7
Nathan
Nathan pushed his way through the crowd, not stopping until he reached the warm night air. His phone was still ringing. If he didn’t answer it, it would only start ringing again. Lexa could be very persistent.
He leaned against the uneven surface of the brick wall, taking one calming breath before bringing the phone to his ear. “What is it?”
“I thought you were only going to be gone for the night.” Lexa’s smooth tone was equal parts question and equal parts accusation.
Nathan gritted his teeth. “I ended up staying longer. Is that a problem?”
He might not be clan leader yet, but he at least deserved an appropriate modicum of respect as the heir apparent to the title. Lexa’s hostility grated on him, and the timing of her call couldn’t have been worse.
Back in the bar, dancing with Sophia, he’d forgotten why he was in California for a moment. For a moment, it hadn’t mattered. He didn’t have a dying father back home, nor a legacy of responsibility ready to fall on his shoulders. There was only him and that beautiful, cheery girl with her strange friends and the even stranger feeling of warmth in his chest when she smiled at him.
It was a mistake to allow himself to fall into such a stupor, he knew that. But it had felt so good. He wished he could’ve had just one more moment like that, he’d be a fool to let his judgement lapse so easily again.
“I’ll put it this way,” Lexa said, clearly unworried by his angry tone. “Your father isn’t getting any better.”
As far as Nathan was concerned, the old man could go to hell. He wanted to say that to Lexa, but he knew she’d only use it as a reason to nag him more.
“He hasn’t been getting any better for years. He’ll live another few days.”
“Is that how long you intend to be gone?”
Nathan scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe longer. Fuck, maybe less. I’ve got something personal to take care of. Have you got a problem?”
Out of his clan, Lexa was by far the least respectful. At least Gabriel had only ever questioned him the one time. Lexa seemed to pick at every goddamn thing he did.
“I just don’t understand what could be so important that you’d disappear when you’re father’s on his deathbed is all,” she replied tartly. “Though obviously you know your priorities much better than I do.”
“I do,” he replied through gritted teeth. “I’ll be back when I’m finished and not a second before. Thanks for checking in, Lexa. Always a pleasure.”
Nathan hung up the phone before she could say anything else. He didn’t want to hear it. Just because Lexa’s family came from the Head Clan in Greece, didn’t mean she had any say over how things operated in Seattle. North America was under his father’s command, and soon it would officially be under his.
Unfortunately, he knew Lexa, and he knew she’d spend the rest of her life trying to wrestle as much control for herself as possible. That was something to look forward to.
Nathan waited a moment before heading back inside. He needed to calm down. He took a few breaths, watching cars glide down the street and people tumble out of the bars and restaurants. When he finally turned to go back inside, he stopped before he made it to the door. He could see Sophia and her friends on the other side of the window, their faces distorted by the bubbled glass. They were laughing. They were always laughing. He’d never met people more carefree—more ecstatic just to live their lives.
They shouldn’t have been. A calamity was about to befall them, and it was standing outside right now, watching them through the window and planning its next move.
Nathan couldn’t go home until he’d finished what he’d come here to do. Sophia intrigued him, but a target was just a target. He had to stay focused.
Killing was the one thing he was good at. The finality of death erased everything. There was no point mourning something you’d lost. The only things worth mourning were lost opportunities, and the only point of that was to make sure you didn’t fuck up next time. He’d already lost one opportunity to make things right. He wouldn’t hesitate the next time.
Nathan finally opened the creaking wooden door and re-entered the bar. Sophia’s eyes found him the moment he stepped into view, and she lit up with a smile so warm that he felt the strangest urge to turn and leave.
“Everything okay?” she asked as he sat down in the empty seat beside her.
“Fine.” He caught the eye of the waitress and signaled for her to bring him another drink.
Sophia appeared to be waiting for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to think about Lexa’s condescending phone call anymore. He just wanted to drink.
“Are you going to be here next weekend?” Sophia asked.
Nathan shrugged but adopted a lighthearted smile. “Probably.”
There were too many witnesses for him to kill her tonight.
Sophia turned shy, dipping her face and letting a curtain of hair drape over her eyes. “Maybe we could hang out again next weekend?”
It seemed to take a lot of effort for her to say, which Nathan thought was cute. If only she knew that she was the only reason he was here. Would she feel so bashful then?
“I’d like that,” he replied, glancing up as the waitress dropped another beer in front of him. He was already halfway to forgetting Lexa and his father even existed.
“Good.” Sophia smiled.
“Sophia was telling us that you’re a surfer,” Hannah said. For a moment, oddly enough, Nathan had forgotten that her and Grace were even there.
He laughed. “It’s a hobby. I’m not a pro by any means.”
“I’ve always wanted to learn how to surf,” Sophia said wistfully.
Nathan took a sip of his beer, rolling the beverage around his mouth before swallowing. “I could teach you if you wanted. That could be something fun for us to do next weekend.”
Sophia’s eyes brightened. “That would be amazing. I’ve always wanted to ask you.”
“Why haven’t you?” Their gaze met, and he stared into the depths of eyes like autumn.
She shrugged. “I guess I never got the courage.”
“I’m glad I finally did.” Nathan chugged back more of his beer, then grabbed a few bills out of his wallet and dropped them on the table. Before any of the girls could complain at him having just paid for all of their drinks, he rose to his feet.
“I’m afraid I’ve got to head out, ladies, but it has been a pleasure meeting you.”
“You too,” Hannah and Grace chorused.
Sophia stood abruptly. “You’re going? So soon?”
A tendril of heat wrapped around Nathan’s heart and tugged. It was a nice thing, to be wanted. Especially when it wasn’t for all the ways he knew how to kill a man, or for how quickly he could shift. Sophia wanted Nathan for him.
Well, for the person she thinks I am, he thought bitterly. If she knew more about him, he doubted she’d be so eager to spend time with him.
“I’d rather be staying, but I can’t.” He smiled and hoped that it was as warm as he felt. “I’ll see you next weekend.”
Nathan turned before she could say anything else, before he could question himself. He would rather stay, but he didn’t belong here. He wouldn’t accomplish anything tonight, so what was the point of hanging around? He didn’t want to give in to this strange desire to spend time with her.
Nathan strode out into the night, reflecting how next weekend would be it. Being in the water with Sophia would provide an amazing opportunity to kill her. The misguided girl had no idea what kind of dangerous pursuit she’d just signed up for. By the end of next weekend, Sophia Davies would be dead.