Ripper(69)

“I’m not a witch, asshole.” I pulled off the little anklet charm Liv had made for me. I held it up, pointing it Marcus’s way. “I’m a piddling human who has no idea what you mean by avoiding persuasion. If you mean I won’t let some fucker in my head tell me what to do, then I guess I’m guilty. If you don’t mind, I’ll get the fuck out of your line of fire.”

I started toward the elevator.

“Merda,” I heard the vampire curse. I might not know what it meant, but I knew a dirty word when I heard it.

I didn’t turn around. I kept walking. I made it to the elevator and pushed the button. The doors opened and I got inside. I stared blankly at the keypad and remembered Liv had pushed a bunch of numbers in like a code. I didn’t remember the damn code. I’d been looking up at Gray, thinking how handsome he was in his suit. I hated men so much in that moment. I was going to have to go through the indignity of getting back off the elevator, walking past the pretended-to-be-a-nice-guy vampire and back into the club. I so wasn’t doing that. I pushed a single number, thinking I’d get out of here and call Liv and maybe she could talk me through it. I pushed the buttons randomly, but the doors wouldn’t close.

“You have to know the code,” Marcus said quietly, standing in the doorway.

“I’ll figure it out.” I let the chill I felt climb into my voice. Cold. Cold was better than hot. Hot brought tears. Cold was much more dignified.

“Tell me you are what you say you are.” There was a slight pleading in his voice. “I…no longer know what to believe. Per favore. Please.”

There was no mask left on Marcus’s face. He looked tired and sad and I couldn’t help but respond. I felt as tired as he looked. “I’m just a girl, Vorenus. I met Devinshea Quinn a couple of hours ago. I kind of thought he was an asshole, but not nearly as big an asshole as I think you are. Please let me go home. I want to go home.”

The vampire said nothing as he stepped into the elevator and pressed the series of numbers that started it moving. I held myself as far from him as possible.

“Take the car, Kelsey.” He held his keys out.

“I’ll call a cab.”

“Please,” he begged. “I’ve made a complete ass of myself. Just take the car. I’ll send someone to retrieve it tomorrow. I would prefer if you would allow me to drive you, but I understand if you do not wish to be with me.”

“I just want to do my job, Vorenus.” I felt stupid holding my shoes, but I couldn’t force myself back into them.

“Of course,” he said evenly. “I’ll make certain everything is ready for you tomorrow. It would be best if you allowed me to go with you. By now everyone believes you’re my mistress. If I make arrangements for another vampire to escort you, it would be…confusing. I swear to you that I’ll be on my best behavior. I will not hurt you again.”

I smiled as casually as I could. Everything that came out of my mouth was a total lie. “You can’t hurt me. It’s fine. You and the faery have some sort of war going. Leave me out of it. I want to close my case and then you never have to deal with me again. I’ll be professional if you will.”

“I will be whatever you want me to be, Kelsey. I would do anything to take back the last ten minutes. We were becoming friends.”

“Yeah, well, I’m sure a councilman has enough friends. He doesn’t need a two-bit PI hanging around.” The elevator stopped.

“You would be so wrong, cara mia,” Marcus said so achingly I turned to him.

I was about to ask him what he meant when I saw Gray’s truck sitting right in front of the elevator and it seemed like all the air in the world fled. My breath caught almost painfully in my chest at the sight of him. I wondered if I would ever get used to how beautiful he was.

“Kelsey?” Gray said as his head came up. He was sitting in the cab with the door open.

“You came back for me?” I got out of the elevator.

His previously pristine suit coat was tossed aside and his tie was gone. His shoulders were slumped as he got out of the truck. “I never left, baby. I just waited. I’m so sorry. I was wrong. I was a bastard. Please, please forgive me.” He came to stand right in front of me and lowered his forehead to mine. “Please, baby. Please forgive me.”

My shoes fell to the concrete floor as my arms wound around his waist and I leaned into his warmth. I knew I should tell both men to go to hell and sink back into the shell I’d spent years perfecting, but I wanted what Gray had to offer so much. He’d lost his temper. It wasn’t like I hadn’t done that before. I got pissed off and said things I didn’t mean all the time. I let my head rest against his chest and felt the strong beat of his heart as his arms tightened around me.