“Interesting. And rather surprising news. You’re certain neither of them have any idea?” he asked.
Jasmine smiled. “Of course not. We never intended them to find out—so soon. But new developments have arisen and we must further our cause using other resources.”
“And that would include me,” Liam said, raising his brows and settling back in his seat, legal document left lying on the table.
I tipped forward to see if I could read it, but Liam’s arm shot out in front of my chest and pushed me back.
“Yes,” she said in a soft, lyrical tone. “You have a new development and so do I. Merging our resources will assist us in accomplishing what we both want.”
Liam was quiet, taking his time to answer. He lifted his wine, took a sip, and then set it back down again, finger tapping on the rim. “Your timing is impeccable, Jasmine, and I do believe a business partner is just what is needed.”
“And her?” Jasmine nodded in my direction and I swallowed.
Liam put his hand under the table and squeezed my thigh. “Unfortunately, now it’s complicated, as I said, but in time, she will be the greatest asset.”
Greatest asset? Oh, God, Liam knew. He had to. I couldn’t stay here any longer. I had to get out. My nerves sparked off in warning, and with the adrenaline rush, my thirst for blood intensified.
“I need to…” Shit, he’d never let me leave the bar. “I have to use the ladies’ room.” My heart pumped and saliva pooled in my mouth. Screw Jedrik’s plan. I needed out now.
Liam’s palm rested on my thigh and he slowly slid it up between my legs and cupped me. I stiffened and ground my teeth together. It was an owning gesture and a claim that I was soon to be his.
He leaned toward me and whispered in my ear. “Relax, my feisty witch.”
Liam turned his attention back to Jasmine and started talking, but I couldn’t focus on what they were saying because I trying not to throw up as Liam’s index finger twitched back and forth over my clit.
Bastard. He wasn’t going to let me go. Oh, God, I was so screwed. I shifted back in my seat, trying to escape his touch, but he merely moved with me.
My hand curled into a fist, one I wanted to slam into his balls. “Please, Liam. I have to go to the washroom. I’ll be only a minute.”
Bullshit. I had to disappear, Liam’s reach was far, but it would take him time to find me and, hopefully, by then, I’d have fought off the vampire blood in my system. Or died.
Liam sighed and moved his hand away. “Don’t be long.” He slipped out of the booth and I crawled out after him, but I only made it one step before his hand latched onto my wrist and he yanked me hard into his chest. His other hand slid up my back to cup my neck. “Remember who you belong to now, Abigail.”
I was never good at belonging to anyone. Trinity being my pseudo-mother knew that better than anyone. So the urge to slap his arrogant face was difficult to resist. Instead, I smiled, leaned into him, and kissed his cheek.
“How could I forget?” I held my breath, waiting for him to let me go as his eyes drove into me. Finally, he nodded and released me. I walked casually away until I was out of his sight, and then I half-ran toward the washroom.
I didn’t make it that far as I pushed up against people, hearing their throbbing heartbeats pumping loudly in my ears, smelling the fresh blood swimming in their veins eager for me to taste.
I staggered into someone, breathing erratically as I fought to stop the urgency of feeding. This was a mistake. What had I done? The thirst was so intense, like a cocaine addict surrounded by bags and bags of cocaine.
I hadn’t cried since I was four years old. The day my mother abandoned me to Trinity in a dark alley. I’d cried for days and days, begging for my mother to come back.
She never did. I never saw her again.
When I finally stopped crying, I swore to never shed a tear again.
Until now. Now, tears pooled because my control slipped and nothing else mattered except blood.
Nothing. And it was going to destroy so much more than me and my baby.
A tear glided down my check as I grabbed the closest person to me, a twenty-something guy standing at the bar with disheveled shoulder-length, dirty-blond hair and grunge clothing. He was too intoxicated and bewildered by the sudden attention of an attractive redhead and didn’t question my motives.
I leaned in to him, my hand sliding up his chest to his neck, where his pulse throbbed beneath the pad of my finger.
Thirsty. I was so thirsty.
I wrapped my arm around his neck, drawing him in closer, smelling the sweet scent of blood crying out to me.
He grinned from ear to ear, his soft hazel eyes dancing with pleasure at what he’d managed to snatch for the night. “Hey, baby.”
I pulled him closer, my lips inches from his neck, tongue flicking out to trail a path along his naked skin.
“Fuck, yeah,” he slurred.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered and lowered my teeth to his neck.