only question was... why?

Chapter Thirteen:

Baiting for Ciro soundedlike a nightmare. I couldn’t kid myself and say they were going to have a good time – I’d heard Alaris with his bloodwhores, and knowing Kellian and Renzo, those people werewelltaken care of as long as I didn’t piss Alaris off to the point where he accidentally killed them. But Ciro? Brute, beast, bastard... just a few of the names I’d heard tossed around about him. How was I supposed to willingly hand someone over to him?

The nerves were eating me alive even though I wasn’t going out for a couple of days. I barely spoke to the boys as I brought Alaris his food, I was short with the bloodwhores when I went in to check on them and make sure they had what they needed, and I snapped at Kellian in the hallway on my way back to my room.

“Whoa, Addy. Who hurt you?”

“Seriously?” I crossed my arms, then reminded myself quickly he was a Son, too. “Sorry, Kellian. I’m just a little on edge, I guess.”

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