“No, I am going alone. The moral of this story is focus. I can’t focus when I am around you. All of you. You pull my attention away and I can’t afford to let that happen. Not until I am ready.”
My words go some way to placating my boys, but I can see that they are not happy. Except for Cole, of course, who just looks smug.
I sigh. “Please say you understand,” I ask them, needing to know that there isn’t going to be any drama.
“Of course, V.A.,” Lincoln says straight away, and I love him for it. He is always the one I can count on to have my back without having a big argument about it first.
“Sure,” Devon says, not about to let Lincoln get all the credit for moral support. “Although, this is twice now you have blown me off. You will have some serious making up to do.”
“What, today wasn’t good enough for you?” I snap at him and he shrugs.
“It was for making up for blowing me off last week,” he says, and everyone just looks uncomfortable that we are discussing this, especially Jess who, well, looks more furious than uncomfortable.
“I will make it up to you, I promise. All of you.”
“Well, I shall be sure to keep those handcuffs nearby for when you are ready,” he says with a wicked chuckle.
“Handcuffs?” CK croaks at him. He regains his composure and roars at him, “You handcuffed her?”
Devon just looks back at him mildly. “She could have gotten out of them anytime she wanted to. She didn’t, however.”
“Enough!” I snap at them and they both smile weakly at me. I turn to CK who is still staring at me like I took away his favorite toy. Which I suppose I did, really.
“I will come with you on Sunday,” he says again. As I start to shake my head he adds, “I would like to see my old friend again. You and Corinne can speak while Ahmed and I catch up.”
Old friend? Catch up? Words so strange coming from my sire. I peer at him suspiciously, but he has his perfectly innocent face in place.
“Fine,” I say in a huff. “You can catch up with your old friend. Which, by the way, is just strange coming from you.”
“Why?” he asks. “I do have friends, you know.”
“Do you?” I ask, now most curious, as I have never seen him with any.
“Of course, I do,” he says, now haughtily. “And for your information, Ahmed and I were quite close before he disappeared. It makes the sting of his betrayal that much worse. He has some serious explaining to do.”
“Fine, whatever,” I mumble, not really all that interested in his relationship with Ahmed. “Just stay out of my way and don’t interfere.”
“Done,” he says, now smug that he has gotten his own way – again. When will I learn? I frown and rub my finger between my eyes. “It isn’t fair how you do that.”
“Do what?” he asks, still all innocent, but I know better.
“Wheedle your way into my business. I ask you to stay away and you make a valid reason to come anyway.”
“Your business? You think that this is just your business? We are all in this together, my sweet. And need I remind you that your well-being is my business.”
I blink at him and then take in the nodding heads of the rest of the group. “Together,” Devon says.
I breathe in deeply. “Fine. But I get my free week. The only people I will be spending any time with is Cade and Xane. And Jess,” I add. “Oh, and Cole.” I smile at him and he glows.
“No fair,” Devon grumbles.
“I will still see you, baby. I just can’t dedicate my days to you. Any of you.”
“Why me?” Jess says, not happy to be singled out.
“You are my assistant, are you not?” I ask her. “Plus, I said we would do some training of our own.”
“Oh,” she frowns at me.