Page 48 of Come for Me
Olivia extends her hand to greet me. “Hi, I’m Olivia, Dax’s”—Olivia pauses—“friend.”
Catching the fake-nice-girl act I thought we left back in high school, I squint, giving her an insincere smile before grabbing her cold, dead hand.
“I wish I was as brave as you,” Olivia says.
My face scrunches. “What do you mean?”
“I can never go out in public before making sure my nails are done.”
I force a laugh, then peer over my shoulder at Sam, pleading for him to get me out of this. It’s all I can do to not ruin everyone’s meal by starting a brawl.
Sam ushers me to my seat. As soon as my butt hits my chair, everyone else follows.
The wolves resume serving themselves and eating, and the vampires sip blood from their glasses.
Sam, sitting directly across from Olivia on Dax’s side of the table, shovels steak onto his plate before cutting into it roughly.
Leaning across the table to him, I whisper, “Where’s Dax?”
“Probably burying himself in work. He always eats in his office,” Sam says with his mouth full.
If I have to be here for this awkward dinner, so does he.
I pluck the napkin from my lap, fling it onto my empty plate, and march down the hall toward his study. I can smell him as I get closer to the doorway.
Dax is in his office, with papers sprawled out on his desk and floor. His chin rests in his hand, a finger to his lip as he lounges back in his seat. One foot is crossed over his other leg, balancing reports, as he reads a paper.
My shoulder rests on the doorframe as I take in his formal attire, much different from the clothes I’ve seen before. His hard muscles stretch under the unyielding fabric. Everything about him emanates how hard he works to care for and protect his kingdom.
Silence of his study stills around us as he flips papers.
Is this where he spends all his time? If I hadn’t come to fetch him, would he have stayed like this all night?
I glance to the couch lining the wall, the worn cushions likely a makeshift bed for restless nights and long hours alone.
“Alaina,” he says, eyes still glued to his reports, voice resembling smoke.
My wolf’s spine shudders, stretching beneath the stroke of his power from his gravelly voice.
I take that as my cue to enter his office. “If I have to endure this dinner with your fiancée, then so do you.”
He looks at me as if processing my statement. Sighing, he tosses the papers on the desk. “Fine.” He stands and buttons his suit jacket.
We walk back to the dining room.
Everyone stands when Dax enters, waiting until he and I have both taken our seats to follow suit. The royal formalities have me rolling my eyes.
Dax digs into his steak and potatoes as he engages with Sam in a discussion about attacks happening in the north. He stickswith business and politics, something I imagine are his only topics of conversation as of late.
I turn my head to Ash, who I catch staring at my breasts intently. Again.
He darts his focus toward his glass, and I shift uncomfortably in my seat, knowing I was being eye-fucked by the old man.
I turn my attention back to Sam and Olivia, who are having a tense discussion about whose species is better. Sam is clearlynota fan of Olivia.Something he and I have in common.
Dax notices my discomfort and stares at me with concern, but I feel like he’s looking right through me.
I’m about to mouth that I’m fine when Sam slams his fist on the table, causing me to jolt.
