Chapter 7
Piper
My face was still pressedup against the wood of the door to the basement when it suddenly opened. I jolted back but not fast enough, and the corner of the door whacked into my foot.
"Shit!" My eyes watered and my hand grabbed my foot as I jumped in place to staunch the pain.
"Piper, my Lord! I apologize. I didn't know you were there." Wynn reached out to me, holding me by the shoulders so that I didn't fall over. His blue eyes were soft with concern.
"It's fine." I gave him a pained smile and tried to wave him off. "It's my fault."
"No, no. It's completely mine. I should have—"
"What? Used your x-ray vision to see that I was pressing my ear up against the door like a nosy busy body?" I scoffed and laughed.
Wynn offered me a small smile. "Well, I suppose that would have been asking a bit much. I already have so many alluring qualities." He lifted his hand up with a smirk. "Immortality. Speed. A face women cry for."
"Cry out in disgust, you mean." Drake chuckled and clapped his hand on Wynn's shoulder, the twin a head taller than the flirtatious vampire before me.
Wynn feigned hurt as he placed his hand on his chest. "I beg your pardon. I would have you know I have never made a woman... or man, for that matter... want anything other than to cry out in pleasure and delight." His eyes turned to me with a pleading sort of look. "You must believe me, Piper."
I covered my mouth with the back of my hand, my hurt foot all but forgotten. "If you say so."
"Ugh!" Wynn clasped both hands at his chest. "And the final stab to the heart. You pain me so, my dear Piper. I would not think you would have pity on a poor humble vampire."
Drake and I met each other’s eyes over Wynn and broke out into fits of laughter. While Wynn complained about how heartless we were, footsteps bounded up the stairs from the still-open basement door. When Rayne appeared at the top of the stairs with Allister close behind him, my laughter was cut off as I fell into a coughing fit.
"Piper?" Wynn placed a hand on my back. "Are you alright? Do you need a drink of water?"
I waved him off with one hand and covered my mouth with the other one. "No. N—" I coughed. "I'm okay," I gasped and winced as my voice cracked.
"If you're sure, but let's get you some, just in case." Wynn began to usher me toward the kitchen without giving me a chance to say no. The others followed behind us, seemingly more interested in what was going on with us than doing whatever it was they had planned to do.
Wynn sat me down at the kitchen island and moved to the sink. I kept my eyes away from Rayne as he leaned against the fridge and watched me with a focus that made me squirm.
"What was so funny before?" Rayne asked.
I glanced toward Rayne for a second, taking in the tight t-shirt he was wearing and low riding sweat pants before my mind drifted off to the bathroom where we'd almost kissed. What would have happened had I let him kiss me again? Would it have been like last time, aggressive and overpowering like he wanted to swallow me whole and make sure everyone damn well knew I belonged to him? My body hummed with the thought of it, not particularly displeased by the notion.
Rayne sucked in a sharp breath.
The realization of what I had just been thinking caught up to me, and my eyes briefly locked with his before I jerked them away, my face burning. I had to be more careful with my thoughts around him... around all of them, for that matter. They might not all be able to read my mind, but they sure could read my scent, and I knew, to my utter mortification, it was screaming that Piper was thinking dirty, dirty thoughts.
Luckily, Wynn placed the cup of water in front of me, and I had a reason not to speak. I picked up the cup, taking small sips as I avoided the questioning gaze of the assembled brothers. Thick tension filled the kitchen for a few moments before Drake cleared his throat to cut through it.
"So, eavesdropping, were you?" He leaned his large bicep on the edge of the island next to me, a shit-eating grin on his face. Drake had me blocked on one side while Allister slid into the chair next to me, effectively putting me in a hot twin sandwich.
Rayne snorted.
My eyes shot to him and narrowed. "Stay out of my head."
He lifted a shoulder and offered me an unapologetic smile. "I can't help it. You think too loud."
"Don't feel bad.” Allister leaned toward me his elbow on the counter. “He does it to all of us. You just have to learn to block him out."
"How?" I glanced between them.
"Try to clear your mind, think of nothing. You are nothing. So, he sees nothing," Drake pantomimed a fortune teller with his hands around an invisible crystal ball, his voice low and dramatic.