Page 65 of Don't Bait Me (Nora Jacobs 3)

“Perfect. I’ve got it,” Elle says, snapping my concentration.

I open my eyes and am surprised to find her pencil already moving across the paper. “This shouldn’t take me too long, but I do need to concentrate, so I hope you don’t mind if I get quiet for a bit.”

“It’ll be a nice break,” Oliver teases.

Elle rolls her eyes but doesn’t take them off the paper in front of her. “Well, as little as you ever talk, I had to learn how to fill the silence so it wouldn’t be awkward.”

Oliver snorts. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, motormouth.”

“Haha. Be quiet, jerk. I’m trying to create a masterpiece here.”

Oliver grins and shoots me a wink. I chuckle. Oliver bantering with his little sister is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Oliver settles back against the couch, getting comfortable like he’s prepared to wait a while, so I follow his lead and sink against him even more than I already was. I lean my head back on his shoulder and he turns, kissing my temple. After that, we just sit there, enjoying a good snuggle, both of us lost in our own thoughts and yet thinking about the same thing—this new relationship between us. We’re both wondering how it’s going to work with so many men involved.

When Oliver’s thoughts turn to the other men in my life and my budding relationships with them, I stop thinking and just follow along with him. I have a feeling he’s purposefully letting me in. Oliver, of everyone, always seems very aware of the fact that I hear his thoughts. If he didn’t want me to know what he was thinking, he’d let go of my hand.

I’m relieved to realize that Oliver truly is okay with sharing me. He likes Parker and respects Rook. He’s glad that I have so many people in my life who love me. He thinks I deserve that. He’s excited to be in a relationship with me, but he’s also excited to be in this relationship with them, too. Not that he thinks of them sexually, but he’s been on his own without family supporting him for so long, he really likes being part of a clan. Like me, he’s truly happy for the first time in a long time.

Sooner than I expect, Elle puts down her pencil and holds up her sketch. “There. How’s it look?”

I gasp. It’s a beautiful drawing, and the resemblance to the two men I saw is perfect. Anyone could recognize them from this. “Wow! That’s amazing. You’re very talented.”

Elle’s cheeks frost over with a light blush, and she waves off the compliment, being just as modest as her brother. “It’s all right. I’ve had a lot of practice. Our parents are super old-fashioned and think all young ladies should beaccomplished. They’ve had me in drawing lessons, music lessons, dance…since I was a kid.”

I can’t take my eyes off the drawing. I’m too impressed. I have no artistic talent. Even my stick people are atrocious. “Well, it’s amazing. If it weren’t a picture of two murderers, I’d want to frame it.”

Elle sighs. “Thatisa bit of a downer. But if you like it so much, I’ll draw one of you and Oliver sometime. Christmas is coming up, after all.”

I perk up at this, but Oliver beats me to it when he says, “That would be awesome, Elle.”

I nod in agreement. “We’d love that.”

Elle’s gaze bounces back and forth between Oliver and me, and her eyes gloss over. “I’m really happy for you guys.”

Oliver grins, and he squeezes me. “Thanks.”

After a beat of silence, Elle tears the picture from her sketch pad and hands it over with a promise of another drawing. We say our good-byes, and I give her my number, swearing I’ll hang out with her sometime because she canjust tellthat we’re going to bebest friends. I’m pretty sure Oliver will always be my best friend, but I hug her back and agree anyway. As she squeezes the life out of me, I catch Oliver’s pleased expression. The look stays on his face all the way to the Agency office, and his hand stays tangled with mine. He lifts it periodically to his lips, and every time it makes my heart flip. I never thought I’d be an affectionate person, but I have to admit, I like the attention.

It’s well after sunsetby the time Oliver and I get to the FUA office. I expect there to be a flurry of activity in preparation for tonight, but it’s rather calm. My guys are there waiting for us. They’re all sitting in the small reception area, glaring across the room at Henry and a few of his security guys. Terrance is stone still. It looks as though if he moves an inch or even takes a breath, he’ll explode in a fiery rage. Illren stands casually against a wall with his hand on his sword, calmly staring at the vampire like he’s imagining all the ways he could torture and kill him.

Henry zeroes in on me the moment I enter the building, and he doesn’t take his eyes off me. He looks as if he’s contemplating murdering me, but there’s also a hungry gleam in his eyes that’s impossible to ignore. It gives me the creeps. His fascination with me has definitely shot into crazy-obsessed-stalker territory.

I stomp across the room to Nick as I remove my hat, gloves, and scarf and point an accusing finger at Henry. “What is he doing here? Shouldn’t he be locked up or something?”

Nick grimaces, shooting a look of disgust Henry’s way. “Or something,” he grumbles.

“What?”

He sighs. “You’ll have to ask Madison. I locked him in the holding cell last night. She let him out as soon as he woke up tonight.”

“Why?”I cry. I feel a little bit betrayed right now. Director West likes me. She wants me to join her agency. And she loves Oliver. I thought she’d be on my side. “Don’t tell me he’s gettinganotherslap on the wrist.”

Nick grimaces again.

“Oh, this is bullshit!”

Director West comes out of her office after I shout. “Miss Jacobs, what is all the ruckus?”

---