Page 87 of Pursued

“Right,” he sneered. “And he’s the boss, I guess. Where the fuck is he, anyway?”

“He went back to the vampire nest to help with cleanup, and then he had to work. And it’s for our own safety, for Chrissake.”

He just shook his head, then flopped onto the couch opposite me. “So. You said at breakfast that you worked on an organic farm?”

We spent the next hour catching up. When I’d left, he’d been a high school senior, and now he was three years into an engineering degree.

“I have to work my ass off,” he said, “but I figure it will be worth it.” His face fell. “I have an internship at a chemical company this summer. I just hope they’ll take me back after all this.”

“Gabriel will talk to them for you.”

“No.” His mouth flattened. “I’ll handle it myself.”

I jerked a shoulder. “Suit yourself.”

An awkward silence fell until Joey jumped up again. “Let’s play rummy. He must have a deck of cards around here somewhere.”

We found a couple of decks of cards in a cupboard and played a game of gin rummy to five hundred points. Joey won, as usual.

He grinned as he gathered up the cards. “I still got it.”

I tossed my pencil at him. He snatched it out of the air and tucked it behind his ear.

“You got it, all right,” I retorted. “A big fat ego.”

He chuckled, and then sobered. “Mila.” He shuffled the deck and set it on the coffee table. “Come home with me. Mom and Dad—you broke their hearts, leaving like that. You need to make it right with them. And what the fuck was that money for?”

“You didn’t use it?”

“Are you kidding? The only thing Mom and Dad used it for was to pay the guy searching for you. There’s something like $25K left.”

“Tell them to use it, please. I won’t need it now.”

“No way. Mom put your name on the account. All you have to do is show some ID and it’s yours.”

“Joey.” I passed a hand over my eyes. “Don’t you understand? It’s done. I’m with Gabriel now. But Iwillmake it right with Mom and Dad—I just have to talk to Gabriel first.”

“So youarea prisoner.”

“No!” I drew a slow breath, made myself answer calmly. “I told you, we’re together now. But I can’t just up and leave.”

“For Chrissake, Mila.” He plowed a hand through his dark curls. “What’s wrong with you? If you don’t care about me, what about Mom and Dad? And Nonna—you know you’re her favorite. She still says a rosary for you every night.”

My stomach lurched. “I’m sorry I left that way. But I didn’t have a choice—I had to get right away.”

“But why?”

“Because I fell in love with a dhampir, damn it. And not just any dhampir—Gabriel Kral, heir to the Kral Syndicate. Karoly Kral wasnothappy that his son was in love with a human. And later, when I thought I might be able to come home, I was told to stay gone—or they’d come for you guys next.”

“Those motherfuckers.” Joey shot to his feet. “That’s it. We’re out of here—now.” He lunged around the coffee table and grabbed my arm.

“No!” I dug in my heels. “You don’t understand.”

“The hell I don’t.” He dragged me toward the hall.

“Listen to me.” I shoved my face into his. “I don’twantto leave.”

The guard stationed in the foyer appeared with vampire-fast speed and planted himself in front of us. “Miss? Is everything all right?”