Wicked Soul (Ancient Blood #1)(57)

Only the man on the other side of the door wasn’t my giant bodyguard. It was Warin—with a pizza box tucked under one arm.

I stared at him with a rising sense of panic and mortification, frantically debating if I could just slam the door in his face and maybe he’d go away so I didn’t have to deal with the shame of it all. However, before I could get my numbed brain to react, Warin said, "Good evening, Liv,” which finally made my mother stop mid-talk.

“Was that a man?"

Great.

"Yeah, that was Warin.” Defeated, I stepped out of the doorway so he could get in.

"Did he spend the night?” my mother gasped in horror.

Doing my best not to groan, I pinched the bridge of my nose and nudged the door closed with my hip. "No, Mom. He just knocked on the door—remember when I said 'just a moment, someone's at the door'…"

“Olivia Teresa Green! Do not take that tone with me! Who is this man who thinks it is appropriate to visit a young woman this late on a Saturday evening?"

This late being seven thirty.

I quietly counted down from ten. “Warin’s my friend. We met a few weeks ago.“

"Yes, thank you, I am aware what sort of 'friend' you’re talking about!" she snapped.

Somehow, I doubted it.

"Mom... was there a reason you called?" I glanced at the pizza box Warin had set down on my kitchen counter. A promising scent of melted cheese emanated from it. "I'm starving, and the food is getting cold."

"Aunt Edna is having a big family Thanksgiving meal this year, but because Aunt Gretchen is on call until late afternoon, we’re doing a dinner. I’m counting on you this year, Olivia—I’ve already told the family you’re coming.”

I made the mistake of groaning out loud.

“Olivia, you haven't been home for Thanksgiving for three years! It’s important that you come this year—Grandma has some news…" I instantly felt ashamed over the rush of happiness that went through me when the thought that the news might be that she was suffering from some fatal illness popped into my head. "… and it has started to get noted that you’ve not been back in Denver in ages." She paused briefly. "Shall I tell Edna that you’ll be coming on your own? Again? Or is there a gentleman you would like to bring? You know, your cousin Kathy has just gotten engaged, and to such a handsome young man."

It is incredible what motherly pressure and years of growing up in a toxic environment can do to your sense of rationality.

"No, I'll bring someone," I heard myself say.

"Oh, good. I shall see you on the twenty-third. Seven p.m. sharp—don’t be late. Bye now!”

I stared at my phone after she'd hung up. How did she do that? How did she wrap me around her little finger from a thousand goddamn miles away?

"Your mother?"

Warin’s soft voice made me cringe, the frustration with myself for falling for my mother’s manipulation taking a backseat to my more immediate mortification.

Groaning, I hid my face behind my phone-free hand. “Please, just don’t say anything, okay? I was really, really drunk last night, and I am sorry for being… ya know—“ Horny as fuck. “—out of line. I get handsy when I drink too much, and you got caught in the crossfire. So would you please, please do me a tremendous favor and pretend like it never happened? ‘Cause if you don’t, I think I have to murder you and bury your corpse out back, and then I’ll undoubtedly get myself arrested and it would just be a whole nightmare, okay?”

Warin’s chuckle made me glance up from my hand.

"As you wish.” He held up a hand in mock surrender. “I wouldn’t want you to get arrested.”

I exhaled, grateful he was a much better person than me, and then shifted my attention to the pizza box. “So…?”

“I thought you might be hungry. I’m told humans enjoy this kind of meal after consuming alcohol the previous night.” The look on his face said he found the idea revolting, but I could have kissed him regardless. I didn’t, though, because after last night, I wasn’t gonna risk him getting the wrong idea.

“Fuck yes, you’re the absolute best! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I dove for the box, and practically drooled at the sight of the beautiful deep-pan Hawaiian pizza inside. No idea how he got lucky enough to guess my favorite toppings, not that I cared. Right then, all I wanted was to stuff my mouth with delicious pineappley goodness. “You better look away—this is gonna get gross.”

I grabbed the first slice with my hands, not bothering with such banalities as a plate, or even sitting down. Moaning with food-pleasure I shoved slice after slice in, leaning over the kitchen counter like a feral dog.

It wasn’t until I was in the process of licking my fingers after having devoured the final slice of pizza that I realized that Warin—the giant asshole—was leaning against the kitchen sink, watching me like I was some kind of zoo attraction. His expression was a mix between surprise and amusement.

“Not cool,” I snapped, though I couldn’t muster up the level of anger such betrayal really required. He had brought my hungover ass pizza after I’d all but molested him the night before.

“I’ve seen newborn vampires with less ferocious hunger,” he said, that teasing smile still dancing at the corner of his lips. “Do you feel better now?”