Enemy Mine

Chapter 17

Colin offered to drive Sylvie to Baltimore in the Escalade to help her move. This plan thrilled Sylvie to no end, and she never stopped grinning until she and Colin pulled away from the curb. I still hadn't told Sylvie about the Valentino's non-human status, only mine, and this thought plagued me as I hunched over the kitchen counter forming ground turkey into meatballs. Yeah, turkey again.

Seated in the living room, Vincent waged a text battle with someone, and I watched through my peripherals as his fingers pounded the cellphone screen with agile dexterity. After several intense minutes, he finally set his phone on the coffee table.

"Okay, I'm done arguing with stubborn people. What's on your mind, Reese?"

Geez. 

"Who says there's something on my mind?"

"Is there nothing on your mind?" He raised his eyebrows, mocking me.

"Yes, dammit. There is."

"So, do you want to share it, or should we continue avoiding the subject?"

I huffed as I dug my hands into the turkey mixture. "I feel guilty about Sylvie. She only knows half the story. I didn't get a chance to tell her about the Valentino's super powers."

He acknowledged my dilemma with a head bob, and I thought I saw him suppress a grin. "She seems to have recovered from your exciting news. I suspect she will embrace the other news equally."

I stopped forming balls to give him a long-distance stare. "Really? That's all you've got for me? Try again."

"I'll need more context, then. What lies at the bedrock of your guilt?" Vincent held my gaze as he waited, although he probably knew where to find my guilt.

"What if Sylvie freaks out when I tell her she's been having sex with a gargoyle? What if she doesn't forgive me for not telling her sooner?"

"Why do you think Sylvie would have such a negative reaction to the best sex of her life?"

My hands hovered over the bowl as we engaged in a moment. These moments tended to happen any time sex was mentioned. "How do you know she's having the best sex of her life?"

I watched a smile blossom on his lips, which had my thighs clenching. "Are you happy with our sex life? Do I satisfy you? Do you shiver when you picture me sinking into you?"

Holy crap. The nether regions.

"Yes."

His smile widened. "I'm very glad to hear that. Trust me. Sylvie is having mind-blowing sex. When she finds out it gets bigger, she'll be ecstatic." He chuckled to himself as he reclined on the couch, folding his arms behind his head.

I felt like pointing out the crudeness of his remark, but it was also the truth, so I went back to my turkey balls. Not long afterwards, the apartment smelled like garlic and marinara, and two places were set in front of my mix-matched barstools. The normalcy felt strange but comfortable as we enjoyed spaghetti and meatballs, which lasted all of ten minutes before Vincent's phone rang. When he glanced at the screen, I knew it was important.

"Sergio Lassiter," he said. "I need to take this in private."

Vincent made for my bedroom, leaving me to speculate about the nature of the call. Were they discussing me and my not-so-perfect lineage? Did Vincent think a closed door would keep me from listening to his side of the conversation if I really wanted to? Sergio impressed me as a reasonable guy who enjoyed living his penthouse lifestyle. He also had a close relationship with Charleton. It made me wonder if the holdouts were the Cromwells. Maybe a quick listen wouldn't hurt.