Steal the Light (Thieves #1)(23)

I clenched my fists in tight balls at my sides. “I’m so sick of that excuse, Danny. You died. Get over it. It’s been five years. It’s not like you’re the first person who ever died or even the first to come back.”

“I came back different.”

He hadn’t seemed different that first night. He’d been scared and worried and so grateful to be alive, but he’d been Daniel. “No, you didn’t. You came back to me. You loved me. You wanted me. You didn’t come back from death different. You came back from the Council different. They changed you, not death.”

“They showed me that things couldn’t be the same. They showed me the logic of my situation, and I am grateful to them.” Despite the heated air between us, Daniel was perfectly calm. It was the crux of my frustration with him. I couldn’t fight him because he never got emotional. He was always in control. “Now, could we please finish up here and get back downstairs? You need to let Dev know you can’t see him again.”

“I’m not going to tell him that. If he asks me out again, I’ll go.”

“No, you won’t, Zoey,” Daniel returned sharply.

I noticed his right leg was bouncing. It was a nervous habit left over from his human days that I hadn’t seen in years. Perhaps he wasn’t so calm. I smiled and slid onto the desk and slowly crossed my legs. I leaned forward, giving him a good view of the girls. For the first time in a while, I saw a look of trepidation pass across his face.

“I like him, Danny.” I let my voice get deep and low. That leg just kept bouncing. “I like him a lot. He’s the first man in many a year to catch my interest, and I have no intention of letting that go. I have plans for him.”

Daniel finally noticed his leg moving and forced it to still. There was only a little strain to his voice as he got to the point. “I won’t have you faery struck. I won’t allow him to control you like that.”

I laughed long and hard at that one because it was the most ridiculous excuse I’d heard in a long time. There’s a myth about faeries and their sexual prowess. I think it was probably perpetuated by faery males themselves. The legend goes that once a human had sex with a faery, they became “faery struck” and would follow the faery anywhere. The victim of the faery would become the faery’s slave in exchange for the possibility of getting back into the faery’s bed. As faeries had been groping humans for centuries and we weren’t a population of drooling sex slaves, I seriously doubted the myth.

“I think I’m willing to take a chance on that one, Danny, but I will get back to you and let you know if it’s true. I managed to survive sex with you, and that was pretty mind blowing. I haven’t wasted away because you won’t sleep with me anymore.”

Daniel’s eyes darkened, and I knew he was remembering that night. He chose to change the subject. “He’ll get you into trouble, Zoey. He’s surrounded by all manner of creatures with these clubs. You need to get out of this life, not deeper into it.”

“That’s my choice, Danny.” Weariness threatened to overtake me. “The sooner you realize it, the sooner we can both get on with our lives. We can’t go on like this, you know.”

He looked away. “I know.”

This conversation was like so much of our lives since that terrible night. It was a stalemate. “All right. Let’s crack this beauty open and call it a night.”

I dialed the lock and pulled the handle. I felt Daniel come up behind me. He put his hands on my shoulders and every nerve in my body went on full alert. Despite what I said earlier, I would do almost anything to get back into his arms. I was in far more danger of becoming Daniel’s slave than Dev’s, and I think Daniel knew it.

“I only want what’s best for you.” He barely touched me, but heat flared on my skin. His fingers were cool, but no amount of chill could make me forget how hot it had been between us. That single night was burned onto my soul.

“I don’t suppose pointing out that being with you is best for me will change your mind?” I asked quietly.

“I’m not good for you, baby.” I could feel him against me, his body making a liar of his words. His erection pressed against my hip. How many times had he worked over me, a smile on his face as he connected our bodies? He touched my hair so softly that I wondered if he meant to do it. “I was once but not anymore.”

“What do we have here?” Dev asked from the door.

Daniel practically jumped back, and I turned to see Dev and Neil standing in the doorway. Dev was standing with his arms crossed, his sensual mouth set in a straight line. Neil’s hand was on his hip, and I could tell from his expression exactly what he was thinking. Damn, girlfriend, you got caught with your hands in both the cookie jars. It was pretty much what I was thinking, too.

My heart fell. I needed to explain, and I wasn’t quite sure where to start. I hadn’t been caught safe cracking in…well, ever. It was a completely new experience, and one I found I didn’t relish. I really liked this guy, and while I might have been out of the dating scene for a while, I doubted that getting caught with my hands in his safe was the way to get a second date. To top it off, from Dev’s point of view, I was stealing from him with my “ex-boyfriend.” I blamed Daniel. If he hadn’t followed me up here and lugged all of our baggage along, I would already be downstairs discussing the situation with Albert.