shut his eyes, inhaled, exhaled, and opened them with a new calm. “I’m not sure.”
A stupid warmth spilled through my chest at his reluctant acceptance of my offer to help him.
“We’ve beat the sentinels to the punch each time,” Cass said from the doorway. “We’re useful to you.”
“He didn’t say no,” I pointed out to her.
“But he’s weighing our skills against his instinctive dislike of putting those he cares for in harm’s way.”
Those he cares for made that warmth spread right into my cheeks, like I belonged in the high school we just left.
“You might as well join us.” I cast an apologetic glance at Boaz. “I would say she’s usually not this bad, but it would be a lie. Believe it or not, this is Cass on exceptionally good behavior.”
“I can believe it,” he said with a chuckle. “She’s definitely unique. I’ve never met a vampire like her.”
“Why, thank you.” Cass sashayed in to join us. “I consider myself one of a kind, but it never ceases to please me to have my hubris justified.” She reclaimed her seat beside me. “Have I gotten you in very much trouble?”
For such a bold and confident personality, Cass was shockingly insecure when it came to the relationships that mattered. That was why she tried to sex away conflicts before they became problems. She figured if she made someone feel good enough, they would stick around as long as she kept making them feel good. That I didn’t trade her orgasms for friendship both puzzled and pleased her, but it made for awkward times, like now, when she would rather jump my bones than hear I was mad at her.
“We knew we’d slip up eventually.” I just never figured Boaz would be the one to catch us. “It’s okay.”
“I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” I struggled not to let her off the hook too easily. It set a bad precedent for the naughty vampire’s already questionable behavior. “You knew what you were doing was wrong, that I wouldn’t have consented, and you did it anyway.”
“You know how I get.” She poked out her bottom lip. “That’s no excuse, but I didn’t mean to ruin us.”
“I do know.” Leaning over, I rested my head on her shoulder. “You’re very much you, and it’s one of the things I admire most about you.”
Her cool fingers brushed the hair falling into my face behind my shoulder. “Are we still…friends?”
“Of course we are,” I assured her. “I find your lack of filters and utter disregard for personal space endearing.”
Boaz afforded us as much privacy as he could with us having a conversation across the table from him. I could tell he was curious about our relationship. Not in a jealous way, but as if he was pegging our dynamic and how he might fit in.
Typically, a necromancer only had contact with the vampires they had resuscitated. Even that was limited. Low Society necromancers didn’t have the juice to bring humans back to life, so there was no reason for them to interact with vampires socially. Cass and I were definitely an odd couple in that respect. I was lucky her master, Javier, found me amusing. And profitable. Otherwise, he could have put his foot down and prevented Cass from seeing me, let alone working with me, again.
Boaz, as my future husband, held the same power since I was marrying into his family and dependent upon him to provide for my dad and keep the house where I grew up from crumbling.
“Have you made your decision?” Cass eyed him with equal curiosity. “Will you work with us, or get out of our way?”
“I’m not going to tell you two how to handle your business when I have my hands full making bad decisions for myself.” He twitched a smile at me. “You’re a capable woman, Addie. I trust you to know your limits, and hers.”
“How progressive,” Cass demurred. “I expected more chest-beating à la Tarzan.”
“I’ve done that with women,” he confessed, his tone thoughtful. “It didn’t end well.” He shrugged. “I thought I would try something new.”
“He can learn.” Cass tipped her chin toward him. “Perhaps you chose better than I first thought.”
Given how low she had ranked him, she wasn’t saying much, but I applauded her effort to be nice.
“I would, however, appreciate it if you kept me abreast of new developments.” He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “I’ll do my best to support your independence, but I’ll still worry.”
“I can respect