Cambion Lord (Dark Warrior Alliance #23) - Brenda Trim Page 0,37
become a drooling mess over a guy? “Thanks. I’ll be back.” She tossed over her shoulder after she accepted his phone.
Dante followed her to the door. “Do you need to call a car? How about money? I couldn’t find your wallet at your apartment.”
Chloe stopped with her hand on the knob. Here he was looking out for her again. No one had ever cared so much. After so long being on your own, you forget what it’s like to have anyone there for you. Even Tris wasn’t that kind of friend.
She was a Valkyrie, so understood Chloe’s mentality. She was a great drinking buddy and sounding board. Tris tended to look at life through the sights of a gun and offered solid advice aimed at self-preservation.
“I hadn’t thought of that. I doubt the liquor store will let me give them an IOU. Do you mind?”
Dante crowded into her personal space and looked at her with hooded eyes. The desire in them made her nipples tingle and her core clench. “I take paybacks in kisses. You have a problem with that?”
Chloe’s head moved from side to side before she could think. “I’ll repay you when I get back.”
Dante slid cash into her hand. Where the heck had that come from? She hadn’t seen him move a muscle. Of course, she couldn’t look away from his mouth. “Call an Uber from the app on my phone. I don’t want you walking or taking the subway. It’s not safe right now. Especially, below ground.”
Chloe nodded and stuffed the cash into her pocket then hurried through the door. Dante leaned on the frame shirtless and watched her. The cool breeze helped alleviate the heat from his gaze enough that she was able to log into her account and order a car.
Her thumb went to her mouth and she bit on the nail as she paced the sidewalk. All she had to do was wait five minutes, but with him standing there looking irresistible she wasn’t sure she’d make it five seconds.
Right as she was turning around to head back to Dante, the Uber pulled up and Chloe jumped into the vehicle. She felt his gaze on the back of her neck until the car turned the corner.
Why the hell can’t I be left the fuck alone? Ever since she decided not to return to Heaven all those centuries ago, she’d been pulled into the supernatural world in one way or another. She was used to fading into the background and going largely unnoticed.
There was no way she would be able to disappear when Dante’s existence was on the line. She was his freakin Fated Mate! She knew all too well what happened to Cambions that denied themselves sex. It wasn’t pretty for anyone. But she had no desire to tie her life to his. She was happy on her own.
Before she knew it, the car arrived at her destination and pulled over to the curb. Chloe thanked the driver then climbed out. It was just before lunch, but thankfully the liquor store was open. Ducking in, she grabbed a bottle of vodka and sour apple liqueur.
The hair on the back of her neck stood on end when she exited the store. Was the demon near? Surreptitiously, she scanned the street and hurried the three blocks to Tris’s brownstone and hurried up the stairs then through the lobby door.
Tris was standing in her open doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Chloe smiled and her shoulders relaxed as she saw her friend. Tris was one of the few beings that she consider in her inner circle. “I had a crappy evening that turned…hellish. I brought vodka.” She waves the brown paper bag in the air in front of her.
“You should have led with that. Every night is shitty with your job.”
Chloe followed Tris into the first-floor apartment. Setting the bag on the small bar, she took a seat at the table and watched Tris gather glasses, a shaker and ice. “You’re right about that, but this time it had nothing to do with Seven Lively Sinz. What do you know about cambions and the Dark Warriors?”
Tris swiveled with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide enough Chloe could see the whites all around her gray irises. “Dark Warriors? Did they attack you? I’ll kick their asses if they touched a hair on your head. They can’t punish you just because your fallen.”