Page 41 of Taste of Blood

I do a mental doubletake; I didn’t expect him to agree. I wrack my brain to come up with a place convenient for him. I know he doesn’t do pretentious, so nothing in my neighborhood.

I recall a place he and I used to frequent when we were together. It’s in a dicey neighborhood, but maybe that will appeal to Cord. “How about O’Hara’s? Seven o’clock?”

“O’Hara’s, huh? Okay, why not?” I can hear a commotion on his end. “Look, I gotta go.”

“I’ll see you later.”

He hangs up without another word, but I have what I want. A chance.

I can barely concentrate for the rest of the day. Our monthly board meeting drags by like a distant dream. I nod in all the rightplaces, but I’m not really paying attention. Elaine calls me on it after everyone leaves the room.

“What’s up with you today?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re distracted. It’s not like you.”

I could blow her off, but Elaine isn’t so easily fooled. It’s one of the reasons she’s so valuable to me. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“Anything I can help with?”

The question reminds me of what I said to Cord earlier. “No. It’s something I have to take care of myself.”

She regards me with scrutiny. “If you say so. I’m here if you need me. Don’t forget you’ve got the Maxley meeting this afternoon.”

I groan. Fucking Maxley. He’s the last person I want to bother with right now, but I’ve put him off twice already. After he sent over his books, he’s been relentless in badgering me about making a deal.

I glance at Elaine, who holds up her hand and shakes her head. “Before you say anything, no, you cannot cancel again. If you’re that adverse to talking to the man, just tell him you don’t want to do business with him.”

Part of me wants to do just that. He’s just so…needy.

Sort of like you were with Cord earlier?

“Fine. Let’s just get it over with.”

She chuckles. “The prelude to all great business deals.”

I know she’s right, and ordinarily I would enjoy the process of expanding my empire, but the thought just doesn’t hold the same appeal right now. I don’t know if it’s a permanent alteration of my attitude or just a byproduct of Cord’s reentry into my life, but something has changed. Could it be he finally got through to me that day at his apartment? Have I been all about the money lately?

Don’t get me wrong; I still love the chase. The high I get from closing a deal is next level, but I’m realizing there are more important things in life. How much more money do I really need? And what is any deal worth if it costs me Cord? I’ve wasted enough of the time we could have been together. I miss him, and I want him back in my life, and that’s more valuable than any deal I could close.

And I intend to tell him that tonight.

Whether he believes me or not will be up to how convincing I can be.

♦ ♦ ♦

I have Benjimen drop me at O’Hara’s at 6:50, assuring him I can find my own way home. He seems dubious about my claim, considering the neighborhood, but he leaves me anyway.

I’m surprised to find Cord already sitting at the bar talking to another guy. I’m assuming it’s one of the men Cord works with because I don’t want to consider the alternative. He wouldn’t bring a lover with him to meet me, would he?

As I get closer I can smell that the guy is a vamp, but there’s something off about him. He’s dressed in jeans and a leather jacket and practically radiates danger. I suppose most of the people Cord associates with would fit that category, since they’re essentially in the vampire version of the mafia, but this guy reminds me of a rabid dog I once encountered as a kid; deadly and unpredictable. I’ve honed my gut to read people in business, and it’s telling me to approach this one with caution.

He looks up at me and narrows his amber eyes as I slide onto the stool on the other side of Cord and motion for the bartender.

Cord glances at me and nods, then lifts his glass to the bartender when he comes over. I order a Jameson neat and he brings the drink and pours Cord a refill, who then rises and motions for me to follow him.

“Let’s get a table.”