Page 29 of Cruelly Bitten
Because if I was dealing with a version of Cam who didn’t know me—and had been essentially brainwashed by Lilith—then I had to tread carefully.
Earning Cam’s trust would be the key to everything. But to do that, I would need to convince him that I meant something to him.
Which might be rather difficult if Lilith had reprogrammed his mind to see me as nothing more than a fuck doll.
Bitch, I thought, my fingers typing in the commands to bring up the surveillance once more. Obviously, I needed to find Cam to eval?—
A beep sounded, causing me to frown.
What…?
I searched the screen for the source, only to realize in the next second that it hadn’t come from the computer.
But from the door.
Well, at least I know where he is now,I thought as I met Cam’s gem-like stare from the entryway.And he looks pissed. Shit.
CHAPTER SEVEN
CAM
Ismerelda’sescalating heartbeat sang to my inner predator, making me take a step toward her involuntarily.
But the door slamming behind me snapped me out of my instinctual pursuit.
As did her hitting a button on my laptop and closing the lid.
I stared at it, then glanced at the familiar shirt hanging from her shoulders.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home.” My tone sounded calm to my ears, yet she must have seen through my facade because her pulse kicked up even more.
Her light green eyes followed my gaze to the shirt before blinking back up to me with a soft little frown marring her otherwise perfect brow. “You usually like me in your clothes. Has that preference changed?” Her voice lacked the bite in it from earlier, just as her scent seemed to have changed from that pungent note of despair to something else.
Something fearful, yet tinged with a hint of interest.
I inhaled deeply, testing my inner beast, curious as to how it would make me feel. My exhale left slowly, the tightening in my shoulders seeming to ease with the motion.
Hmm.
My focus returned to her chosen attire, noting the way she’d left the top two buttons undone, exposing a tantalizing glimpse of her creamy skin beneath. She’d also rolled the sleeves up to her dainty wrists, and the shirt covered just a little bit of her thighs. Perhaps it was longer when she stood, but it was bunched up now from her sitting on my bed.
“No,” I said slowly, evaluating both her attire and her words. “My preference hasn’t changed.” Because I very much enjoyed the sight before me now. If I typically requested this, then I could forgive her for dressing without permission.
However, the laptop was another matter entirely. As was her comfortable position in the center of my bed.
Did I use to allow this, too?I wondered, studying her intently.Why would I allow such freedom?
There was so much I couldn’t remember. But this female had known me for over a thousand years. What else could she tell me?
Hmm, but can I trust her to tell me the truth?
Mira had already warned me that Ismerelda was from a former time when humans were provided with more rights. However, Ismerelda had always been mine. Wouldn’t I have been the regulator of those rights? Grooming her to be my version of a perfect little blood slave?
She hadn’t tried to escape while I’d been gone, just dressed the way I apparently preferred and taken over my bed—a placement I imagined she’d been well acquainted with throughout the centuries. She also appeared to be in a more appropriate frame of mind now.
Perhaps she’d still been waking up from her death when I’d first approached her and that had been the cause of her bizarre behavior.
Now she was acting as though nothing had happened. She was just staring at me, awaiting further direction.
