“He’s refused every date we’ve tried to set up for him. Every single one. There are only a few days left on the clock and our star client won’t perform.”
“He’s not a horse,” she muttered.
“What the hell did you do, Abbey?”
She pushed away from her desk. “Nothing.”
Brushing past the women, she headed for the break room to grab a cup of coffee. But the siren kept pace with her. Vivian, it seemed, was not done.
“I’ve seen zombies look more lively than you, and your vampire lover is refusing my phone calls. You’re relationship screwed us all, didn’t it?”
“Our numbers are up,” Abbey said. “We’ve been signing new members every day.”
“Once Lucian walks, half of them will go with him. Not to mention we won’t have the vampire publicity he promised if we succeeded. We’ll be back were we started.”
She poured herself a cup of coffee before chugging a long sip. Hopefully the caffeine would help her feel more alive, especially since she felt as dead inside as the zombies Vivian had accused her of emulating.
“A month was never enough time,” Abbey said. “He knew it and we knew it.”
Vivian’s lip curled. “It was enough time for you to situate yourself in his bed.”
She rounded on her boss. “Lay off, Viv. I’m sorry you took my relationship as a personal attack but it wasn’t intended as anything of the sort. You can’t help who you—” She broke off before uttering the damning word but the damage was done.
Both Chloe and Vivian looked at her as if she’d sprouted another head.
“Love?” Vivian said finally.
Abbey stayed mutinously silent.
“Oh, you stupid girl,” her boss said. “You might get what you deserve after all.”
“I have work to do,” Abbey said.
The siren’s eyes were narrowed as they watched her. “Best make it perfect, Abbey. I’m this close to firing you for the mess you’ve made of my company.”
Might even be a justified action, she thought as she muscled by her coworkers.
She stalked down the hall only to stop when she was out of Vivian’s view. Abbey pressed her back against the gray wall and closed her eyes.
You can’t help who you love.
Those were the fateful words that had almost escaped her.
Did she mean them?
She dragged a hand down her face. Had she been too late? Loving Lucian would be incredibly stupid. She’d given him up because she’d known that going down that road was a once-in-a-lifetime commitment. If she loved him, she didn’t see how she could survive a future without him.
Pain tore at her heart and she held her palm over her throbbing chest. Could hearts really break? Because hers was damn close.
“Stupid,” she whispered.
She’d known better.
Nothing good came of loving a vampire.
Chapter Fourteen
“You’re an idiot.”
Lucian didn’t bother to look at Melissa when she stormed into the study. Instead he focused on the fireplace before him and watched the flames.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes, pet.”
He knew what she wanted to say, what his mind had been screaming since he’d left Abbey days ago.
“How could you do this to her?”
Lucian sighed. “Melissa, what happens between me and Abbey is none of your business.”
“The hell it isn’t. You’re my sire and she’s a friend. And any fool can see both of you are hurting.”
The thought of Abbey in pain was unbearable. “Do not push this,” he cautioned.
“Why? Because for once in my lifetime something has actually gotten close enough to you to hurt?”
“Enough. I will not tolerate your involvement in this particular subject.” He rose to his feet and started for the door.
“My mother would be ashamed of you.”
The words stopped him cold.
“If she could see you now, throwing away this chance, she’d be ashamed of your cowardice.”
Lucian spun slowly. “You go too far.”
But Melissa didn’t back down. “Is it because she’s human?” she asked. “Is that why you’re running away? Is that why you couldn’t love either one of them?”
“I tried to love your mother.”
“Did you feel for her what you feel for Abbey?”
He opened his mouth only to close it. Claudette had appeared at a time in his life when he’d had no one. She’d given him a family and he’d always be grateful for that. The time he’d spent with her had been the happiest of his life.
Until he’d met Abbey.
“You cannot compare relationships in such a way,” he argued.