Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(8)

I didn’t think he was talking about D&D. Daniel spent his first years as a vampire denying his own wants and needs. He’d only taken as much blood as he’d needed to function, and for the most part, he’d avoided my blood like the plague. He’d also denied himself sex. I got the feeling he wasn’t denying himself anymore, and I couldn’t exactly play the offended wife. But I suddenly wanted to. God, I wanted to. The idea of someone else letting Daniel sink those delicious fangs into her smooth neck made me want to kill.

“I thought we were trying to be friends,” I pointed out, wanting desperately to defuse the situation. “I can’t be worried about you?”

He shook his head. “Well then, friend, if you want to worry about something, worry about the fact that I’m almost out of cash. We need a paying job.”

My eyes widened because unlike me, Daniel didn’t have to worry about things like a car payment or rent or food. “You went through a hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars in seven months?”

Daniel smiled what I’ve come to think of as his “big jerk” smile. He crossed his arms defensively, and I knew what was about to come out of his mouth would be nasty. “Well, baby, I don’t have a sugar daddy and hookers cost money. I’ve downgraded to the cheap ones, but papa needs to get paid to get laid.” He didn’t seem to mind my pissed-off stare and grabbed my keys. “I’ll drive. We need to pick up Neil.” He stalked out of the kitchen, but not before he got in a parting shot. “And, Zoey, nice shoes.”

I shook off the need to punch him in the face. We really were going to be late if I didn’t get a move on. We had a guy to see about a one-way ticket to Hell.

Come to think of it, maybe we should upgrade to a round trip.





Chapter Three





Daniel pulled the Audi into the parking lot of the Church of the Immaculate Conception with ruthless accuracy. His hands were steady and strong on the steering wheel, displaying none of his normal casual elegance. He was feeling the lack of blood, and I needed to figure out how to break through his wall. I really couldn’t deal with his self-destructive tendencies right now.

Neil chattered on in the backseat, talking about our new neighbor who he was sure liked boys. Neil thinks all hot guys really like boys underneath their thin veil of heterosexuality. “His name is Chad, and he’s so hot. He was jogging and wearing these teeny tiny shorts.” Neil sighed, and maybe he was right about this one. I didn’t know a single hetero who would be caught dead wearing short shorts. “You should meet him, Zoey. I think it would be a good idea to invite him over for dinner.”

“You invite him.” I pulled off one shoe and bit back a groan. My toes weren’t made to curl like that. “It’s your house, too.”

It wasn’t like he paid rent or anything but occasionally he would chip in for food.

Neil appeared to think about it for a moment. “I don’t think so. That would put me at a disadvantage. I need to play this one cool. You should invite him, Zoey, and then we can all be there, you and me and Daniel.”

Why Daniel would want to sit down to a meal he couldn’t eat and meet a dude he could never really be friends with since he couldn’t let him in on the whole “blood sucking vampire” secret, I had no idea. Daniel was silent as he pulled the car into a parking space.

“Holy shit! Is that what I think it is? Is that Christian Louboutin?” Neil pulled the shoe out of my hand, rubbing it against his face lovingly. “God, there are days I wish you didn’t have such freakishly small feet. This is the most beautiful twelve hundred dollar shoe I’ve ever seen.”

That got Daniel’s attention. “Those shoes cost twelve hundred dollars?”

“Well, I guess technically it’s only six hundred a shoe.” Six hundred sounded so much better.

Daniel wasn’t buying it. “He bought you twelve hundred dollars’ worth of shoes?”

I pulled the shoe out of Neil’s clutching hands and regretfully forced my sad little toes back into it. “Neil, you’ll have to excuse Danny. He’s thinking about how many hookers he could buy with twelve hundred dollars.” Neil laughed, but I saw the thought go through Daniel’s head and I couldn’t help but punch him in the arm. “Asshole.”

Danny’s frown broke and a chuckle rumbled from his throat. “Well, Dev only bought one. Someone needs to give that guy a lesson in frugality. Hey, if I’m getting hit for thinking things, I might as well say it.”

Daniel got out of the car with a smile on his face. I was so glad calling me names could lighten his mood. I slammed the door, cursing when I realized the grass in front of us was wet. My heels were going to make it feel like I was walking through quicksand.

Daniel checked the clip in his gun and settled it in his holster. Before I could protest, he scooped me into his arms. “You should have worn boots. It’s this or you’ll slow us down.” He bent down and kissed me swiftly before I could stop him. “I’m sorry, Z. Be patient with me.”

“Hey, friends don’t kiss,” I said disapprovingly, even as I relaxed in those strong arms. He could carry me all day and never notice the weight. It felt so good to be in his arms.

Daniel started across the lawn. “They do in Europe. I’m trying to be more continental.”