Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1)(82)

Della opened her mouth to deny it, but she couldn’t push the damn words out. Was Kylie right? “I still can’t stand that he kissed her—even if she started it,” Della muttered, and then, wanting to change the subject, she popped up. “Is Miranda still here? I should go eat crow now and apologize. I hate cold crow.”

Kylie smiled. “Nope, Perry called her and asked her to meet him.”

“So they’re off sucking face, huh,” Della said, hoping to take the conversation off her own boy issues by focusing on someone else’s romance.

Kylie pursed her lips as if all too aware of Della’s ploy. That chick was just way too smart. “Look, you don’t have to like that Steve kissed her. It’s natural that you’re pissed, believe me, I know, but it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. Look at Miranda and Perry’s and my and Lucas’s relationships. We both had some similar rough spots. And don’t think I’m looking out for Steve’s interest here, I’m looking out for yours. Take my advice and give this thing with Steve a chance. Don’t give up on him.”

Della looked at the clock on the bedside table. She had to meet Chase. “Crap, I’ve gotta go.”

“You know we should at least talk,” Chase said, his words not even a whisper.

At least her hearing wasn’t out. “About what?” Oh, she knew what she’d like to tell him, but she wasn’t sure now was the time.

Della looked across the table, wishing it were someone else sitting there. Wishing she didn’t appreciate the width of his shoulders, the daredevil way he carried himself, or the sharp cut of his jawline that made him look more like a man than a boy. They’d met and flown to this old abandoned house in the middle of the woods that the local gang had turned into a blood bar. Not a nice bar, but there were at least six vampires here. Supposedly the local gang in the area thought they had enough traffic through the place to make a go of the business.

Della did another causal visual around the room and took a sip of the blood Chase had ordered her. It was A positive, and it wasn’t fresh, but she hadn’t had dinner, so she drank it without complaint.

“I don’t know. We could talk about the weather, sports, or maybe what’s got you so pissed at me,” he said, obviously deciding he didn’t need to whisper anymore.

“I hear it’s supposed to rain tomorrow?” she said sarcastically.

He laughed.

Della glanced at a couple of guys sitting across the room. Rough-looking vamps with a bottle of whiskey that they kept adding to their blood. One was blond, one dark-haired, but it was long and hung in a ponytail.

For the first fifteen minutes all the patrons, even the bartender, had stared daggers at them, but now they seemed to have lost interest. Della remained on guard. She had to. Her sense of smell still hadn’t come back. So she was studying people, looking for anyone suspicious. Anyone with short dark hair, or who looked like a killer. Not that she knew what one looked like, but damn it, she could still try.

“Come on. What did I do to tick you off?”

She met Chase’s eyes, her fury still equivalent to that of a wet hen with PMS, but her need for vengeance would have to wait. They had a case to work on.

“Funny, I didn’t take you as the type to hold your tongue,” he taunted.

He’d gotten that right. She’d never been one to believe silence was golden. Oh, what the hell, they could talk as long as they didn’t say anything about their assignment.

“You meant to cause trouble when you brought my phone back.”

He pursed his lips as if debating his answer. “Maybe.”

She scowled.

“Okay, probably. But I thought the guy needed to know he had some competition. While you were away on Friday, some chick—the same chick—called him three times. And she was flirting with him. I don’t know what you two have going on, but I didn’t think it was right.”

Della’s heart nosedived to her stomach. Jessie had been calling Steve? Ahh, but now wasn’t the time to get caught up in that heartache. She cut Chase a cold look. “It’s none of your business. You shouldn’t have been listening to his calls.”

“True, but I’m making it my business. Like I said, I like you. I think this thing we’ve got going might lead somewhere. So I want to look out for you.”

“I don’t need you to look out for me. And for this to lead anywhere, I’d have to reciprocate in the liking.”

“You like me,” he said with a confident smile, and damn if her stomach didn’t flutter at the sight of his sexy grin. “You just don’t realize it yet. I’m an acquired taste. Like one of those strange beers from other countries. It takes a while for a person to get used to me.”

“I don’t like beer. And I don’t like—”

“But you’re here.”

“Only because…” She caught herself. “There’s a dozen other people I’d prefer to be with right now.”

“Only twelve? You care to tell me their names? I’ll start knocking them off.”

She showed him her fangs.

He laughed and picked up his blood, staring at her over the rim of the plastic cup. “How are you doing with … the whole cousin thing?” The lightness had vanished from his tone.