Don't Rush Me (Nora Jacobs #1)(63)

The drive isn’t long, and the place isn’t crowded. Best combination ever, as I’m still feeling weak. I claim a booth to myself and pull out my laptop. May as well look for a job while I wait for my burger. If we find Shandra and the others tomorrow, then I’m only stuck in Detroit as long as it takes for me to figure out where to go.

I find a job opening at a motorcycle shop in a town called Monroe. It’s about an hour south of here on the coast of Lake Erie. Population says 20,000. I click on the job listing. I’ve always liked the idea of small town living. I’ve heard most underworlders prefer big cities—more people means it’s easier to blend in. There may be a pack of werewolves out there—they prefer small towns with trees around to run in—but they are notorious for sticking to their packs. They wouldn’t care about little old me.

I’m about to dial the phone number when my burger comes. The smell hits my nose, and the job is forgotten. The burger is even more delicious than I remembered. It’s the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. I scarf it down like I haven’t eaten in a week, and consider ordering a second one, but decide to go with a chocolate butterscotch brownie with a Detroit signature—ginger ale ice cream. It’s so good I’m literally moaning with pleasure when a shadow falls over my booth.

“I was going to say a woman like you shouldn’t have to dine alone, but it sounds like you’re enjoying yourself,” Elijah teases, lust in his eyes. He smirks when I gasp, startled to see him. “Hello, Nora.”

My shock of seeing him here overrides any embarrassment I might have felt. “Elijah!” My eyes flick to the man next to him. “Mark. What are you guys doing here?”

Mark would be Mr. Muscles, the infamous hooptie driver, who also seems to be Elijah’s right-hand man. I don’t like him. He’s got a quality about him like Xavier has—the vibe of a twisted pervert. I grind my teeth at seeing them, looming over my booth while I’m all by myself, but I force a smile. “This is a pleasant surprise. I’m sorry Nicky’s not here. He’ll be sad that he missed you.”

Elijah waves me off. “Never mind Nick. We’ll see him soon enough. I came to see you.” He slides into the booth on my side, and then adds, “You don’t mind if we join you, do you?”

And how, exactly, am I supposed to say I do mind when he’s already sitting down and blocking me in, no less?

I quickly exit out of my job search and shut my laptop as I scoot all the way to the wall. I want to put as much space between us as possible. “How did you guys know I was here?” I ask as Mark sits down across from Elijah and me.

Elijah’s eyes flash with heat. He reaches out to touch my arm, and I flinch back before he can. He drops his hand, frowning, but quickly smiles again. “I have your blood inside me,” he says in a low voice, thick with desire. “I used it to track you magically.”

My eyes grow big. I let him think it’s because I’m impressed. But really it’s because I realize there’s no escaping him. My psychic intuition isn’t kicking in—apparently Elijah doesn’t mean me any physical harm—but every instinct I have is screaming at me to get out of here, to call Terrance or Nick and have them come save me. I have my phone in my jeans pocket. I could discreetly call someone, but for some reason I don’t. Something inside me is telling me I should let this play out and see what they want. It could lead to finding the missing underworlders. “Why would you want to find me?” I ask, eyes wide, playing the innocent, unsuspecting underworlder.

“Nora…” His voice turns husky, and he scoots a fraction closer. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the second we met. I know you’re with Nick, but I was watching him last night, and, baby, he doesn’t care about you the way you think. He’s just using you for your power.”

I put on my best pout and shake my head, because that’s what the script calls for. “No…that can’t be…I’m sure you’re wrong. Nicky says he loves me.”

Elijah gives me a patient, sympathetic smile. “If that were true, would he have been flirting with all the other girls at the party last night? I know you saw him.”

Hmm. If Elijah saw me watching Nick, he must have been keeping a closer eye on me than I thought. I shake my head again—going for denial. “No…he’s just a really nice guy. He’s super sweet to everyone. Maybe he flirts a little, but—”

“He gave his number to three different girls while you were with Elijah,” Mark interrupts. “When they asked about you, he said what you don’t know won’t hurt you.”

I’m not sure if that’s true, but since we wanted them to think Nick’s only using me for my power, it wouldn’t surprise me. I make my eyes big again, though I doubt I can conjure up any convincing tears—I’m not a weepy person—so I go for anger instead. “He did what?”

Elijah finally reaches for my hand. “Baby, don’t get angry,” he murmurs. “You guys are just wrong for each other, that’s all. He doesn’t appreciate you. Not like I will.”

I’m surprised when his thoughts are an echo of his words. He really does believe Nick isn’t good enough for me, and that he could do better. He really does want me to be his girlfriend. And once we’re bonded, I’ll never be able to leave him. I’ll be devoted to him.