Blair withdrew her claws. “I do hope that’s true, because it means we won’t have to go through this again. And Rhonda … round two would go much worse for you, just to be clear.” Blair slowly stood and turned to Lucille, who was gaping down at Rhonda, her face pale.
Lucille’s gaze flew back to Blair. “I didn’t call you names, I—”
“Sneered at me,” finished Blair. “I didn’t like that. I also don’t take kindly to being ignored. It’s a pet peeve of mine.”
“I’m sorry.” The apology bubbled out of Lucille as she lowered her eyes. “It won’t happen again.”
Blair tilted her head. “You know something? I believe you. I think you truly are sorry. So your punishment will be a little different. You’ll take Rhonda into the restroom and help her clean up. Yes, I know you would prefer to eat your own vomit than assist her with anything at all, but you’re gonna do exactly that. Or I make my point a whole other way.”
Lucille licked her lips. “I’ll help her.”
Valentina sauntered forward. “So you have some common sense, then. Perhaps there is hope for you.” She glared down at a sobbing Rhonda, who was putting pressure on her puncture marks. Valentina rolled her eyes. “Oh, get up, foolish woman. It is just little wound. You still live.”
“It’s the gel,” said Rhonda, her voice breaking. “It hurts so—”
“No more blubbering,” ordered Valentina. She closed her eyes. “Lord, I despise weakness. Someone get her up.”
Deke helped Rhonda stand and then passed her off to Lucille.
Bailey tossed an arm over Blair’s shoulders. “I think you and me are gonna get along amazingly well. I mean, we have so much in common. We like to mess with people. We like whiskey. We like vengeance … The list is endless.”
“Then why did it stop at three things?” asked Deke.
Bailey didn’t even glance at him. “You still here, Eye Candy?”
His eyelid twitched. “Must you keep calling me that?”
“Not really. But I will.”
Feeling the weight of Luke’s gaze, Blair looked his way. She sucked in a breath. His eyes were hot, hungry, and filled with promise, leaving her in no doubt of what was going to happen the moment they were alone.
Excitement burst to life in her stomach, and she shot him a little smile. The party couldn’t end soon enough.
CHAPTER TEN
Blair clung to Luke’s shoulders as he mule-kicked the front door closed. He was feasting on her mouth, licking and nibbling. He kept her plastered against him, as if he couldn’t bear the thought of there being even an inch of space between them. That was fine with her.
It couldn’t have been more than half an hour after the incident that he unapologetically ushered her out of the Tavern. It had come as no surprise to her. Not when she’d been able to feel pure male need humming along their bond. It had built in intensity with every minute that passed and caused sexual tension to wind her tighter and tighter.
The moment his mouth had taken hers, the sexual tension had all but exploded. Now a maddeningly feverish need was rampant in her system. Her inner walls pulsed like a heartbeat, damp and achy.
He broke the kiss with a growl, his eyes twin pools of glittering heat. “I’m going to fuck you so hard. And you’re going to take it.” He sank his teeth into her neck, wrenching a gasp from her. Then his mouth was on hers again.
Angling his head, he drove his tongue deeper, kissed her harder. Wilder. Hungrier. The nips to her lips became rougher. Her female totally got off on how he couldn’t seem to get enough.
Blair thrust her hand into his hair and scratched at his scalp, tugging on the soft strands in feminine demand. He poured a growl down her throat, making her nipples pebble and her lower stomach clench. His hands roamed over her skin, the pads of his fingers pressing deep; screaming mine.
At this point, her body … it was a mess. Hot and restless and over-sensitized. Anticipation clawed at her insides and fed her desperation to assuage the throbbing ache in her core.
She had to tear her mouth free, so starved for breath she was surprised little white dots weren’t obscuring her vision. Snarling, he claimed her mouth again, fisting her hair tight to hold her head in place so she couldn’t escape him.
The dark edge to his touch fired her need. He never held back from her in bed dominance-wise—he was always every inch the alpha. But, physically, he’d so far been careful with her, ensuring he was never too rough. That he clearly wasn’t taking such care with her tonight … yeah, she dug it.
He backed her through the apartment, stripping her along the way, tossing clothes everywhere. Naked, she whipped off his shirt—