Death Wish (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #5)(11)

Enticing was the last thing I wanted to be to a vampire whose control was precarious at best. “I just found out there’s a price on my head and my dead sister is actually alive.”

A frown creased Kale’s brow. “Seriously? That’s intense. Who would be stupid enough to think they can take you out?”

“Ahem,” Jez loudly cleared her throat, drawing our attention. “Can we play ‘Who wants to kill Lex’ later? This little shindig is supposed to be about me.”

Kale turned his attention to her, and I released the breath I’d been holding. They stared at one another, Jez with fire in her eyes. She was going to be stubborn about this.

“Jez,” Kale began, speaking loud enough to be heard over the music but keeping his tone gentle. “Thank you for agreeing to see me. I wanted to apologize to you, face to face. I have no excuses. I’m sorry. I wish I had never hurt you.”

There was a dramatic pause as Jez considered his apology. She tossed her curls and twirled the little umbrella in her drink, all the while staring him down with that haughty cat gaze. I struggled to keep from rolling my eyes, but it wouldn’t be Jez without a little drama.

“That’s the best you can do? You almost killed me, Kale. You know, like dead. I trusted you.” Leaning back in her seat, she dropped the umbrella and crossed her arms. “And, you should know I don’t trust very many people.”

Unaffected by her attitude, Kale nodded. “I know. I’m honored to have had your trust, and I fully understand that I’ve destroyed it. But, I am sorry. You know you mean a lot to me.”

“Prove it.”

I sat in amused silence, a half-empty glass in my hand. Poor Kale. She was really intent on putting him through the ringer.

In part, he was humoring her, giving her what she wanted so this whole thing would blow over. But, I knew Kale, and if he didn’t genuinely care about their friendship, he wouldn’t be here. Being the amazing guy that he was, he was willing to do anything it took.

“What do you want from me, Jez?” His expression was playful, but his manner was serious. “Want me to get on my knees and beg your forgiveness?”

A slow grin spread across her lips. “Knock it off, Kale.”

However, he was already standing up. I was shocked. “Jez. Isn’t that a little much? You’re not going to make him do that, are you?”

“No, that’s fine.” Kale rose and went to her side of the table. “If Jez wants me to beg, then begging she’ll get.”

“Hey now,” she protested with a giggle. “I did not ask you to beg. Don’t be ridiculous.”

He gestured for her to stand, and I cringed. I couldn’t believe he was doing this. Despite Jez’s protests, I could see the flash of pleasure in her eyes.

It was hard to sit there and bite my tongue when he knelt before her. He grabbed her hand, holding tight when she tried to pull away. A few people at the nearby tables turned to stare, but Kale paid them no attention.

“Jez St. Claire, you are the little sister I never had. You’re one of the only people on the planet I would do this for. You have no idea how filled with regret and guilt I am over what I did to you. I hate myself for hurting you. And, I am truly sorry.” With true repentance in his eyes, he gazed up at her.

The depths of Kale’s love for Jez captivated me. Not only was he willing to humiliate himself in public, he acted as if it were the least he deserved. I groaned inwardly, hating myself for swooning over this. I flashed back in my mind to a night of warm summer rain and Kale. It had been less than a month ago that we’d made love outside The Wicked Kiss, but it felt like forever.

Jez dragged out her response, staring at him until the tension hummed. After making him wait for what she felt was a reasonable amount of time, she nodded. “Thank you, Kale. I forgive you. If you ever try to kill me again, I’ll have your balls for breakfast.”

And just like that, Jez abolished the grudge she’d been holding for weeks. She pulled Kale to his feet for a hug, and the tension between them slipped away. He resumed his seat next to me, winking a puppy dog brown eye at me.

“I can’t believe you did that.” I laughed, shaking my head.

“Honestly, I expected her to really torture me, so it wasn’t too bad.” Kale shrugged it off as if he hadn’t just made himself her bitch.

“So, it’s been a while since the three of us did something. I mean really did something.” Jez leaped in like the last few minutes had never happened, let alone the last few weeks. It was mind-boggling. “We need to hang out. But, not in this place. It’s disgusting. We should go to a concert or a movie.”

I’d given up on figuring Jez out long ago. She was a firecracker alright. From being pissed at Kale to excitedly planning an outing, she was lively in a way that made her infectious. No wonder the vampires here were so drawn to her.

With my back to the corner of the booth, I nodded as necessary while she prattled on. There was a pleasant tingle in my limbs as the alcohol coursed through my bloodstream. My anxiety eased and I relaxed.

Kale was alluring at such close proximity. Just a year ago, he hadn’t set me off like this, but as my power had grown, so had my hunger for him. Some might say that the two weren’t related, that plain old, physical lust afflicted us, but I knew the source of my desire was something bigger.