Page 162 of Immortal Bastard (The Order of Vampires)

“I needed to have you,” he confessed, leaning closer but keeping his words clear. “The first time I heard your voice, my body literally burned for you. I thought, if I could just make her love me, if I could just teach her to trust me, I would gladly take care of her every need for the rest of my life.” He looked into her eyes, their lips a mere kiss apart. “And now you’re going to be my wife.”

Tears quivered in her eyes. She didn’t look at the other woman. They didn’t need to. Jealousy had an unmistakable sour stench, and Meghan was swimming in it.

“I love you,” Delilah whispered, and he grinned, closing the distance to kiss her. She drew in a fortifying breath and turned to the woman at the counter. “My name’s Delilah, not Morticia. And I didn’t run away or die. I moved on, to get away from prissy little bitches like you.” She glanced up at the water-marked ceiling and the particle board walls. “But it looks like you’re doing great. How about that rental?”

The woman’s expression fell as she dropped her gaze. “We were kids. You know how it is in high school—”

“Not really. You and I had different experiences. I just wanted to peacefully get through my day, and you wanted to make sure that didn’t happen, all while getting banged by half the varsity team. That must have been exhausting for you.”

She scoffed and glanced up at Christian, but Delilah stepped in front of him.

“Don’t look at him. Just get us the keys and whatever paperwork we need to sign. Then you can go back to roasting in this box of an office as you finish your shitty burrito in the back to whatever pathetic soap opera you’re watching while wishing your life had turned out differently.”

He didn’t comment on her language because, in this case, such profanity seemed justified and appropriate.

When he pulled out several hundred dollar bills Meghan gaped. “We don’t accept cash.”

“Cash will be fine,” he said, compelling her to take the money. “Find us keys.”

As soon as they left the stuffy office, Delilah squeaked and bounced by his side. “Holy crap, that was incredible! Did you see how jealous she was? I could literally smell her envy.”

He smiled, glad to see the woman had not upset her for more than a minute or two. “What is prom?”

“It’s a dance. Girls wear pretty gowns and get their hair done, and the guys wear tuxedos. It’s sort of a rite of passage that comes at the end of senior year.”

“You did not attend?”

“No. We were dirt poor and my grandparents couldn’t swing it. I dropped out anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

But it did matter to her. “We will have prom.”

She laughed. “It’s sort of a teenage thing. I’m over it. Besides, we’re going to have a wedding. That’s better. Oh, this is us.” She pointed to a large truck in spot 347.

When they reached her studio, there was much to do. Christian stripped the artwork off the walls while Delilah wrapped and boxed her equipment. She said she could visit the local library in Lancaster and sell the items online. The plan filled her with a sense of purpose, and money seemed to motivate her, so he didn’t see the harm.

“Christian, can you come here?”

He went to the back room and stilled at the sight of the chair where he first took her. His blood instantly heated as he scented her desire. “What do you need?”

She bit her lip and grinned. “I was thinking, before I pack all this stuff, we should have a little fun.”

He read her thoughts and chuckled. “You want to use that gun on me?”

“It’s only a piercing gun. Or…” She lifted a plastic package with several sharp silver needles inside. “You said the sterling silver stuff was a myth, right? How about we pretty up your nipples?”

He thought about the many things he asked of her. “This is something you want?”

“I think it’s hot.”

That was all she had to say. He removed his shirt and sat back in the chair.

Delilah unpackaged a needle and selected a medium gauge barbell. Once she had everything spread out on a metal tray, she stepped close to the chair. “Ready?”

His gaze never left her face as he nodded. The chair lowered with a low hum as she pressed her foot into a pedal on the floor.

Leaning over the leather arm, she sucked his flat nipple into her mouth. He moaned and arched as she teased the tip into a tight point. Standing back, she admired her work.

“This is going to look so sexy on you.” She lifted a small clamp and the long needle.

“You don’t use the gun?”

“Not for these guys.” She used a pen to mark two dots on his skin then clamped the tip of his nipple and then pulled. “Stay still.”