Chapter Twenty

As Tyler jumped from the bushes, landing on the man with the gun, Bram sighed in relief. Of course he was fine. He’d known it would be, but it had been so long. Once he knew Tyler was fine, he found his hunt again. As he picked off each of the little bastards that had jumped them here in the park. After five were down and out, he stood up, crossing his arms. The first guy who had jumped him was starting to wear thin though.

“You done yet?” Bram called out, wanting Tyler to get a good, healthy drink in.

“Yeah,” he finally came out, meeting Bram under the streetlamp, “I just… I’m starting to feel sick. If we do this shit again, we need to do some research. I can’t take the drugs. It’s making me feel nauseous.” It made Bram feel the same way. Neither of them were used to this.

“I saved you one.” Bram waved a had at the one he had fed on that didn’t have major drugs in his system. “A bit of drink and some marijuana, but nothing that will bother you.” Tyler looked surprised but sniffed out the body Bram had motioned to.

“You… really saved one for me?”

Bram nodded. Watching as Tyler drained the last of the man. “It was barely enough.”

Bram looked at his friend, the hunt was fun, but they needed a decent feed and none of these were it. “Tell me, if we go separate ways, will you make sure you don’t touch them?”

There was no question of who Bram spoke of. He needed reassurance Tyler wouldn’t go after Devon or Izabella. “I swear it to you, master. I won’t touch them.” Tyler bowed before him in the middle of a dark park, and Bram believed him.

“You know I’ll know.” He asked, looking down at his friend.

“I swear it. Two humans out of millions are out of the question. I won’t touch them. Just… please, I can’t take the drugs.” His friend begged. “Something good. I’ll go to the bar like normal. I won’t look at Devon or Izabella. I swear. I just can’t do just this.”

Bram nodded. “Then go, my friend. Just two humans, that’s all I ask. Devon and her. Don’t. Please, just don’t.”

“I swear, I won’t.”

***

An hour later Bram was standing in the hotel Devon and Izabella were at. Devon, was playing in the wave pool, just as expected. Izabella was following him and avoiding questions as much as she could. Numerous different people sought her out, but she did a decent job of averting them. He could tell her mission now was to take care of Devon, and he whole-heartly appreciated that. She put most of the people who came up to her down softly and sincerely. Who could resist the girl in the red bikini? He was pretty sure he, himself, could not.

There was another guy who just couldn’t get enough. In the last hour Bram had been there, the guy was asking questions and trying to get her to go have a drink with him. She had done well, though. Refusing at every request and telling him straight out, she was watching a boy for someone else. Yet the reckless kid kept going after her. He kept wanting to have, ‘just one drink.’

Eventually, Devon intervened. Looking straight at the guy, he told him, “This is my nanny. You’ve tried a few times, and clearly, she’s not interested. So go away.” Devon went off to play again, but the guy didn’t stop. He kept trying to get her to the bar, which she was clearly uncomfortable with. The second time his son felt the need to intervene, wasn’t as pleasant. “Leave us alone.” Devon scowled. Izabella clearly couldn’t set boundaries. “My dad will kill you.”

She gasped, pulling him away from the man. “Devon, you can’t say stuff like that to people. They may think you’re serious.”

Devon folded his arms over his chest. “I was serious. The guy keeps touching you and bugging you, and I don’t like it. If dad were here, he wouldn’t like it either.”

Izabella frowned. Neither of them had a choice in who she let touch her. But she wasn’t about to get into that conversation right now. “Anyway, it’s late. Let’s get back up to the room. We’ll curl up and watch some television.” Bram couldn’t help but appreciate the curvature of her body. She was skin and bones, but not like the women from the park. She had a healthy glow to her skin, and always walked around with a smile in her eye. The bikini she was wearing left little to the imagination. But she’d chosen one that was red. He couldn’t help but smile to himself.

Chad was at the bar, having a drink poured. It didn’t miss Bram’s attention that it was a soda or that he dropped something into it. Honestly, he was just here to see that they were having fun. He’d had no intention of intervening or making her uncomfortable. Yet, he certainly wasn’t about to stand by while someone tried to drug her. She refused the drink several times, before finally taking it, and turning to walk away. Bram followed, feeling proud that she hadn’t taken a sip from it. As if she knew. The man kept following them though. She was heading toward the entrance of the water area now, which meant she was headed directly toward him. It didn’t take but a moment for her eyes to catch him. He couldn’t help but smile at her, liking the way her little heart fluttered at the sight of him.

As she stopped in her tracks, Chad had caught up to them, and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Let’s go back up to your room. You can tuck the little guy in, and I’ll, you know, tuck you in.” His eyes glimmered down at her. Her face turned slowly toward him, pinched and angry.

“Look,” She sighed, “I’m not interested. I’ve tried to be nice, but I’m not taking you to my room. So, please, leave us alone.” She pulled away from him, but a hand wrapped around her upper arm, pulling her back.

“I’m not going to take no for an answer, how about that, sweetie?” He pulled her toward the elevators but didn’t notice the man that sauntered between them and their exit. As he turned around, he ran right into him. “What the hell man, watch where you’re going.”

Bram stared down at him, suddenly angry. “Where do you think you’re taking her?”

“What does it matter to you? I’m her husband and she’s had too much—” Bram punched him, not waiting for whatever garbage was about to come out of his mouth. The man folded, landing on the floor in a heap. Calmly, he turned and hit the button of the elevator.

“Daddy!” Devon sang out, wrapping his arms around Bram’s waist. “Thank you, that guy was a dick.” Bram chuckled, but Izabella frowned.

“Devon, language.” She chided. “He gets that from you. You should start watching the way you speak around him.”

Scoffing, he staired at the woman, forcing his eyes to stay on her face, though they desperately wanted to roam down. “I just punched an asshole in the face for you and this is the welcome I get?” His brow went up with the question.

“Language!” Her hands flew to her hips, but she couldn’t help but smile. “Sorry, I am glad you came when you did. I was worried he was going to follow us up.” The elevator dinged and Devon raced in, clicking the top button in the elevator.

“Please, insert card into the reader.” The elevator requested. The room they were in was on the top floor, penthouse suite, and would open directly into their room. Izabella reached down into her shorts and pulled out the key card. Bram never thought he’d be jealous of a stupid card, but he suddenly was.

“Sorry, that’s gross, I know. But I didn’t want to lose it. I also didn’t want to carry a purse around with me.” She blushed, putting the card into the reader.