Page 5

“Oh, Lord, not the desk. Liam,” she groaned, stomping down the hallway.

“Hey, don’t you touch a thing on that desk. I have everything exactly where I want it,” he called after her.

“Dammit, Liam,” her voice echoed from his office.

A grin twisted his lips. He enjoyed seeing that fire in her again. It had just about killed him to see how broken she was after that auction. Especially since it was his fault she’d been there in the first place.

He rubbed the thick scars on his wrists. He’d put off claiming her for far too long. Let his past get in the way of doing what needed to be done. Alex had paid the price.

It was a miracle the vampires who attacked her didn’t drain her on the spot. Fortunately, Alex’s market value was even more tempting than her high-octane blood. Fuck, leave it to Charlie to get mixed up with a loan shark who wasn’t human.

Gavin returned, pausing at Liam’s side. “Hey, boss man. Someone called for you earlier while you were in your meeting. Got the number right here.” He dug into his pocket, then frowned, withdrawing the empty length of chain. “Alex,” he grated, smoke rolling from his nostrils.

Liam handed him his wallet. “I already spoke with her.”

“If she wasn’t yours…” Gavin’s eyes glinted.

“But she is…mine,” Liam said, threat resonating in his tone.

“Right. Sorry, boss.” The demon swallowed audibly. “No offense intended. About that note.” He handed him the balled-up message. “Caller had one of those sultry pay-by-the-minute voices.”

Liam smoothed the scrap of paper and cursed, chucking it into the trash. “Vivian.” It was as if his thoughts about the ebony-haired seductress had summoned her.

“I’d be happy to call her back for you,” Gavin offered with a lusty grin.

“I’ll take care of it later.” Much later. No harm in stalling a bit longer.

Eventually, though, he’d have to make good on his debt.

When he tracked Alex to that auction, it had taken every bit of his control not to break down the door and haul her out. Fear she’d be injured in the process held him back. Problem was, he didn’t have the credentials to get inside, much less to bid on her. The black market auction house was invitation only, and the asshat who ran the place wouldn’t give him the time of day.

With few options, he’d called in a favor to an old acquaintance. One he’d trusted to keep his secret. Then, he walked Alex right out the front door without a scratch.

But walking her out that door had come at a price. The reminder twisted through his gut.

Two weeks of his life in exchange for Alex’s freedom. A rat’s fart of time for a vampire who’d lived for centuries. He’d done a lot worse over the years for a lot less.

Alex was safe. That was all that mattered.

So why did he feel as though a cloud of doom continued to hang over their heads?

“How did the business meeting go?” Gavin asked, distracting him with a welcome change of subject. “Anything I should know?” A feral light gleamed in the manager’s eyes.

“Nothing important. You find them sniffing around here again, you show them the inside of the dumpster.”

“My pleasure.” Gavin grinned before darting off to wait on a customer.

Liam popped open the register to gather the night’s receipts. His attention shifted to the shiny twelve-inch circle Alex had been mindlessly polishing. It wasn’t the first time he’d caught her staring off into space like that. She tried to hide it, but he knew she studied every face, searching for the men who’d murdered her father.

Fucking Charlie. For years, Liam had kept Alex hidden from his world. Until her derelict father had led a couple of bottom feeders right to her.

Paper crinkled in his fist. He never should have let her stay with the bastard. Unfortunately, after a rogue vampire killed her mother, Liam couldn’t bring himself to tear her away from the only family she had left. Despite Charlie Stevens’ many flaws, Alex had loved him. The girl had a streak of loyalty that was rare today.

He slammed the register drawer and gathered up the ball of crumpled receipts. Alex was going to have a fit.

Eh, she’d get over it. Besides, a little chaos was good for the soul.

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