noting absently that she was rubbing her elbow like it hurt.
"Oh, he's in there, all right." As she shot him a tight smile, he abruptly realized she was a vampire. That little grin thing was a move they all pulled when they were out among humans.
And she was kind of attractive, he supposed, what with the long blond hair and the black leather at her breasts and hips. As she slid into the booth next to him, he caught her scent and thought idly of sex for the first time in... well, since he'd met Marissa over the summer.
He took a long drink, finishing the Scotch in his glass. Then he glanced at the female's breasts. Yeah, sex was on his mind, but more as a physical reflex than anything else. The interest was nothing like it had been with Marissa. Then the need had been... consuming. Reverent. Important.
Page 110
J R Ward: Lover Awakened
The female beside him shot him a look as if she knew the direction of his thoughts. "Your friend might be in there for a while."
"Yeah?"
"They were just starting to get down to it."
"The buy?"
"The sex."
Butch's head whipped up and he locked eyes with her. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, whoops..." She frowned. "Are you two together or something?"
"No, we're not together," he snapped. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Yeah, I didn't really think you were like that. You dress well, but you don't give off that kind of vibe."
"And my buddy's not into men, either."
"You sure about that?"
He thought about the celibacy and started to wonder.
Whatever. He needed another drink; he did not need to get into Phury's biz. Lifting his arm, he waved to a waitress, who rushed over.
"Another double Scotch," he said. To be polite, he turned to the female next to him. "You want something?"
Her hand landed on his thigh. "As a matter of fact, I do. But she can't give it to me."
As the waitress left, Butch leaned back in the booth, stretching both arms out, opening himself. The female took the invite, leaning into him, moving that hand south. His body stirred, its first sign of life in months, and he had some passing thought that maybe he could get Marissa out of his head if he had some sex.
While the female stroked him through his pants, he watched her with clinical interest. He knew where this was headed. He'd end up doing her in one of the private bathrooms over there. Would take maybe ten minutes, if that. He'd get her off, do his business, then beat feet to get away from her.
God, he'd pulled that quickie routine hundreds of times over the course of his life. And it was really just masturbation disguised as sex. No big deal.
He thought of Marissa... and felt his tear ducts sting.
The female next to him moved so that her breasts were on his arm. "Let's go to the back, daddy."
He put his hand over hers at his crotch and she made some kind of purring noise in his ear. At least until he removed her palm.
"I'm sorry. I can't."
Page 111
J R Ward: Lover Awakened
The female pulled away and looked at him as if he had to be playing her. Butch stared right back.
He wasn't prepared to say he was never going to have sex again. And he sure as shit didn't understand why Marissa had gotten to him as much as she had. All he knew was that his old pattern of balling random women wasn't doing it for him. Tonight.
Abruptly Phury's voice cut through the ambient noise of the club. "Hey, cop, you want to stay or go?"
Butch glanced up. There was a slight pause as he speculated about his friend.
The Brother's yellow eyes narrowed. "What's doing, cop?"
"I'm ready to go," Butch said, smoothing over the awkward moment.
As he got up, Phury gave the blond a hard look. A real keep-your-yap-shut special.
Wow, Butch thought as they headed for the door. So Phury really was gay.
Chapter Twenty
Bella woke up hours later to a soft scraping sound. She glanced over to a window and watched as its steel shutter came down. Dawn must be close.
Anxiety tingled in her chest, and she looked at the door. She wanted Zsadist to come through it, wanted to clap her eyes on him and reassure herself he was in one piece. Even though he'd seemed back to normal when he'd left, she'd put him through a lot.
She rolled over onto her back and thought about Mary showing up. How had