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“Alexander, we have things to discuss.” She said evenly.

Her words hit with the force she intended, but I kept moving closer to her. I sensed Natasha’s steady presence behind me.

“Does your dog know how to sit and stay?” Teresa tilted her head and pretended to look puzzled. Her mockery clawed at my patience.

Teresa waited for a reaction, any hint that she unsettled me or my head of security. We would never give her what she wanted. I will never give her what she craved— me. The woman I once thought was so sweet now smelled like a dying, wilting flower.

“Do your vocal cords work, Zandy?” She taunted.

“You should leave Chicago,” I said as I stood inches from her smug face.

“Still bossy, I see,” Teresa replied and cackled like a hyena. Her laughter was sharp and annoying. “You can’t force me out without starting a war.”

“You sound ridiculous. What war?”

“You’re one vampire. I’m the one with the army.” I glanced back at Natasha, who was stone-faced and ready to pounce.

“You don’t know what I have.”

That was true, but I didn’t care what she was alluding to.

“I’ve warned you so many times.”

“Ha, warned me. Who are you to warn me? I get what I want or there will be trouble. We both know you don’t have the stomach for a real fight.”

“Why would I fight you when I could just as easily kill you? I don’t care about your life. You are the past.”

Teresa rolled her eyes. “If you think I’m the past when I am clearly standing here in the present, you are an idiot.”

“The name calling doesn’t move me. You better leave Chicago. You better leave the state of Illinois. On second thought, you better leave the entire Midwest.”

“Valentine, Valentine, my fucking, Valentine. I have the right to live in any state I choose.” Teresa turned away slightly, feigning disinterest.

“Vampires don’t have rights. It’s laughable that you think so.”

“Semantics.” She smirked. “You always have to be right.”

“I could end you and absolutely no one would care.”

“But you’re not. You have vampire morals.”

“You think you know me so well.”

“I know you better than you know yourself.”

Teresa wasn’t going to make this easy for me. Not that I expected her to.

“This is all about your stupid little nurse. I won’t kill her if you would just forgive me.”

Now it was my time to chuckle. “You fucked my father and my brother. There is no forgiveness.”

“Why must you harp on the past? I did what I did, and you did what you did.”

“You are fucking delusional. I didn’t do anything to you.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” She added. “You don’t scare me. You never did. She is a human, but I, I, would die for you.”

“Good! Go die! Go die far away from me!” I found myself yelling and reeled myself back in.