"Touchy much? Don't get your shorts in a twist, big boy. I don't blame you. I guess she is pretty in a freaky punk sort of way, if that's what you like. You sure he hasn't hit it yet? They looked awfully familiar with each other when we walked in to find him all wrapped around her in bed." Samantha knew she had him, and she was stoking the flames of jealously and encouraging Kayden's imagination to run with that memory.
He turned to look at her. "Get to the damn point, Sam. I'm not gonna stand around and listen to someone of your ‘experience' tear her down, and her hair is natural, by the way. I'd like to see you tell your father his hair is freaky." He hesitated a moment. "You should really watch your step, Sam. She's more talented than you can imagine."
"Are you really that stupid? You want her, and I want him. I don't care what she can do. I just don't want her sharing her ‘talents' with Chase. You need to find a way to get closer to her, while I keep him tied up with Daddy and council business. I'm going to be cochairing the gala committee with him, and that'll mean a lot of time together in the next several weeks. Daddy will be talking to him about the schedule today. It's expected that he will ask me to the gala. That would be the perfect time to let Chase see how she prefers you. That is, if you can convince her to attend the gala with you. You can be the one to introduce the new girl to our society. I bet if we play our cards right, you could be bonded before too long yourself.
"If you can't handle it, let me know and I'll find another male to distract her. I'm sure I can find another guy who would love to try her on for size, if you know what I mean."
Kayden's head snapped up, and he glared at Samantha.
"I'll keep her busy. You keep your bloodhounds away from her. I'll be pursuing her, but only because I like her and I wanna get to know her better. Don't blame me if you can't keep Chase away, because he is not going to give up easily. He won't wanna be with you until he's forced to by a blood bond." Sam looked at him as if he had just slapped her. "The truth may hurt, Sam, but that doesn't make it any less true."
Just then, Chase came off the elevator with a sleepy-looking redhead under his arm. He froze when Samantha came into view. He whispered something to the girl, and she left on wobbly legs. "What are you doing here, Sam?"
"Hello, darling. I'm here for our lunch date. Daddy has been waiting, so we should get a move on." She turned and wagged her ass all the way out to the car.
"What is she up to, Kayden?"
"Looks like you two are going to be spending some quality time together planning the gala. Congrats!" Kayden slapped him on the back in sympathy on the way to the car.
Chase was in a foul mood when they arrived at the country club. Sam was getting on his last damn nerve with her constant chatter about the gala. Griffin had to make the rounds at the bar, socializing and rubbing elbows before taking his seat. He insisted Chase go with him to watch and learn. It gave Samantha more time to drive home the fact that Chase was being groomed for the council and prepared for bonding.
Over lunch, they continued to discuss arrangements for the gala and planned for Chase to come over and meet with Samantha frequently for the next several weeks in preparation. They would be attending several meetings with vendors to assure a smooth-running event. Chase knew it was an attempt by Samantha and their respective parents to kindle a romance between them. He thought Brandi was looking better and better every day.
Chase was grateful when Samantha's father dismissed her after lunch so the men could talk. Griffin wanted a full accounting of their experience with Danielle. He and Kayden relayed everything they knew about Danielle and the attempted kidnapping.
"We haven't found Nathan yet, but Vince won't give up. He feels responsible. He does all the hiring, and this guy made it past him." Chase decided not to reveal her last name. He found it odd that Griffin would not know a member of his family was attending college so close to his home. There couldn't be any relation, but sitting across the table from Griffin, the resemblance between him and Danielle was striking. It was hard to dismiss it when they even had the same hair, the same chestnut color, and the same streaks that looked like purposely placed snow-colored highlights.
"I think I should meet this girl. If she's all you boys say she is, we may need to contact her family and place her under our protection until we get this mess sorted out. If her talents were to fall into the wrong hands, it would be disastrous." Both the boys stiffened at this comment. "Do either of you have a number for her? Kayden, maybe you can go pick her up and bring her over? I'll be home all evening."
Chase spoke up quickly. "No. I will go get her, Mr. Vaughn. She's a friend of mine."
"Really? I was given the impression by Samantha the girl wasn't speaking to you, and that I should go through Kayden to reach her." Griffin turned to Kayden. "Are you friends with the girl also, Kayden?"
"Yes, sir, I know just where to find her. I would be more than happy to speak with her, Mr. Vaughn. I'm sure she'll cooperate," Kayden assured Griffin.
Chase banked on the fact that once Griffin met Danielle, he would want her protected.
"Mr. Vaughn, I live five minutes from the university. I would be glad to put her up in my spare bedroom if she needs protection. It would be convenient for her to get to school. I have the space, and security in the lobby of my building. You still live at home, about thirty minutes from the university, right, Kayden?"
"Yes, that's correct." Kayden tried to control his scowl as he answered.
Griffin leaned back. "I will speak with the girl and decide if protection is in order. We'll speak again after I decide where she will be safest, if protection is called for."
Chase and Kayden didn't speak to each other directly the rest of the afternoon. There was a new tension, a distance between them that neither of them seemed willing to cross.
Kayden didn't bother to say good-bye to Chase when they were dropped off in front of his building. When the driver opened the door for him, Kayden bowed his head respectfully to Mr. Vaughn and exited the vehicle in search of a fight. His size alone made most people stay out of his way. He was six-and-a-half feet of hewn muscle that screamed menace, but he could always find someone willing to rumble among the warriors.
Kayden Paris came from a long line of warrior-class vampires. They were the strongest of their species and took great honor in protecting their community and families. So Kayden had an inborn temper and an aggressive streak that just wouldn't quit. His father, Gage Paris, the commander of the warrior class, reported directly to the council. By all rights, Kayden should have been well on his way to following in his father's footsteps.
Until that moment, he'd had no interest in becoming a warrior. This was a source of disappointment for his father. Of course, Kayden had plenty of training. He'd been wrestling and sparring with his father pretty much since birth. He was deadly with a gun and as accurate as any warrior with a blade, but hand-to-hand combat gave him the most pleasure. He enjoyed challenging others with his strength.
He was pissed off and ready to break someone's face. Stalking off to his car, he decided to pay his father a visit. Maybe he could work out some aggression at the compound. Samantha should have left him alone. He was used to the way things were. Chase was from a ruling house, and Kayden never had a problem dealing with his dominant nature. It had always been that way. They'd grown up together. Gage, Griffin, and Chase's father were good friends, so their families mingled often. Kayden was comfortable with his lower-class status. It never mattered, as long as Kayden wasn't eyeing something or someone Chase wanted.
But all he could think of was Danielle. He realized that Sam had played a head game with him in order to secure her own happiness, but she'd made some valid points. There was no reason he shouldn't be able to pursue Danielle. Chase would do nothing but break her heart in the end. She would be nothing but a memory once he was bound to Sam. The one good thing about being lower class was he would bond to someone for love, not out of obligation or duty to his house.
His father was in a meeting when he arrived, so Kayden went to the locker room and changed. As there was no shortage of warriors willing to spar, Kayden made himself busy getting bloody knuckles and working out his pent-up anger. He'd need to be calm when he went to see Danielle.
His father's look of pride when he left the ring was worth the world to Kayden. He didn't like disappointing his father, and that day marked the end of his resistance. Kayden would join the warriors and make his father proud. Taking his place among his people felt like a good thing now, instead of the duty he'd always dreaded. The thought of having purpose made him feel oddly settled. His life would be about more than just the next party or night out on the town. Kayden would make himself worthy of his family name. He would be worthy of Danielle, and he'd make it his job to protect her. He would use his father's authority to be assigned to her detail and personally ensure her safety. Chase would use his father's influence to get Dani under his roof. Kayden had to use his father's sway to make sure he would be right there beside her, no matter where she ended up.