Page 12

Bryce cleared his throat and shot Mindy a startled glance. She winked, then skipped off as a new customer headed toward the counter.

“You didn’t just say that.”

“I did.” She flashed him a bright smile. “Keep up the farce with her. You’ll end up another pitiful statistic for the greater divorced America.” She shrugged. Before she turned her smile on the customer, she said, “But that’s none of my business.”

4

Mortal life could be no more pitiful than that which she endured. Pitiful and caustic. Two things kept her going: Wealth and revenge.

This eve brought one of the two in the way of the rich man she played escort to. Mayhap to mortal women, he was handsome, but the idea of sleeping with him in a few hours madehermortal stomach jolt and a foul taste taint the back of her throat. She’d perform her duties, leaving him sated and her wallet thick with cash, while every second, she’d focus her anger on exacting revenge.

The man—she didn’t catch his name and didn’t care to learn it—took the liberty of tucking loose strands of her golden blond hair behind her ear. Herhumanear. She managed to refrain from scowling. Months had passed, but it didn’t make the sting of her punishment any easier. Being turned into a mortal weakling with no power, no magic, naught, was below the worst type of degradation she could conjure on her own.

All for a cross-breed Fae and his pathetic sister.

Soon, they’d get their due. As would everyone who witnessed her humiliation that day at Court.

“You look beautiful this evening, Anna,” her companion complimented, drawing his knuckles along her jaw. She formed her best seductive smile and lowered her eyelids, indulging in the hungry glow of the man’s eyes. The corner of his mouth quirked in a lazy half-grin as his thumb brushed over her bottom lip. “I’m grateful you decided to join me for dinner after all.”

Dinner was a perfect cover.

“I wouldn’t miss an eve with you, darling.” She caught his hand and turned his palm over, pressing a taunting kiss to the heel of his hand. Beneath the table, she slipped her foot from her stiletto and teased the inside of his leg with her sole. The shadows cast over his face by the dim ambiance and the table’s candlelight deepened the higher she glided her foot. Thank the Goddess for the long tablecloths. She could have fun with this one without anyone realizing what was going on.

If he could keep his face about him and not give them away.

His grin turned feral when she reached her mark. She slowly rubbed his hard cock with her foot, enjoying the way his eyes darkened. She would have him melt to her will soon enough.

“I took the liberty of ordering wine for us. I hope you enjoy a nice Chianti,” he said, voice dipping.

“I adore a full-bodied wine.”

She perched her elbow on the table and casually flipped her hand over, twirling the dainty necklace around her neck before placing it precisely between her breasts. The man’s gaze lowered to the dip in the neckline of her tight black dress. The tip of his tongue licked the corners of his mouth.He scooted his chair into the table, pressing himself against her foot as she rubbed him slowly. Goddess, if she only had a little power, she’d use magic to simulate her hand and get this over with much quicker. The small enhancements left to her once her power was stripped—her acute hearing and intuition—did naught to help her in this current predicament.

“Perfect.” His hand disappeared beneath the table to capture her foot and set a rhythm he preferred. “Mmm. It’s a shame I haven’t met you before.”

“’Tis such a shame.”

“Your accent, beautiful. Where are you from?”

She forced a smile. “Here.”

The man tsked, ticking a single finger back and forth. “That’s not true. Where do you come from?”

Daeanna swallowed back the bile that threatened to crest the back of her mouth. Her past was forbidden territory when it came to these no-name dates. She performed her services, collected her payment, and moved on to the next, leaving each man a little less lonely for a night.

She didn’t divulge who she was or anything pertaining to her past.

Their server approached with a bottle of wine and a white linen cloth draped over his forearm. She sat quietly as the server performed the ritualistic display of the bottle to her date, opened it with slick skill, and poured a taste for her. She motioned to her date’s glass.

“I trust his approval. Please.”

She nodded once more to the man across the table, pressing her toes a little harder against his cock. A faint shudder rippled down his shoulders, causing her lips to curl upward. His hand left her foot and stealthily emerged above the table to push his empty wine glass toward the server. After a leisurely swirl of the sample, he tasted the wine andnodded.

“Wonderful.” He shifted his chair back. Daeanna caught her foot from dropping to the floor and gingerly felt around beneath the table for her shoe. “My darling, I’ll entrust appetizers to you. If you’ll excuse me.”

She wiggled her fingers as he adjusted his suit jacket and fastened the bottom button before heading in the direction of the bathrooms. The server poured out two servings of wine and rested the bottle on the table before removing a small white order pad from his apron pocket.

“If you’ll give me a moment to look over the menu. I haven’t decided on anything,” she said, unable to disguise her distaste for her date, the wine, and the restaurant in her voice.