Once Burned

“He’s just one of many men available for you to choose from,” Vlad stated with an arch smile. “All muscular, virile, single, and good for at least an hour before you’d electrocute them into oblivion.”

I had a sense of where this was going, and I squirmed in my chair. Drop it, I thought warningly.

He ignored that, gesturing to me with his wineglass. “Now look at our guest, Maximus. Full lips, ice blue eyes, long black hair, and strong, shapely body. Beautiful, isn’t she? So beautiful I’m confident you and several others in this house would like to fuck her, yes?”

I gasped at his bluntness. Maximus blinked, his gaze flicking to me and then to Vlad. “Is this a trick question?”

“Not at all,” Vlad said, eyeing him with cool appraisal. “For the length of Leila’s stay, all of my people are free to pursue her, if she’s agreeable. Or, if she wants to skip the preliminaries and fuck one of you right now, that is allowable as well.”

I could feel the heat rise to my face, but I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or fury. Maximus seemed at turns uneasy and interested, like he didn’t know whether to leave in case I was about to electrocute everyone in my rage, or stay and see if I demanded that he whip out his cock and get started.

“I have a question,” I said, my tone bright although I was still seething inside. “Who do I have to screw to get any dinner around here? You have all these shiny plates but no food. It’s like you’re a terrible tease.”

A little smile played about Vlad’s lips. “Sorry, Maximus. Seems our guest has chosen other cravings.”

“Or maybe I’m not into him or anyone else being ordered to service me as if they’re sex slaves,” I countered.

“He’s not ordering me; he’s telling me the normal rules concerning guests don’t apply to you, if I’m interested.”

Maximus stared at me as he spoke, and he’d dropped the formal vernacular he’d used in our prior conversations. Guess with this topic, formalities were redundant.

Then he looked at Vlad. “You want her. Why are you offering us this chance?”

“Because she’s wrong about me,” Vlad said with that infuriating sureness, “and she needs to realize that. Besides, in the unlikely event that she’s right, then she’s not worth my time.”

I threw my napkin on the table and stood. “I’m done listening to this.”

Maximus touched my arm. “Please, wait. I am interested. Before anyone else jumps into the equation, I want a chance.” A hint of green flickered in his dark gray eyes. “Not to be too blunt, but working with Vlad doesn’t leave much time for meeting women. Besides, you’re beautiful, ballsy, and your abilities fascinate me. So if you’re interested, too, I’d say yes, and it would have nothing to do with being ordered.”

My gaze flew to Vlad, who continued to stroke his jaw in relaxed contemplation. You smug bastard, I thought, and then turned my attention to Maximus, torn between my anger over Vlad’s ruthless manipulation and awkwardness because Maximus did seem genuine in his offer.

“It doesn’t have to be sex tonight or nothing,” Maximus went on. “Say you’ll let me show you around the house tomorrow.”

Again I looked at Vlad, but his brow rose as if daring me to decline. I cursed. This was what I’d wanted—an attractive, nondangerous man I couldn’t easily kill asking me out. Vlad might be convinced that I held a special attraction for him, but I’d prove him wrong and have fun doing it.

“A tour sounds great,” I told Maximus, sitting down again. “How about one p.m. tomorrow, or is that too early for you?”

“One is fine. I’ll look forward to it,” he said, smiling. He had dimples and they made his rugged features look younger, making me guess he was my age when he was changed over. Then he turned to Vlad, bowed, and left.

Silence fell on the dining room, broken only by the crackling sounds from the triple fireplace that took up the wall behind Vlad. I stared at him, silently assuring him that he’d made a huge mistake.

Finally, Vlad spoke, but it wasn’t to me.

“You may serve dinner now.”

The room was suddenly filled with half a dozen attendants, each bearing a large domed platter that had delicious scents emitting from it. But although the food they uncovered and placed on the table looked even better than it smelled, oddly enough, I was no longer hungry.

Chapter 13

I’d figured Maximus would be prompt, and I was right. As soon as the clock struck one, a knock sounded on the door.

I opened it, forcing a smile even though that was the last thing I felt like doing. Despite the bed being the softest, most comfortable one I’d ever lain on, I’d hardly slept and my whole body felt sore. All the various scrapes, bumps, and bruises over the past few days must’ve caught up with me. Add that to disturbing dreams I had the few times I did fall asleep, and I was in a miserable mood.

Some of that must have shown on my face, because Maximus’s smile faded as he looked closely at me.

“Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just a little groggy. Guess I had too many things on my mind to get a good night’s sleep.”

“It might be the altitude,” he offered, though the faint furrow in his forehead told me he wasn’t sold on my excuse. “It can make humans feel very tired until they’re acclimated to it.”

His “humans” comment didn’t faze me. After living for years with Marty, I was used to it.

“Must be it,” I said, putting more effort into my smile.

The slight flaring of his nostrils told me it worked. “You look lovely,” he said, voice deepening as his gaze moved over me with more than concern this time.

“Thank you.” I ran a hand through my hair, letting a swath fall over the scar by reflex. “You look good, too. Very GQ.”

I wasn’t lying. He wore a crew-neck navy sweater that looked like it was woven from silk, and his black pants were dressy yet casual. Add that to his great height, attractively hewn features, and thick, muscular build, and he’d make most feminine hearts flutter.

Most, but not mine. I appreciated him taking care with his appearance, but I didn’t feel any spark when I looked at him. If my hormones could’ve been hooked up to a machine, only a flat line would have registered. You’re tired, I reassured myself. Maybe Maximus was right about the altitude messing with me.

The altitude didn’t stop you from lusting over Vlad yesterday, a dark little voice taunted.

I ignored it. I was tired, that was all. Soon, I’d be thinking half a dozen sleazy thoughts about Maximus. Hell, I might even act on some of those thoughts.

“Shall we?” he asked, drawing my attention back to him.

I’d show that egotistical Romanian prince he was nothing special. “Absolutely.”

“Where would you like your tour to begin?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Wherever you want.”

“Let’s start at the beginning,” Maximus said as led me down the ornate hallway. “This was originally a monastery built back in the fifteenth century.”

“This house is a former church?” I asked in disbelief.

“Monasteries were more than that back then,” he replied, gesturing to the huge windows we came to. “They were also strategic strongholds. At that time, the Ottoman Empire was trying to invade Western Europe, and Romania was one of the countries in its way.”

“So that explains the high walls and lookout towers,” I said musingly before adding, “And they’re still used today.”