Page 87 of Twice Bitten

Alric flicked a displeased gaze at the woman. “Please forgive Vesper. She forgets herself sometimes.”

Vesper didn’t seem afraid of Alric. At all. Interesting. She rolled her eyes and followed Leo into my room. Alric’s lips thinned as she walked away.

Several people walked out holding large pieces of shattered furniture. I swallowed hard, unable to speak. I saw parts of my dresser, a broken half of my footboard, the top of my nightstand, and other pieces I couldn’t identify.

“Trouble in paradise?” I asked sweetly, needling him on purpose to avoid thinking about what was going on inside my bedroom.

He gave me a baleful look and ignored the question. “This is good coffee,” he said instead. “What blend?”

“My boss mixes it for me. I’ll give you some if you want.”

His eyes widened at my offer. “Really?”

“It’s the least I can do, since I’m sure Leo is about to load my closet with things I can’t afford.”

Alric’s lips twitched. “Fair enough. I’d love to take some home.”

I reached into the pantry and took a round container with a lid out, examined it for damage first, before filling the filter with a generous portion of the coffee blend. “It tastes the best when you make it in a French press, but I’m lazy and addicted to caffeine.”

“Dulynoted.”

I pushed the container over. “Don’t worry about returning it. I have a million of those stored in the basement.”

“Thank you, Alex.”

“You’re welcome.”

We smiled at each other, and for a moment, things felt…different. Easier. I wasn’t angry, and he wasn’t being a bossy asshole. We were just two people sharing some coffee.

I cleared my throat and straightened up. “Well. Do you think they’re about finished? I have a million things to do today.”

Alric’s slight smile held an edge of regret that made my stomach twist. For a moment, I wished we’d met under different circumstances. We might never have been friends, but maybe we would better understand each other because if my attack happened later, when we were already familiar with each other, he might never have done the things he’d done to try to bend me to his will.

But we hadn’t and Alric, a total stranger and powerful player in the supernatural world, had tried to compel me to do what he wanted. Instead, his plan had backfired, and I knew myself well enough to realize I would never agree to help him just out of sheer stubbornness.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Alric asked quietly.

“Things could have been different between us.” I didn’t mean to say the words aloud, but I wasn’t upset I did.

Alric nodded. “I approached this all wrong.”

Amusement filled me. “You continue approaching this all wrong.”

He let out a rueful laugh. “As you no doubt enjoy telling me.”

The cleaning crew came out just then. One of them nodded to Alric, then jerked his head to the others. They all filed out of my bedroom, Vesper and Leo following behind, the latter pushing the now-empty cart.

Everyone headed toward the front door, while Vesper walked over to us. She had a way of making me feel like I didn’t exist. Her eyes slid over me and away, dismissing me as soon as she saw me. My fingers tightened around my mug.

“The room has been restored,” Vesper said.

“All traces of him removed?”

The strategist nodded. “She will need new furniture.”

“Sheis sitting right here.”

Vesper’s light gaze flicked over me and back to Alric once more. “By your leave, Prime.”