An Oath In Blood (Book #3)

Chapter 12: Untruly Yours

WARREN HALE

I could almost hear my brother's voice in my ears, calling me stupid for inviting Corvina into my house but I knew I was going to be safe. One thing about me was that I wasn't deterred by a little challenge even if it was death. Perhaps, it was foolish to not invite my brothers over while I talked to her but I hadn't anticipated seeing her in the hotel lobby.

She had been asking for me, too, so I assumed she was here for a reason. I asked her to make herself comfortable in the living area as I walked into the small kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water. The first thing I had noticed about Corvina when I had spotted her in the lobby were her clothes. She was dressed in a pair of jeans with a long sleeve shirt with a plunging cleavage.Dressed so casually, she didn't look like a killer. But I would be lying if I said that my eyes didn't linger on her chest a little.

In my defense, I was just surprised to see the woman who was only a little kid when I saw her the first time to have grown into a woman. And she was mighty hot.

"Do you want anything?" I called over my shoulder, pushing the thoughts of her body out of my mind. I hadn't been with a woman in a long time and blamed my celibacy for the way I seemed to react to Corvina.

"Do you have a beer?" Her question made a smile tug on my lips, partly because she felt comfortable enough to ask for a drink and partly because she was just so American.

I retrieved a bottle from the fridge before shutting it closed with my hip. Walking back to where she was sitting in the living area, I passed her the drink which I had opened on my way over. She took a nervous swig, her gaze volleying around the penthouse.

"Why were you asking for me?" I questioned as I took a seat. Her grey eyes met mine and a spark of alarm flared in them followed by a soothing realization. But those emotions died quickly before I could read too much into them.

"You have my phone." She answered, her words rushing out of her. I had realized in our previous short interactions that Corvina was socially awkward. She could barely look a person in the eye when she talked to them so I mustered a smile to make her feel more at ease. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest because the girl I had met twelve years ago was nowhere to be seen. She had been so confident back then.

"That I do." I nodded, taking a sip of my water. I should have gotten something much stronger than water for this interaction but I had to work later. I couldn't afford to be tipsy.

"I need my phone." She responded, cringing slightly at her monotone and wavering voice. My smile disappeared and I shook my head.

"I can't give your phone back to you." I admitted. Corvina's full lips parted and the bottle in her hand dangled from her fingers dangerously. Confusion with a hint of annoyance entered her gaze as she straightened to her full height. She was only a couple inches shorter than me but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little intimidated by her now.

"Why?" The word was void of all social awkwardness. A dangerous lilt laced her voice and I wondered if I had been wrong to assume that I could hold her phone as leverage over her.

"Because I need you to answer my questions first." I pushed my fear of her deep within as I leaned forward in my seat. Her gaze bore into mine as if she was trying to figure me out. "Raven." I added after a beat, my voice almost a whisper.

Corvina blinked, breaking eye contact. Either I was hallucinating because my water had been spiked or color entered her cheeks and her eyes glazed over.

"You remember me." Her voice was so small that if it hadn't been for the silence of the room, I wouldn't have heard her. The fear evaporated as I realized that she hadn't forgotten me. She knew who I was. A smile tugged on my lips but I smothered it.