Page 37 of Ouch! My Vampire Doms Keep Biting Me
Inside Bartleby’s Pub, I linger in a dark corner, keeping myself hidden from Autumn. If she sees me, it could cause her to remember. I tell myself that would be bad, although the truth is that I would be quite happy to have her remember everything.
No. Xander is right. It’s too dangerous. If I care at all about her, I’ll leave her be.
An hour. Two hours. Three hours, watching from the shadows. There’s that blond guy working with her again. The manager. He was here yesterday, too. I don’t like him. Don’t like the way he watches her. Rich hypocrisy for me to think such thoughts, since I’m watching her, too.
The manager boy waits on me. Sullen.
When he walks away, he stops near Autumn. It’s a quiet night. I hear him easily.
“You said you’re from up north, right?” he asks. “Kinasey County…that little town, Altera?”
Her hazel eyes widen. She shakes her head quickly. “No. No, I never said that. I came here from Clear Springs. And Davis. Just like I told you yesterday.”
He smirks. “I saw a news article online…Autumn Livingston.”
Fear causes her pitch to rise. “No. That’s a mistake. I’m not her.”
“You know there’s a reward for you, right? Can you pay it? I might keep quiet.”
“How much?” she whispers.
“Ten grand for information on your whereabouts. So tell me,Autumn, do you have ten k?”
Panic crosses her face. Then she straightens her shoulders. “I can get it.”
“I doubt it.”
“Give me five days.”
I don’t know what my little girl has planned, but I don’t think it’s good. She’s either going to do something illegal, questionable, or she’s going to run.
None of those are all right with me.
Even if I can’t have her, I want her in San Esteban.
The manager kid turns around, a triumphant smirk on his face even though Autumn is visibly quaking in fear.
I want to tear his head from his shoulders. Paint the restaurant with his blood.
I gesture him over. Put a bland smile on my face.
“What can I get you?” he asks, stopping at the edge of my table.
He has no idea I heard his threat to Autumn. If I were human, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to hear it.
I gesture he should lean in. Close. Closer.
Nobody else is around.
I grip the back of his neck and squeeze. “You are a right piece of shit, you know that?”
“Wh-what?” he stammers. He immediately begins to sweat. Fear sweat contains an acrid undertone. Xander could probably describe it better, but I know it when I smell it. This asshole is afraid of me.
He should be.
“You threatened that girl. I heard it. Only a piece of shit would do such a thing. Don’t you agree?”
“I—no? I mean, yes. Yes, I agree.”
