Maybe if it’d been a sexy little number I’d have been all kinds of giddy at the thought of Warin picking out lingerie for me, but this bra was unquestionably of the sturdy, practical variety.
Careful not to crease the dress, I placed it over the counter and picked up the offensive bra. It was even my size.
How the hell did he know what size bra I wore?
* * *
Roy was on guard duty as per usual when I let myself out some forty-five minutes later, a mug of coffee in one hand and my elbows tight against my sides in order to keep my new dress up.
“Hey,” I greeted him when he turned around to see what I wanted. “Trade you a coffee for a zip-up?”
“Sure. S’cold as a vamp’s tit out here today,” he said. Then, giving me a quick glance, he added: “S’cuse me.”
“Ha, got a lot of experience with vampire tits?” I teased as I placed his coffee on the brick banister and turned my back so he could get to my zipper.
Roy made a noncommittal noise that made me laugh as his rough fingers brushed up the length of my spine, pulling the zipper with it. “Never mind,” I said. “I probably don’t want to know.
“So, what do you think? Warin went shopping.” I spun back around and held out my arms despite the cold making me want to huddle up, modeling the dress.
The giant gave me a short nod before he wrapped his hand around his mug and took a sip at the still steaming liquid. “S’ok. Your hair’s weird.”
I let my arms fall back down to my sides, somewhat deflated. “Well, way to build up a girl’s confidence there, buddy. My hair’s still in curlers, I’m not going like this.”
“Sorry,” he rumbled.
“What’s the matter?” I sighed, folding my arms across my chest, partly to preserve body heat and partly to achieve a stern “don’t you mess with me, young man” expression even my grandma would have been proud of.
“Nothin’,” he said, dodging my eye contact like a guilty child.
“Yeah, that’s obviously bullshit. What’s going on, Roy?”
The giant sighed and finally looked up at me, reluctance plain on his broad face. “You shouldn’t do this. You need to stay away from whatever the fuck he’s got you doing, girl.”
I blinked, more than a little surprised at that turn of the conversation. “What do you mean? Why?”
“I’ve seen this shit more times than I’d like to count. I thought maybe you were right and he’s your friend, with how he’s kept you away from the nest. But now he’s got you dressing up like all the other pretty little girls who end up dead when they get tangled up in vamp society.”
“Roy, it’s not like that—“ I tried, touched beyond words for the obvious care the giant of a man had for me that he risked speaking up about his boss like that. Even if it was misplaced.
But Roy just held up a hand, silencing me. “Yeah, I know, it’s for your own protection. He might even mean that—who the fuck knows with them? But if you get in any deeper, you’re gonna be another dead body I’ll have to dig a grave for. Another unsolved disappearance. And you’re too fucking sweet to end up like that, Liv. You’re too smart. I’m telling you, whatever he’s planning for tonight, it’s not a place for humans.”
I drew in a deep breath and walked down a couple steps so I could reach out and touch his arm. “Roy… I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re saying this. I don’t… there’s never been a lot of people who looked out for me, and I… Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. But I can’t stay away. It’s not just because it’s for my own protection—it’s also because he needs me there.”
“Has he ever told you what he used to be like?” Roy’s voice was surprisingly gentle for his size. “About his reputation?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“A long time ago, before you and me were born, he was someone else. Something else. He may seem domesticated now, he may appear as your friend, but he was a monster. Even other bloodsuckers fear him.” Roy shook his head and rubbed at the back of his neck with his free hand. “Shit, I know you ain’t gonna listen to me. Maybe you just gotta see for yourself. Just… keep your eyes open, ‘kay?”
“I will. Thank you. Truly.” I gave his arm a small squeeze.
He shrugged. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. Just hate shovelin’ dirt over a pretty face.”
“We really need to work on your compliments, Roy.” I grinned, trying to lighten the mood. “Can’t call me pretty unless you’re imagining me six feet under.”
He rumbled a good-natured chuckle. “Ex-wife said the same. Not the dead thing. Just the compliment thing.”
Before I could tell him I was glad he didn’t talk about burying all the girls he came across, the roar of an engine further down the road pulled both out attentions.
“Get inside,” Roy said gruffly, shoving me back up the step with a hand as he squared up against the silver Porsche that came barreling down the street. I didn’t miss how the other went to the back of his jeans, hiking up in his leather coat enough that I saw a flash of a gun.
“Ugh, I doubt skinwalkers are gonna come kidnap me in a Porsche,” I bitched, even as I continued up the steps.
The Porsche stopped right in front of Roy with screeching brakes, followed by a slam of the driver’s side door.
I blinked at the tall, suit-clad man that stepped around the front of the car, shoulder-length auburn hair combed back and styled to perfection.
Aleric.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I blurted.
“Picking you up.” His cool eyes slid over me and stopped at my curlers. “Fix your hair and let’s go.” Clearly expecting his orders to be obeyed, he turned his focus to Roy. “So you’re on guard duty for my brother these days, giant-blood? What a pity.”
“S’no worse than being his errand boy,” Roy shot back. From his tone to his stiff stance, it was quite obvious he’d met Aleric before—and that he wasn’t a fan. After my run-in with him at Isla, I shared Roy’s opinion.
Aleric’s blue eyes flashed with a cool spark, his full lips pinching with just the faintest smile. “I see Warin’s lax with the whip. You weren’t as mouthy when Lizanne had you.”
I decided not to stick around to listen to them bicker. The less Roy had to deal with Warin’s prick of a brother, the better. It was really the least I could do for the many hours he’d spent freezing his ass off in front of my apartment building.
It didn’t take long to pull my curlers out and finger-comb my now wavy hair to ensure the curls sat just right. A quick dose of hairspray later, I grabbed my black clutch housing my cell phone, emergency cash, lipstick, and keys and rushed out the door to save Roy from my newly appointed chauffeur.