Duke(44)

Gen looked at her drink, looked back up. “I don’t think I’m drunk enough yet, so I’ll accept your offer to hang out in your office, if you don’t mind.”

“If I minded, I wouldn’t have made the offer.”

Abbott settled Gen on the sofa in his office and then he got to work. They talked about pool strategy, which led to an in depth discussion about geometry and how interesting triangles are, which morphed into a discussion about how a good grasp of chess can help one succeed in business. When her drink got low, someone showed up with another.

“Do you think one needs to know strategy to create a successful relationship?” Abbott asked.

“No. Love shouldn’t be about games.”

“In a perfect world, yes, but isn’t it necessary to look ahead, to weigh your partner’s reasons for doing something, so you don’t get blindsided later?”

“Do you think Frisco and Isaac did that?”

“Oh, I’m certain Isaac did, but I doubt your brother did.”

“And they’re both happy. Is that because Isaac drove the bus by using strategy, or because it would have worked out, anyway?”

“You’ve heard the story, I’m sure. You tell me.”

Gen looked at him a few seconds and said, “Because Isaac looked ahead at all future possibilities and created a strategy for the one he thought most likely to work that gave him what he wanted.”

“What did he want?”

“At the time, he wanted Cassie. I think eventually he wanted everyone else, but at the time, it was all about making Cassie happy, getting her past the rape, and making sure she ended up in his bed.”

Abbott nodded and looked back to his computer.

Gen took another drink and put her head back, and the next thing she knew, Abbott was waking her.

“Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“No need to apologize. It’s two o’clock, though, which is when I normally leave. Are you ready for me to take you home?”

Gen sat up and the room swam, so she said, “Yes,” instead of nodding.





Chapter Nineteen





Duke was all kinds of pissed off.

Gen’s car was home. Her cellphone said she was at The Billiard Club, but he’d been there and she wasn’t there. He’d asked to see Abbott, but had been told Abbott wasn’t available, even though Duke had seen the man’s car in the parking lot.

So now he sat on her front porch, a six pack of beer on the floor beside him. Waiting. He couldn’t get drunk, couldn’t even get buzzed, but he liked the taste.

And when he saw Abbott’s car turning into her driveway at two fifteen in the morning, he wanted to put his fist through a wall.

Abbott was the Master Vampire of the southeastern United States, and conflict with him could cause all kind of problems for the RTMC, but Duke almost didn’t care.

“I take it you’re the reason she needed to drink herself unconscious tonight?” Abbott asked as he stepped out of his car.

Duke took a breath and nodded. Abbott motioned towards his passenger door. “She’s asleep. She’s also of the opinion she’s only capable of dating assholes. Whatever you’ve done, it’s going to take some work to fix it.”

Duke shook his head and went to the passenger door. He got her purse and shoes, opened her front door, keyed in her alarm code, and then went back to retrieve her. Abbott watched as he lifted her out and walked up the steps. Knowing he needed to say something, Duke turned and said, “Thanks for getting her home safe. I can take it from here.”

“If Isaac knew I left her with you like this, he’d be ticked. I happen to know what happened between you, and I could see in her eyes she’s in love with you and deeply hurt. Find a way to fix it, Duke. It isn’t often you find someone who fits you like a puzzle piece. Don’t screw it up.”

Duke’s brows drew together. “She told you what happened?”

“No, she told me she’s only capable of dating assholes, but I have eyes and ears everywhere, Duke. Nothing happens in the supernatural world that I don’t know about. You’d do well to remember this, should you decide to reenter the sex trade business.”

“You’ll stand in our way?”

“I will not. However, there are rules in my territory about owning others, and about girls not being held as slaves, whether for sex or blood. If they come of their own free will, we won’t have a problem. You coerce them or use drug addiction to hold them down? We will.”

Duke shook his head. “I’m sure you know how it works in Atlanta. Should we go that route, we’ll follow the same business model.”