Enemy Mine

Chapter 36

Colin and Deidra had only been gone twenty minutes when the catering service arrived with food. This improved everyone's mood significantly, and the scene felt almost friendly. Throughout dinner, Vincent's phone chimed, and each time he made a point to respond to it. Amelia seemed to notice this as well, and when everyone had eaten their fill, she joined us in the kitchen to help with clean-up. Before conversation even started, Vincent's phone chimed again.

"Whoever is texting you is seriously needy," Amelia said.

Vincent nodded. "I agree with you. It's Colin. He and Deidra went to dinner and now they're at a bar with Adam and Rafael."

"Why didn't they just eat here with the rest of us?" Amelia said. "Were they too horny to wait?"

"Actually, Colin insisted they eat together and go dancing before they took things to the bedroom. He's been keeping me updated on her antics. Apparently, she's talking smack about Reese, and Colin wanted me to be aware of it."

"What kind of smack?" I said, stopping in the middle of loading the dishwasher.

"Hybrid bashing and playing the 'I know a big secret' card. Colin is staying neutral to see how far she'll go." Vincent's phone chimed again and he looked at the screen. "Hmm."

"Hmm, what?" I asked as Amelia and I moved in to get a closer look.

Vincent recited Colin's message. "Deidra is planning to issue Reese a challenge."

"A challenge? As in a battle until blood is spilled?" I said, feeling the initial signs of blood loss.

"Yes."

"No F-ing way. Deidra is a born fighter, and I most certainly am not. I may be able to ward off demon boyfriends, but a jealous female is lethal, no matter what species."

"And you would be one of the jealous females, Reese," Amelia offered with an encouraging clap on the arm. "You'd be protecting your investment. I know it's not done much with humans these days, but duels are traditional among gollums."

I stared at both of them, waiting for Vincent to stop texting and look at me. "I just boarded this ship. I'm not ready to adopt every gollum tradition. Besides, I don't have to prove anything to keep my man." I wrapped my arm around Vincent and he hugged me back, but his eyes had flicked to Amelia. "What? Please, don't tell me I have to accept her challenge?"

"No, you don't have to accept it," Amelia said. "But a challenge is not made lightly. It is a formal event that will be documented in the historical records of both domi."

"Seriously? I've already given the Valentino name a black eye," I said, arguing my case with everything I had. "I doubt getting my ass kicked is going to help your reputation."

Vincent turned me in his arms to face me head-on. The abrupt maneuver and his intense stare had me swallowing hard. "You may not have adopted the name yet, but you are a Valentino."

"Okay, now I feel worse." I shrugged my surrender, however temporary it might be. "Fine, but I'll need a few weeks to prepare for this challenge. My diet sucks and I haven't been working out, other than sex."

Amelia grinned as she clapped my arm again, using more muscle this time. "If you can get Deidra to wait six weeks, we'll have you trained and ready. Appeal to her ego. Say you want to give her a fight she can earn."

Another chime rang through on Vincent's phone and we all huddled close to read it.

If Deidra wins, she will officially put herself on the market. Rafael is licking his chops.

Vincent typed out his response.

Let Rafael take her home tonight. I'm sure Sylvie wouldn't mind.