Stakeout (Aurora Sky (25 page)

And that’s exactly what the palace
provided.

“You didn’t happen to be some kind of
European prince back in the day, did you?” I asked, changing the
subject.

“Why do you ask?”

“Whitney was wondering.”

Fane stretched back in his seat, one hand
resting on the wheel. “No, not a prince or even the second cousin
of a prince, but I had far more power and money. Would that impress
your friend, or is she all about titles?” Fane shot me a mocking
smile.

I rolled my eyes, playing it cool. “Okay, so
you were a rich aristocrat. Did you blow all of your money over the
centuries?”

“How’s that?”

“This ain’t exactly a Lamborghini you’re
driving.”

Fane tried to hide a smile, but I could see
his teeth even in the dark interior of his car.

“Oh my God, you have owned a Lamborghini
before!”

Fane had on a poker face and shrugged.
“Maybe.”

“If you have money why are you driving this
piece of shit car or living in a duplex? Why is your roommate
scouring the internet for old books?” Seriously, if Fane Donado was
loaded he should really look to Marcus as a prime example of how to
live it up in the afterlife.

“Maybe I wanted to find a woman who’d love me
for more than my money.” Fane raised a brow.

“Are you serious? That is so lame!”

Fane chuckled. “I believe most ladies would
find that romantic.”

“Well, I’m flattered you referred to me as a
lady, but as far as the billionaire disguised as a poor man looking
for real love—I think it’s for the birds. Fuck love. I’d buy myself
a mansion, a castle, fifty different cars to fit my mood of the
day. I’d jet around the world. I’d go see the seven wonders...
What?” I demanded when I saw the way Fane smiled at me.

“I’ve done all that.”

“Fifty cars?” My jaw dropped.

“Not all at once. I’m not as lavish as
you.”

I huffed. “I suppose now you’re going to tell
me that all the money in the world can’t buy true happiness or
love.”

Fane began humming to himself, watching the
road as though I wasn’t there.

“Well?”

He glanced at me briefly. “Why tell you what
you already know?”

I had to go back to my initial reaction on
this one. Lame! “Love’s overrated.”

Fane shot me another one of his teasing
smiles. “I hope for your sake someone comes along and proves you
wrong.”

Let any man try. I loved men as much as the
next woman, but they couldn’t be trusted. They were always running
off after some younger, hotter, louder, redhead.

I folded my arms across my chest.

“At any rate, I doubt your prince is awaiting
you at the palace.” Fane chuckled.

Ha, ha. Did I look like the kind of chick
who’d ever swoon over a fairytale prince?

“What about you? Ever come close to finding
true love?”

“Now you’re mocking me,” Fane said. “Fair
enough.”

I turned in my seat to face him. “No, really.
Has anyone ever come close?”

Fane was silent for several moments before
answering, “Yes.”

All of a sudden he seemed awfully intent on
keeping his eyes on the road.

I took a deep breath. “Aurora.”

Fane didn’t bother denying it. “There’s
something about her that gets under my skin. She has enough spark
inside her to last a lifetime, but she’s also reckless. I never
knew whether she really liked me or if I was simply a convenient
bad boy who made her feel daring at the time.”

“Aurora is crazy about you!” I said the words
before thinking. I just couldn’t believe Fane would think she used
him as a scapegoat.

“Aurora broke up with me,” Fane said darkly.
“Money doesn’t matter to her, but being human does.”

Aurora broke up with Fane to protect him. It
had broken her heart. And what had he done? Hooked right back up
with Evil Red. I wanted to yell at him.

“What about Valerie Ward? Were you looking
for love when you met her?” Yeah, so my tone was totally
sarcastic.

The vixen’s name got an instant smile out of
Fane.

“That was one persistent hellcat. Wouldn’t
take no for an answer. A little hard to turn down a woman who
wanted me that badly.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.” With his eyes on the road,
Fane missed my eye roll, but I still felt it was necessary. Little
did Fane know that Valerie’s persistence had nothing to do with
liking him. In this case he really was the chump that Valerie
successfully ensnared as part of her undercover work.

Fane tapped the steering wheel. “I guess you
could say Valerie was part of my own rebellious phase—a taste of
the wild side with a woman who wouldn’t break my heart.”

No, just stake it if she were angry
enough.

“Why did you get back together with her?”

“Oh, that,” Fane said. He let out a breath.
“Val came after me again. I knew she didn’t really want me back
after I’d dumped her. I figured she had some hidden agenda, but I
didn’t care. I was upset that Aurora left me. Knowing Val’s
vengeful side, I preferred she do whatever it was she needed to do
to me rather than take it out on Aurora.”

Wow, bittersweet. Aurora had been protecting
Fane from Valerie while Fane did the same for her, but neither of
them knew it. Guess Valerie got the last laugh after all and, that
accomplished, moved onto Gavin. God, I wanted to pull her ginger
hair out by the roots.

Parking in a downtown neighborhood proved
challenging every Friday night. Fane found a spot a block away from
the palace. I didn’t want to walk in front or behind him, so we
ended up side by side walking down the sidewalk. It felt funny in a
way that made my lips curve up. I was ready to get inside and go
about my normal routine.

When we reached the front door, Fane held it
open for me to go inside first. Marcus stood in the foyer with his
hand on another guy’s shoulder. He turned slowly, ready smile to
greet his incoming guests. When he saw Fane and me together his
smile widened, and he got this wicked glow in his eyes.

Marcus gave the guy’s shoulder one more pat
before stepping over to Fane and me.

“Welcome, my friends,” he said.

“Hello, Marcus,” Fane said in the most casual
manner.

Marcus’s smile stretched further. “Did you
two arrive together?”

I glanced at Fane who lifted his head,
matched Marcus’s grin and said, “Yes.”

“Excellent,” Marcus said. “Never a dull
moment. Can I get you two something to get you started?”

“I’ll have anything with alcohol,” I
said.

“Red wine for me,” Fane said.

Marcus took a step toward the kitchen. “Of
course, right this way.”

Although Marcus showed amusement at my
arrival with Fane, he poured our drinks without further
questioning. I could always rely on Marcus not to probe too deep.
Don’t ask, don’t tell. No judgment. Besides, he always had that
look on his face like he had it all figured out anyway. I didn’t
care what conclusions he’d jumped to about me and Fane. We were
friends, and it felt good to have a vampire in my corner.

Fane leaned against the kitchen counter,
sipping wine.

“I’m going to mingle,” I told him

He nodded. “Have fun.”

Mingle probably wasn’t the right word, but it
sounded better than spy. I made my rounds through the living room,
stopping to chat with a few of the vamps I had some familiarity
with.

“Noel Harper, where have you been?”

Prickles jammed at my insides when I heard
Henry’s voice behind me. Should have gone for a refill five minutes
earlier. My glass was empty.

Henry had on a nice pair of slacks and button
up top. His dark brown hair was well kept as usual.

He flashed me a friendly smile. “We’ve missed
you at lunch.”

Yeah, sure you have, and I’m sure Gavin
especially.

I tried answering in a breezy, nonchalant
tone and was pleased when the words came out sounding just the way
I wanted them to—like I had better things to do with my life. “I
was out of town.” I looked over his shoulder as though talking to
him bored me.

Henry’s brow rose. “Family vacation?”

My eyes returned quickly to his. An instant
scowl formed over my face. “I don’t have a family.”

Henry lifted his hands, dropped his smile.
“Sorry, Noel. I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just wondering
where you’d been.”

I’d never crushed on Henry, but I had liked
him. Not at the moment, though. Henry thought I was some sad little
girl, but he was mistaken. Boy, was he mistaken.

I could swear he never wanted anything to
become of Gavin and me. This was a vamp that for all his honeyed
words was most definitely not in my corner.

I lifted my head and flashed Henry my teeth
in that cool, calculated way I’d observed from vampires. “It
doesn’t matter where I’ve been, Henry. I’m back now.” I held up my
glass. “I’m dry,” I said. “Nice chatting.”

I turned and walked away with an air of
complete confidence. I could feel Henry’s eyes on my ass. He could
kiss it!

I was feeling pretty damn awesome as I
approached the kitchen. Then I heard Gavin’s voice.

Great, of course. Where one found Henry,
Gavin wasn’t far.

“Isn’t it a little sad showing up to these
things alone all the time?”

There was a malicious lilt to Gavin’s voice
that I wasn’t used to hearing. I had no doubt he’d been addressing
Fane. I couldn’t believe Gavin was so hung up on Valerie that he’d
talk to an old friend this way. Guess I never knew Gavin as well as
I thought I did. Sadly, I was still convinced that deep down he was
a nice guy. Valerie had gone and twisted his brain was all. I was
sure of it.

Gavin was so focused on Fane, he barely
noticed me walk into the kitchen.

“Maybe your roommate can teach you how to
live without blood and women.”

Did Gavin want to get his ass kicked?

Fane’s calm stance against the counter didn’t
fool me. I wasn’t sure what his plan was. At the moment, it seemed
to be letting Gavin make a complete ass of himself, not that Gavin
picked up on any of that, but if Fane didn’t slap him soon, I just
might.

“What’s with the wine?” Gavin asked, nodding
at Fane’s glass. “Can’t get the real thing anymore?”

God, was he going to let up or what? What a
dick. I was sick of it.

Fane looked damn well near done, as well. He
set his glass on the counter.

Despite what I’d said to myself a moment
earlier about slapping Gavin, I didn’t want either boy getting
hurt. Why did they have to act this way over the vixen?

Quick as a whip, I stepped in front of Fane
and wrapped an arm around his waist. I looked up and smiled
sweetly. “There you are. Can we go upstairs now, before someone
steals my room?”

Amusement danced across Fane’s eyes. I
enjoyed seeing how quickly his tight frown loosened into a lazy
grin.