“Okay, I get it. I should have asked you what was going on. But you pulled away from her and me. You didn’t want to talk. I just assumed it was something to do with Jess and what Sebastian had done to you.”
“It was in part, but there is other shit going on. I can’t…” He stops talking and shakes his head. “What am I supposed to do now? Going to her with this was supposed to be my grand gesture. Sweep her off her feet. Now it is just going to look like petty jealousy. You screwed me.”
“I’m sorry, Dev. I really didn’t mean it that way. I’ve explained it as best that I can.”
He sighs, his shoulders slumping. “Yeah, I guess you did what you had to, but it still doesn’t help me.”
“Just talk to her, tell her everything about how you’re feeling. I guarantee you; she will want what you are offering her. She loves you so much. She hates it when you aren’t here. If she had you in her bed all the time, she would be happy. Really happy. There is always something missing from her smile and it is you.”
Devon grins at him then. “Well, Jesus. Gush, much?”
“Truth,” Cole states, with a shrug. “So, are we cool?”
“Yeah, we’re cool. I just wish you had told me so that I wasn’t blindsided by this. It fucking hurt.”
“I know, I tried to call you after, but it wouldn’t connect. And before, well, I had no idea what was going to happen. If he would go for it, or just take her from me as he has been dying to do since the day we met.”
“I have to admit, now that I’m not so mad at you anymore, that it was a pretty savvy move. Only problem is, now that he has her right where he wants her, it will be harder to remove him.”
“Hence why we need a plan. One that will force him to show his true colors and she won’t be able to forgive him.”
“She will find it harder to forgive him now that they’re married if he betrays her,” Devon says with a nod.
“Precisely,” Cole agrees, glad that they are on the same page.
“Okay, but I need a bit of time. There’s something I need to take care of before I ask her to commit to me.” His face is pale, and he looks nauseous.
“Anything you want to talk about?” Cole asks.
Devon shakes his head.
“Look, man. We need to be united in this. No secrets.”
“Leave me to deal with this one thing, and I will tell you when I’m ready. I’m going to need her alone. For a long time. I do not need that prick swooping in and threatening her or trying to talk her out of it. She listens to him. Really listens.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed. Asshole.”
Devon snorts. “Don’t ever blindside me again,” he warns. “I may not be an Initial Vampire, but I can still kick your ass from here to next week.”
“Got it,” Cole agrees, hastily. Devon is very serious about that. He has never felt threatened by him before until that moment, and he would be wise to remember that Devon is far older and stronger than him.
“So, I take it the other one is still in a mood about his turning?” Devon asks, changing the topic.
“You could say that,” Cole says. “He came back yesterday,” he adds in irritation. “He seems determined to destroy himself. I say to just let him.”
“Agreed,” Devon says. “If he can’t be grateful that Lizzie saved him, then he should just be left to his own devices.”
They share a knowing look, united in their mutual dislike of another sibling to share their sire with. “Perhaps we could convince him to put him out of his misery. That would make Liv hate him,” Cole snickers.
Devon snorts with mirth. “Yeah, but I’m sure we can come up with something better than that.”
“Well, I suppose I should go and find her,” Cole says. “It has been a trying morning already.”
“Isn’t it always?” Devon retorts.
Cole snorts and says, “Yeah, this more than most. I met Tiamat earlier,” he says and pauses for dramatic effect, “and Drake as well. Together, at the same time!”
“What?” Devon splutters. “They were both here? How did that end up?”