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She nodded and followed me over, dragging her feet a little as she did.

While Kai settled into his seat, Vorzyr rounded the table and pulled out the chair opposite him for her, then gestured for her to have a seat.

Kai grinned at his chivalrous gesture, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Ariana murmured her thanks and took a seat. As Vorzyr went to push her chair in, she waved him away, then settled in herself.

He sat back down next to Kai and I placed one of my plates down, the one with the éclair on it that I’d gotten for Kai. Then I slid the other with the dark chocolate croissant for myself. Vorzyr still had a plate with three steak sandwiches on it to get through yet.

As I settled onto my chair, Kai told Ariana, “Bold display back there.”

“It was barely anything,” she said, dismissively.

“I meant that it was foryou.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Can you tone down the bullshit? Just for a few minutes. That should be possible, right?”

Vorzyr whistled and sank back in his chair like he was settling in to watch a show.

I guess he was.

Kai smirked at her. “Give me a reason.”

“She said she needs our help,” I cut in, before more barbs zinged back and forth.

Kai arched an eyebrow. “And here I thought I was already helping you, sweetheart?”

“I’m not talking about your dick,” she bit at him.

“I was actually thinking my mouth this time.”

Jeez.

“Kai,” Vorzyr rumbled. “She came here to ask for our assistance. Keep that in mind.”

As they exchanged a knowing look, Ariana caught it and said, “Ah, yes, something else for you to use to manipulate me with. That’s what you’re thinking, right?”

“Manipulate you with?” Vorzyr asked.

“Please. You think I put down what happened between us that night to a mere coincidence? Once you started spouting all that stuff about me owning my power, I knew you were really there on Kai’s behalf after all.”

“That’s not—”

“Was the kiss a part of that? Let me guess… to have me lowering my defenses, right?”

“That had nothing to do with me,” Kai told her. “It was all him.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “And you.”

“That’s why you haven’t said a word to me in the halls, or even when we saw each other on our dorm floor,” Vorzyr surmised. “You thought I was playing you?”

“The two of you are definitely working together.” She waved her hand. “Whatever. People wanting something from me is par for the course. Doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.”

“The only thing I want is to get to know you, to be around you,” Vorzyr told her.

“Me too. Well, including your delectable body in that, of course,” Kai said.

“Dammit, Kai,” I uttered.

He sighed and sat forward, telling Ariana, “V is interested in you just like I am. I gave him some pointers. That’s all. Everything that happened between you was real. I didn’t script any of it. Hell, I didn’t even know he was going to prepare a whole fucking picnic to romance you. I certainly didn’t direct him to kiss you. I’d rather have shared that experience. Although,Iwouldn’t have kept it to a kiss. You would’ve been on your knees for me, sweetheart. And loving every fucking moment of it as your talented tongue pleasured my cock and youreveled in tasting me and making me moan for you. Mmm, I can’t wait to paint you with my cum again. Maybe I’ll spread it all over your exquisite breasts and have you wear it there this time, hmm?”