Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Panicked, he scrubbed a hand down his face and then threw up both palms. “I know how this must look, I do, but I didn’t follow you here.” He licked his lips nervously. “My cousin asked me to meet up with him; I swear, I had no clue you were here.”
Hearing the honesty in his voice, she said, “It’s fine, Iain.”
He didn’t seem to hear her. “I swear it, Naomi, I’m not lying.”
“I believe you,” she assured him.
He paused. “You do?”
“Yes.”
Air seemed to gush out of his lungs in relief. “Good.” He scratched at his nape, awkward. “Listen, I . . . I’m sorry. For everything I said and did over the past several months.”
Naomi didn’t respond. Both she and her entity were watching him intently, not liking the hint of desire in his gaze that he couldn’t suppress, or the note of resentment mingled in with it.
“When I look back on how I acted, it feels surreal. Like it was a dream. Because those things I insisted on believing despite all evidence to the contrary . . . I just don’t see how I couldn’t have seen the truth.” He swallowed hard. “I wasn’t myself.”
“I know.” She shrugged. “Apology accepted.”
He gave her a tremulous smile. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Konstantin materialized, fixing a hard glare on Iain.
His throat bobbing, the psi-demon backed away from her. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you both around.” He melted into the crowd.
Konstantin looked down at her. “What did he say?”
“He swore that he hadn’t followed me here, and he apologized for how he acted when caught up in my song,” she replied. “That’s it.”
The guard gave her a quick head-to-toe inspection. “You all right?”
“My dear Kon, it isn’t the first time I’ve come face to face with a previously obsessed suitor, and it likely won’t be the last.”
“It’s Konstantin.”
Naomi smiled. “I know.” She made her way back to her table, finding that the mess had been cleared up – and that Piper had fallen asleep. Aw.
Staring into her glass like she was trying to read tea leaves, Ella said, “There’s something in my drink. I think it’s alive.”
Naomi peered into the glass. “Looks like a cherry stem.”
“Could be a bug, though,” Khloë chimed in. “Ooh, Ella, it could have had babies in your glass, and you could have drunk them.”
“Hit her,” Ella told Devon, who promptly obliged. The redhead grinned. “Thanks.”
Devon’s lips curved. “Any time. Really.”
Naomi nabbed a stray shot from the tray and knocked it back. Yup, tasted like ass. It worked a treat, though. The alcohol went right to her head and brought back the buzz she’d lost at seeing Iain.
Ella eyed her curiously. “Something’s wrong.”
“I guess I’m a little irritated,” Naomi admitted.
“How come?” asked the redhead.
“Iain’s here.” Naomi relayed her little conversation with him.
Ella’s eyes narrowed. “Do you buy that it’s a coincidence he’s here?”
“Yes. But I don’t know if I buy that he’s sorry about what he did.” Her demon certainly didn’t. Could they really blame him for that, though, when it was only natural he wouldn’t feel that the fault lay squarely with him? It wasn’t like he willingly got ensnared by her song. But it wasn’t her fault either—she couldn’t help what she was.
“Well, coincidence or not, I don’t believe I’m wrong in thinking that Luka will show up any moment.”
Naomi frowned. “Why?”
“Konstantin will have told him what happened.”
“Yeah, but Iain hasn’t done anything.”
“I don’t mean Luka will come here for him. I mean he’ll come here to check on you; make sure you’re okay.”
“He might telepathically reach out to—”
“Nope, he’ll show up. And he’ll probably take the opportunity to cozy up to you right where Iain can see. He’ll want to get the message fully across that you’re in his bed now, just in case Iain gets any dumb ideas.”
Naomi snatched the last shot from the tray and downed it—again, the alcohol went straight to her head. She double-blinked as her head swam. “There’d be no point in doing something like that. This place is packed. Iain likely wouldn’t even notice Luka’s here.”
“He would definitely notice, because he’s looking right at you.”
Naomi stilled. “What?”
“Yup. Don’t look now. Don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing you’re talking about him. He’s not close, but he’s in a prime position that gives him a clear view of our table. It’s hard to read his expression because of the dim lighting, so I can’t say if he looks feverish and your song might have him in its thrall again.”
“I’d need to be around him for at least an hour for that to happen. I don’t intend for it to ever happen.”
Khloë leaned in, her eyes bright. “What are we talking about? Seems interesting. Share, share, share.”
Instead, Naomi asked, “Khlo, are you ever going to take that coaster off your head?”
The imp’s brow creased in confusion. “Coaster?” Moments later, her eyes went wide with remembrance. “Oh, coaster!” She snatched it off her head and returned it to the table.