Page 16 of Fanged Desire
“And yet, I have a feeling you’re already halfway there.” Caden’s tone shifted and he shot me a sly smile. “This dancer you mentioned a few weeks ago. Kinsley, was it?”
My eyes narrowed, but I appreciated the change of topic. “I only mentioned her once. It’s not that serious.”
“Oh sure,” Caden teased, his grin widening. “Once. But that’s all I needed to know you’ve got a crush.”
“Careful,” I warned, but there was no malice behind it. “Keep that up and I’ll tear your arm off.”
He laughed, not remotely fazed by the threat. We both knew it was hollow. “Seriously though, are you into her? She sounds like quite the catch.”
“It’s not like that!” I protested, shoving his shoulder lightly. “I just thought she was interesting. God forbid I look twice at another woman.”
Caden shrugged, climbing to his feet and rifling through the mini fridge in the corner. “All right, all right. You say she worksat Micere? She must be fairly new. I’ve been there a few times over the years and I’ve never seen her around.”
It was my turn to shrug. “I don’t actually know much about her. She’s kind of a closed book.”
In truth, I was curious about Kinsley's background, even more so after what happened the last time we met. I had promised myself this burgeoning interest wouldn’t go anywhere, but the dancer still lived rent-free in my head 24/7.
“Well, sounds like you two have one thing in common.” Caden fished out an energy drink from the fridge – Jordan’s brand – and popped the cap. “You know, I have seen that skinny blond stripper you were bitching about. Ethan, I think? Got to hand it to him, the guy knows how to put on a show.”
“He also knows how to get in the way,” I grumbled, despite my earlier gratitude for the blond’s intrusion.
Ethan seemed to have Kinsley’s best interests at heart, and I couldn’t fault him for not trusting me in the slightest. But the immature, and let’s be honest, horny part of me was mildly irritated by his consistent cock-blocking.
Caden noticed my grimace and chuckled, chugging down his drink before gesturing at me. “Look at you, you’re radiating jealousy. This woman clearly has her claws in you.”
I flinched at the imagery. Kinsley wasn’t the one with claws. She was human. There were so many ways a human could get hurt.
I shifted uncomfortably, crossing and uncrossing my legs. “Like I said, It’s not like that.”
Caden raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “By the way, does Jordan know about your extracurricular activities? You know, hanging around with the employees of Micere while she’s got you negotiating with the elves? Micere is elf owned. Seems like a dangerous game to me.”
I frowned, fingers drumming lightly on the table. “Jordan doesn’t need to know everything. Besides, I’m not doing anything wrong. Technically.”
I knew what Jordan would say if she were to find out about Kinsley: It’s dangerous. For the dancer, and for the fragile deal we struck with Elliot. There was no telling what the elf-man would do if he knew he had bargaining material. I tried not to let any of my mixed feelings on the subject show on my face.
Caden didn’t push, but his look told me enough. He wasn’t buying it.
Still, I wasn’t about to explain myself. Not when I could barely comprehend my own actions. I watched him drain the last of his drink and move to leave, with Kinsley front and center in my mind.
The club wasn’t far, but it felt like eternity as I sped down the street. My thoughts wandered back to the last encounter with Kinsley, the tension still fresh, the pull undeniable. I knew it couldn’t go on, not with the inevitable consequences looming over my head like a storm cloud.
When my phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me temporarily from the fray, I didn’t have to check the screen to know who it was. Jordan’s timing was impeccable, as always.
With a sigh, I hauled the phone out and pressed it to my ear, pulling up on the sidewalk and bracing myself. “Jordan.”
“Hunter!” Jordan’s voice burst through the speakers, champagne bubbly and bristling with excitement. “I just wrapped up the meeting with the builders, and we aresoclose. The stores are going up in a few weeks and the elves are onboard. This is going to open so many doors for us!”
I clenched my jaw, forcing a smile into my voice as I shut the car door and started walking. “That’s great!”
“Great? It’s incredible! And it’s all because ofyou. Your groundwork with Elliot, everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
My step faltered, a knot of guilt tightening in my chest. I tried to push it aside, to match the redhead’s enthusiasm, but the words came out flat. “I’m glad I could help.”
Jordan, usually perceptive, didn’t seem to notice. She was too swept up in her excitement and, by the sounds of it, ten thousand cups of coffee. “I’ve already started planning the next steps. Once we’re in their territory, we can start expanding into other Elvish markets. This ishuge– also, Sky says hello.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I had always been Jordan’s right hand, the one who handled the messy parts of our business dealings. But this time… my heart wasn’t in it the same way. Not when my nights were filled with thoughts of Kinsley.
And the elf deal? That was dangerous. One wrong move, and everything could come crashing down. If Jordan knew where I had really been spending my evenings, how close I was to putting the deal at risk…
