“Our little princess is turning into a frustrated rebel,” Ezra teased. “Enough to turn your back and walk to the car with us?” He masked it as gentle chiding, but he was tired of waiting for her.
“Not even close.”
“Oh, sweet toy, don’t lie to us now.”
“I’m not your toy, Ezra. And if you keep degrading me like that I will leave.”
The sound of his name rolling off her lips vibrated through his body and sent a jolt right to his dick. Damn, he loved her bossy side. He loved a strong woman and always knew there was more to Scarlett than the innocent façade. “As you wish, my princess.”
Vince chuckled, stepped closer, and reached out to run the back of his fingers over her cheek. “You just made him very happy.”
Scarlett leaned into Vince’s touch. “Great, that means he’ll be back soon.” The sarcasm was dripping from her tone.
“You’re stuck with us,” Mateo laughed.
She sighed and with that, something within her seemed to change. “I know. I also know you want to take me home, but I can’t leave yet.”
“You don’t have to,” Mateo assured.
“I won’t be able to come back once I do.”
“We know that.” As always, Mateo was the one to mend what Ezra tore apart. “Take your time, soak up every moment you can with your family and whenyouare ready, we’re here for you. This isn’t about us.”
“Maybe you’ll let us see you more often,” Ezra hummed, running his nose along her jaw and behind her ear. She shuddered in his arms, and he wondered if it was because she enjoyed it. She hadn’t before, but the idea of her being comfortable around him made his skin tingle.
“I can’t just disappear. I’m only here because they happened to leave me alone tonight.”
“Ezra is just impatient,” Mateo offered. “But he’ll wait his turn.”
Scarlett surprised them all with her next question. “Have you been on another hunt?”
“No, but we’re planning it,” Mateo explained, offering her a hand. She took her time, probably trying to convince herself not to take it. In the end, she slid her palm into his. “We’re trying to find a lycan hideout.”
“Not another vampire?”
“We have our eye on a few, but vampires are a waiting game.”
Craving her touch for himself, Ezra laid his hands on her waist and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of oranges.
“Have you hunted a lycan before?”
“No, we haven’t,” Mateo answered.
“Don’t worry about us, princess. We’ll be just fine.”
Scarlett ignored Ezra. “I didn’t even know they still existed.”
“They’re very rare,” Vince finally chimed in.
“So…” she drawled, her thumb circling over Mateo’s. “Rare means you can sell it easily?”
“Yes,” Vince confirmed, with Ezra and Mateo too drunk on her touch to continue speaking.
Scarlett tensed suddenly and pulled away from both of them. “I have to go.” She hastened to the door, slamming it shut behind her and putting an end to the intimate moment they’d been sharing.
The three men simply stood silent for a moment, each one of them staring at the spot she’d just abandoned before they accepted their fate and trudged back to the car.
They were all buzzing as they got in, Mateo with an extra bright grin on his face. “I think we just had our first date.”
