Daughter of Kaos (The Daughter Trilogy Book 3) (45 page)

bring them over tomorrow. Go enjoy the rest of your night,” I mutter dismissively while standing to

walk over to the large window overlooking the chaos below.

“Really? Just like that?” he gasps.

“Just like that. I have enough money to bounce around, and it’s obvious you have an idea worth

investing in. Go now. Have a good time,” I rush.

“Thank you, Devin. This is amazing. Thank you so much,” he murmurs in disbelief, and I shake

his hand quickly before scouring the dance floor for my girl again.

My girl?
Why do I keep referring to her as
mine
?
Damn it.

I rub my face vigorously as if I can wipe away the foolishness I’m exuding without any self

respect for my years of preaching against mortals and immortals.

She’s down there like a sought after lioness as she weaves through the hoard of eager men

desperate to gain the attention she so freely offered me. I regret having not taken her up on it now as I

watch her sexy, smoldering body sway with the beat of the music, - that tiny red dress climbing up just

high enough to make me all the more curious to find out what’s underneath.

It would be so much easier to just leave her alone if I wasn’t blind to her future.

An old song starts playing, and I decide to descend the staircase to find this blazing beauty and

end this madness. Maybe if I sleep with her once, I can get over whatever spell I feel as if I’m under.

She’s dancing… a routine? In a club?

It’s a little too simply mixed with juvenile moves. I laugh a little, but I find her adorable as she

and her friend laugh wildly.

I join the intoxicated crowd in their applause, and then I see her being scolded by the bouncer for

her lack of shoes. She giggles with her friend as they rush over to reacquire their abandoned heels.

This girl’s smile is breathtaking, and I’m beyond intrigued by her.

I start making my way through the depraved crowd full of eager men and women, my eyes having

only have one focus -
her.

I almost want to strangle the parasite hassling her when I overhear his accosting.

“So am I. Your bitch friend thinks she’s too damn good to even speak to me,” the flea scoffs.

My neck cracks to the side before I risk being seen, and then I say
fuck it
and flash through the

crowd. I deny my Poseidon’s plead to drown the fool in his own alcohol, but my strength is wavering.

“That’s because she is,” I growl out, and I see my girl starting to choke on an invisible knot in her

throat.

She was scared, and this son of a bitch was the one scaring her. I can feel my eyes starting to

swirl as I tower over the piece of shit, and terror spreads in his eyes - as it should.

I move to be between him and her before I start again.

“She’s with me. If you have a problem with that, then you need to deal with me, not her. Got it?”

I threaten, and I can feel my protectiveness for her growing.

Why do I feel so damn attached to her?

The coward throws his hands up in surrender before responding, “Sorry, dude. Didn’t know.”

I force the tidal wave flowing through me back into place as I turn to face
my
girl once more.

I’ve got to stop thinking about her this way.

One night is all I need. Once I get it out of my system, I’ll be fine.

“You okay?” I ask sincerely.

“Yeah. Thanks,” she mumbles with a bit of embarrassment, and I am quite certain her

humiliation still stems from my earlier rudeness.

“I’m Devin Cole,” I say softly, and then I proffer my right hand while holding my not-strong-

enough scotch in the other.

She seems uncertain about putting her hand in mine, and when she finally does, it almost stirs my

blood to a boil.

I swear I feel small sparks of electricity coursing through me, and now I’m all the more

captivated by this unfathomably bewitching girl.

Fuck.

“I’m Alexius Smith,” she says with a deceitful tone, and I have to question her honesty given her

incredibly telling eyes.

She’s not used to lying, and I can’t help but smirk at her mischievous glow. The scandalous

intentions she must carry for telling such a fib fall into my plan perfectly.

She is the one to finally break physical contact, and I can tell I’m placing quite the spell on her as

well.

No surprise.

“Sorry about earlier, I was a little distracted. I thought you were… different,” I lie.

It’s not like I can tell her I rebuffed her attempts because she’s mortal. Although if I was to tell

her who or what I am, I’d probably get laid much faster.

Mortals do love romancing the deadly.

A devious smirk spreads, and I have to wipe it free from my face.

She shrugs while trying to act casual in saying, “It’s okay. I need to get back to my friends.”

What the hell?
She’s
turning
me
down? Did I miss something?

She starts walking away, and involuntarily, I grab her hand in mine. I can hear her heart start

racing, and I know she’s fighting to stay away.

Why is she so determined to get away when she first approached me?

“Stay. Dance with me. Let’s convince the army of men chasing after you that you really are

taken,” I tempt, and now I feel as desperate as the fools in here sniffing at her heels.

What is it about her that seems to be driving everyone so crazy, including me? And why the fuck

can’t I see one little glimpse of her? More importantly, why do I care?

I give her the gaze no woman has ever said
no
to, and I await her giggly submission - the usual

reaction. Her perfectly smooth blue eyes lift up to meet mine, and I see her icy shield starting to melt,

though there isn’t any giggling.

Now the games can begin. You’re mine now, baby.

“You completely made me feel like a fool earlier. I believe you said you weren’t interested.

Thank you for the help, but I really do need to go,” she mumbles to completely shift the momentum of

the game I thought I had clinched.

What the hell?

Immortal women can’t even turn me down. Who the hell is this girl?

I keep holding onto her, unsure about why I can’t release her. I swear she wants me… at least…
I

think she does
.

“I said I was sorry about that. I changed my mind,” I smolder out, and I’m trying even harder to

seduce this stubborn girl to fall into my web.

“What a coincidence. So did I,” she smugly retorts.

Well I’ll be damned.

She wants to play this game, eh? I’m good at this game, and I’ll gladly give her the chase she’s

looking for, though it’ll end the same as it would if she would just come home with me right now.

“We’ll see about changing your mind back then,” I seduce with more charm than what I normally

have to exert.

I can hear her chill bumps rising as I pass by her, and I can’t help but smirk behind my glass when

I feel her shiver. I intentionally avoid turning around, though I admit it would be easier to resist such

a temptation if I could fucking see her.

My damn glass shatters in my hand from the frustration, and I just drop the pieces to the ground

beside the stairs while huffing in exasperation.

“Perfect
,
” I sardonically release while shaking my head.

I swear I’ve lost all composure now because of
that
girl.

The dreamy-eyed waitress rushes to me once I return to the VIP box, and I quickly motion for a

drink before I have to hear her annoying voice. She promptly returns with a fresh glass of scotch and I

take a deep breath while my scheme rises and fully forms.

“Your only job for the remainder of the night is to take care of the Whitman table. More

specifically, Alexius Smith. Make sure she gets a bottle of champagne - the best you have in stock.

Put your services and all the extras on my card, and bring me something to write on,” I order without

any warmth to my tone, and the trembling girl rushes around to fill my requests.

Let the games begin, Ms. Smith.

After a riveting exchange of
notes, she ends things on a sour note.

If she doesn’t want me, then why do her relentless eyes keep searching for me? She’s quite

possibly the most baffling creature I’ve ever known.

The tinted glass separating us is only meant for my viewing, and fortunately it’s quiet enough up

here for me to hear her speaking to her table of girls. They’re about to leave, and I’ve only got one

more shot to get this girl to end this foolish chase.

“Anything else, Mr. Cole?” the annoying waitress prompts.

“Just run the card, and I’ll be on my way,” I grumble, and she whisks away to do as I ask.

My girl stands to her feet just as Miss Annoying returns with my card, and I straighten my tie

while acting like a complete stalker following behind.

Her far too inebriated friend starts to stumble on the stairs. Alexius, or whoever she is, tries to

pull her back, but she’s not strong enough.

There’s my cue and my in.

I wrap my arms around both of them, and I can feel my girl’s skin burning against me through her

incredible, red dress as I pull them back from the edge.

Her eyes stare into mine, and I try once more to seduce her with my stare. I fear I’m the only one

being seduced until I see her wobble slightly. She’s so fucking hard to read.

I release her from my grip, planning to aide her further while escorting her out, but then her

friend’s body goes limp and both of them start falling once more.

I grab up the friend, and carry her down the stairs in complete silence.

I’ll just let her stew for a minute while I play the silent hero. She’ll crumble.

The bouncer opens the door for us, and the limo driver is holding the door to the car as we walk

out. I have no intentions of letting her leave in it though.

“Oh, what happened?” the jealous girl gasps when she sees the limp body flopping in my arms.

“She passed out,” Alexius answers.

The jealous girl starts tossing her hair like the dumb blond she is in order to gain my attention. I

find it more than agitating, considering that’s my biggest pet peeve
.

I hate hair tossers
.

I refuse to pay her an ounce of attention, knowing that will score me some points with my girl.

I get the drunk girl safely placed on the seat, and then I quickly withdraw to send the girls away so

I can have some time alone with my invisible mystery. She tries to load the limo, but I quickly grab

her arm and gently pull her back to me.

“I’ll carry Ms. Smith home. Can you ladies handle this one?” I ask while pointing to the drunk

little girl with a shiny engagement ring.

“We’ll take care of her,” one of the others chimes in. “Have fun,” she yells as I shut the door.

That’s my plan - a night of fun with a game of catch and release.

My girl’s scowl is absolutely adorable while she scolds me.

“I never said I would go with you.”

The limo pulls out into traffic, and I smirk at the cute-when-angry girl.

“Well, it appears you have no choice now,” I gloat.

She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest before starting to walk away.

Damn it. She’s not a New Yorker.

Why do I want her to be close to me? Of course I have enough homes to be closer to her wherever

she lives.

Fuck. I’m losing it.

“You obviously don’t live in New York. It’s not safe for you to be dressed like that, walking in

those heels, and going off alone. Please let me give you a ride,” I say objectively.

She sighs in defeat, and the man they hired to be the prominent people’s valet hustles over to grab

my car while she returns.

“Your words were rather cutting. Perhaps now we can consider us even. I’ve only rejected you

once, but you’ve rejected me three times now. Do you think it possible for us to start over?” I ask so

genuinely, trying the super-sweet card for a change.

I add a soft pout to the end of my words, hoping it will sway those delicious lips of hers to turn up

in a smile. Girls love a good pout, and I know she has to have a weakness somewhere… surely.

“Why did you change your mind?” she asks, her eyes narrowing - giving nothing away.

Because you won’t get the fuck out of my head.

“I thought you were the typical sort of woman who approaches a man in a bar. Most want free

drinks, a fat wallet, and a night of ease. Then I saw you consistently refusing one advance after

another. I thought you were beautiful, so I continued to watch. I finally decided to come make

amends just as the jerk you were tousling with was running his mouth. I got a little pissed with some

of the things he said. I’m proud of myself for having not punched him,” I answer while mixing lies

with truths.

I really am glad I didn’t punch him, considering he would have broken like a stack of fragile

dishes. That would have taken some explaining.

She seems to be calming down now, and her eyes take a peek up and down my body.

Take it in, baby. I’m yours for the night, even if it is dangerous.

Maybe that’s why I’m so captivated by her. It’s dangerous. I’ve never been drawn to the mortals