“No.” I didn’t like the awful feeling welling up inside me. I really didn’t like the careful way Declan was treating me. I hated to be an object of pity. I preferred his bile.
“I understand, Zoey,” he said quietly, and I saw another side to the man who would be king. “If your heart has been engaged, then I am sorry. My brother always did this with his mistresses. He makes them dependent on him and then, inevitably, he loses interest. He is simply a romantic always looking for that one woman who will complete him. It is a foolish notion. If it helps, he is always most generous when he breaks off a relationship. He does not mean to hurt his women. They just cannot help but fall in love with him.” Declan stood now and pulled cash out of his wallet. “I apologize if I have caused you distress. I thought you were somewhat different from the other women my brother has kept in the past. I can see now that you are sweet and soft and more than likely submissive sexually. It is what he likes. I am sorry to have injured your feelings. Tell Devinshea I will be calling on him.”
He was looking at me like he’d kicked a puppy, and something inside me just broke. There’s nothing I hate more than being treated like I don’t have a brain in my head. I’m more than willing to use the male population’s belief that anything as curvy as me couldn’t possibly be dangerous, but this was too much. I was sick of every man in my life treating me like a pathetic little toy.
It had taken me six months, but I was back with a vengeance.
“Listen here, motherfucker,” I hissed between clenched teeth. Declan had the good sense to be taken aback. “I’m not submissive. Maybe sometimes it’s fun, but I assure you that I don’t submit on a regular basis. You want to get to know the woman your brother’s been screwing, then let’s get to know each other. We’ll need to head back to Ether. I have to accessorize.”
I walked straight up to him and took a fistful of silk shirt. I pulled him down and his eyes softened, his mouth opening slightly as though ready for a kiss. I stopped just short of his lips. “And, Your Highness, if you wish to survive the experience, I suggest you stay behind me.”
I let him go and walked out the door. I wasn’t surprised when he came running after me.
Chapter Six
I walked into Ether hopeful that Declan would be able to keep up his end of the bargain. I needed him to be Dev in order to get past my bodyguards. Since I moved into the grotto, I had access to everything in the penthouse, but no one had given me the key to the small armory Dev kept in the club. It was tightly locked down and only Dev, Daniel, Zack, and the head of security had a keycard. That was just one of the things that was going to change if I stayed here, but for now, I needed a ruse to get in.
Looking up at Declan, I could see he’d already turned on his Dev face. He looked less arrogant, his smile decadent and smooth.
The club was quiet during the day, with only a minimal staff taking care of restocking, cleaning, and maintenance. I let my hand find his. “You need to look like you want to sleep with me.”
That was a requirement for anyone trying to pass as Dev.
“Not a problem, lover,” he replied, sounding exactly like his brother. “As I stated before, I find you attractive. If you would prefer to spend the afternoon in coitus, I would be more than happy to oblige. It would not be the first time my brother and I have shared a woman. Devinshea can be generous with his lovers. Perhaps I will allow him to bring you back to the sithein when we leave, and then we could share you in all ways. Would you like a future king in your bed, Zoey?”
“I think I’ll take a pass on the offer, but thanks.” I already had enough kings in my bed. Between my vampire king and my personal faery prince, my royal dance card was full. Declan sounded far too much like Dev for my sanity.
Zack and Lee were sitting at a table when we reached the bar area. They were having lunch and going over reports. They looked up and Zack frowned. “Mr. Quinn, I thought you were going to call us when you were ready to go.”
“Ah, Zack,” Declan said in Dev’s smooth tones. “There are some things that require privacy.” He let his hand drop mine and pulled me into a more intimate embrace. He gave me a smile that told the wolves I had probably done something naughty. His arm was around my shoulders, and he used his free hand to nudge my chin up for a kiss. I had to play along, allowing Declan to explore my mouth briefly, but I promised myself I would get him back. He nodded to Zack, who had completely bought the act. “My girl here would like to go to the shooting range and practice this afternoon. Would you be so good as to escort her to the armory? She would like to select her own weapon.”
Zack sighed heavily, like escorting me into the armory was the last thing he wanted to do. It probably was. I was sure the thought of an armed Zoey was not a pleasant one for my bodyguard, but then I had given him no reason to believe me competent. He would have no such impression of me after today.
“Of course, Mr. Quinn,” Zack said in his best professional voice. I thought it made him sound like a kiss ass. He pulled the card out of his pants, and I allowed him to lead the way.
As I walked past Lee, he stared at me, brown eyes searching mine, looking for something. I gave him an encouraging smile and he relaxed slightly, but I saw him staring at Declan as I turned the corner. Lee was going to be far worse trouble than Zack.
Zack let his keycard slide into the door to the armory, and he held it open for me. The odor of gun oil washed over me, the sweet scent of home. I smiled at the thought of being well armed again. Today there would be nothing between me and whatever came my way but my own skills and a happy gun. And Declan, since if anything tried to take a shot at me, I firmly intended to jump behind him. He deserved it and he would heal.
“Let’s see, Zoey.” Zack looked around, probably trying to find the smallest caliber possible. “I’m sure I can find something for you.”
I rolled my eyes and went for the specialized Ruger Daniel had modified for me years before. Why I had ever let myself be parted from it, I had no idea. Somehow it wound up in here when Daniel and I moved in with Dev. I opened the box and took a moment to balance the weight. It felt good in my hands. It belonged to me. It meant something to me.
Sighing, I pulled out the second box that contained the exotic rounds the Ruger had been altered to handle. There were silver bullets, cold iron bullets, wooden bullets, bullets that sent salt through the victim’s body, bullets that injected colloidal silver, and the one I was looking for—tranquilizers.
“Zoey, that’s Donovan’s gun. I don’t think you should play with that,” Zack said like the big brother I never wanted.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Zack.” I loaded the gun quickly and efficiently. “It’s not Danny’s gun. It’s mine, and I’m not playing with you anymore.”
I twisted around and shot him squarely in the chest. I have to say I grinned as he went down with a really surprised look on his face. I didn’t move though because I knew exactly what was coming next. The gun might be quiet but there was no getting past those wolf ears. I firmed my stance and waited.
Lee kicked open the door and had a semiautomatic in his hand. His eyes first went to his brother and then to me. “Zoey, what the hell is going on?”