Relentless (Vampire Awakenings #11) - Brenda K. Davies Page 0,56

as if she understood he needed her more than the air filling his lungs and the heart pumping his blood.

This time, he didn’t lose himself to her because what he felt for her was something private, and he couldn’t share it with the rest of the bar. When he broke the kiss and pulled away, a lazy smile curved the corners of her swollen mouth.

“This is a much better way to get off work than normal,” she said.

“And how would you normally get off work?”

“I have a drink with Kyle, get my stuff from the back, and go home.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to share that drink with you.”

“I’d like that.”

Dante lifted his drink and followed her to the bar. She glanced back at the bachelor party, now pursuing some of the regulars. Most of the women were older than them, but Cassidy had a feeling some of those guys were in for the time of their lives tonight.

When they reached the bar, Aida grinned at her while Julian remained stone-faced. Kyle stood at the other end of the bar, flirting with a woman Cassidy didn’t recognize.

“Julian, Aida, I’d like you to meet Dante,” Cassidy introduced. “Dante, this is my brother Julian and his mate, Aida.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Dante said as he held his hand out to Julian.

Julian hesitated before taking Dante’s hand. “You too.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Aida said when Julian released Dante’s hand and she clasped it. “Do you live nearby?”

Cassidy’s eyes narrowed on her friend. She hoped Aida wasn’t about to launch into an inquisition. She got enough shit from her brothers; she didn’t need it from her friend too.

“I moved into the neighborhood a couple of months ago,” he said.

“This is the best bar around and has the best entertainment,” Aida said.

“It does,” Dante agreed as he rested his hand on Cassidy’s hip.

Kyle finally broke away from the woman, walked down to the taps, and poured Cassidy the new summer shandy she’d taken to drinking last week.

“Would you like another drink?” Kyle asked Dante as he set Cassidy’s foaming beer and ice-cold glass before her.

She almost licked her lips in anticipation. There wasn’t a whole lot of food or drink she liked from the human world, but she enjoyed a good, cold beer. Dante finished his drink and set the glass at the edge of the bar.

“I’ll have the same thing she’s having,” Dante said and pointed at Cassidy’s beer.

Kyle nodded and turned away.

“Brian and Abby are coming next week,” Cassidy said to Julian.

“How come?” Julian asked.

“If we haven’t already found her, then Brian’s going to try to help us find Julie.”

Julian focused on Dante. “How long have you been searching for missing people?”

“Almost twenty years.”

Sometimes, he still couldn’t believe nearly twenty years had passed since he last saw Maya. At other times, he wondered if she ever existed at all. He’d now spent more of his life without her in it than he had with her.

Sometimes, she seemed like a figment of his imagination, and even while he was staring at her picture, he questioned if she was ever real.

“Why did you start doing it?” Aida asked.

Cassidy stiffened at the innocent question. Aida wasn’t aware of Dante’s history, and Cassidy didn’t want him to relive it if he preferred not to.

“I lost my sister,” Dante said.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Aida blurted and covered her mouth with her hand. “I… I didn’t mean to… I—”

“It’s okay,” Dante assured her before she stammered through more of an awkward apology. “It was twenty years ago; I’d just like to know what happened to her.”

“You still don’t know what happened to her?” Julian asked, and Cassidy glared at him; he ignored her.

“No,” Dante said as Kyle returned with his beer. “She vanished one night, and no one’s heard from her since.”

“Who vanished?” Kyle asked, and Cassidy dropped her head into her hands. Sometimes, her siblings were utterly obtuse.

“His sister,” Aida said.

“Oh,” Kyle said. “I’m sorry, man. That sucks.”

Kyle stood awkwardly for a minute before glancing down the bar, waving to a woman who was barely paying attention to him, and walking away. When Aida and Julian didn’t speak, the awkward silence stretched on.

Dante hated when people got like this around him after they learned about Maya; it was why he so rarely told anyone about her. Although he would love to talk about her, share stories, and recall her in vivid detail because sometimes those details blurred so badly he couldn’t quite remember them. Maybe, if