Page 64 of Bloody Temptations

“I never said I didn’t like him! Like, literally, I specifically said, ‘it’s not that I don’t like him’. Or something like that. I just was worried about you because I didn’t wantthisto happen.” He waves his hand around to encompass my current situation. He pauses for a moment, and then winces. “And also, I may have triggered the whole him having a breakdown thing.”

I’m going to kill him. Spinning on the couch faster than my still mildly wretched body can handle, I pin him down. Funnily enough, just like I did to my brothers and sisters after they dobbed. “What did you say to him?” I demand heatedly.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know that he’d drink his weight in shots and act like a bellend!” Nikki cries out when I press down on his arm harder with my knee. He tries to push me off, but I don’t think he’s trying very hard. I’m bigger but he’s definitely stronger. He could definitely flip me.

“What did you say, Nikki?”

“I just asked him if he was really ready for what it was going to be like being with you. You get hit onall the time," he draws it out to make his point. “It’s a lot for any being to deal with, especially one as mousy as him. I washopingit would push him to, I dunno, get all claimy with you. Not get pissed and freak out.”

“You’re a dickhead. I swear to the Gods. What the fuck.” I push off him with an extra shove, digging my knee into one of the rare squishy parts on him.

“Fuck, you’re heavy,.” He complains sitting up and rubbing his side. “And yeah, I was being a dick. I have… look, I have my own shit going on and we’ll deal with that soon enough. But I’m sorry. And I want to make it right. Because you’re my friend and I love you. And Finn is not the worst. In fact, I kind of like you two together. I mean, maybe there is something to what Maddy was saying about instinctive connections for vamps or something, but when you two are together, you’re happier. It’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. I like that for you.”

“Naw, Nikki-boo. You jealous?”

A cushion comes crashing into my face. “Hardly. Now, take notes. Let’s figure out how to fix your fuck up.”

That’soneway to spin the situation. But dutifully I open the notes app on my phone and start typing.

20

Finn

Vampire sleep may curehangovers, but it does absolutely sweet fuck all for heartbreak.

What in the actual fuck did I do last night?

I can't even act dumb, because I know the answer.

I blew up the best thing I ever had.

Just absolutely blasted it into the eternal fires of Astiano.

Gods I am a fucking idiot.

Curling into a ball, I ignore the hunger gnawing at my stomach. Why bother?

A knock on the door interrupts my self indulgence. The knocker doesn’t wait for me to call out before they open the door. Which while incredibly rude, is also fair, because I wasn’t going to call out.

“It’s just me,” Matteus whispers. Once again he doesn’t wait for a reply before coming in. “I thought I should come by and remind you of the blood in the fridge. It’ll be cold, but there is a blood warmer hidden in the drawers. It just takes a minute to heat, is all.”

Cold blood, warm blood. I don’t care. I shove the quilt down and watch him fuss around the room, straightening a vase of flowers, dusting a side table, fluffing the long, closed drapes. Why is he here?To make sure I didn’t embrace the dawn in one of his rooms? To make sure I don’t camp out here forever?

It’s a valid concern. I haven’t really seen the room, but I can guarantee it’s nicer than my place.

“You need to drink. Cold or heated?” He finally stops fussing and retrieves the blood from the fridge, holding it out to me and giving the bottle a little shake.

Despite him going well and truly above and beyond his job as the door host of Hearts Gate—surely he has other things to be doing?—I glare at him like a pouting child and take the bottle.

I know I’m giving him far more attitude than I should, but in the twisted pain of my mind, it feels good to be self destructive.

I have to sit up to crack the bottle and take a sip—very careful to not spill anything because I already don’t know how I’m going to pay for this room, let alone for any damages. Matteus keeps a stern eye, watching me until he thinks I’ve had enough.

Then he sits on the bed. I shuffle back to give him room, despite the bed being ginormous.

“So, Finn. That was quite the display you put on in my club last night.” It’s too early for me to hide my confusion. His polite, nondescript mask isn’t there this morning and when he smiles at me, he actually looks incredibly handsome. It completely transforms his face, like a secret. “I am the manager here at Hearts Gate. I was on the entry last night due to a staffing situation.”

He’s the manager? Like, he runs this place? Well no wonder why he was so casual about putting me in a room, even after I mumbled some drunken nonsense about not being able to afford to stay.

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