My heart began beating a whole lot faster. “Yeah, I did.”
“Well, I might just have something. But it’ll cost you.”
I snorted. “I’m not giving you a story, Jak. Not on this one.”
He grinned. It touched his eyes, warming the dark-chocolate depths and creating the usual havoc with my pulse rate. He might have caused me untold heartache in the past, but there was still a tiny part of me that remembered—and maybe even hungered for—the good times.
“Oh, I don’t want a story.” He paused, and the spark in his eyes grew. “I want a date.”
“No.”
“Fine. I’ll talk to you later—”
“That’s fucking blackmail, Jak.”
“Yep.” His voice was cheery. “I believe there’s still something between us, Ris. You keep saying there isn’t, but you lie, and we both know it. A date should sort it out one way or the other.”
“Jak, I’m not getting into a relationship with you.” Annoyance filled my voice. “Accept that and move on.”
“I had, but then you went and kissed me, and it just reminded me of how good we’d been together.”
I rubbed my forehead wearily. I hadn’t actually kissed Jak—I’d kissed Azriel. At the time, he’d been wearing Jak’s image, as we’d thought Jak might have been the target of a sniper. Those suspicions had turned out to be wrong, but I couldn’t entirely regret it, because that kiss was the reason Azriel and I had finally ended up lovers. What I did regret was telling Azriel to give Jak full memories of what had happened that night—kiss included.
“Jak, just tell me what you’ve uncovered. It’s important.”
“Answer the question on the table, and I just might.”
I opened my mouth to say, “For fuck’s sake, one date, no sex,” but what came out instead was a flat, “No.”
Jak didn’t immediately say anything, but I could see his surprise. Hell, I was surprised. And yet, weirdly, I also felt free. I may not have wanted him back in my life, but at least confronting him had finally freed me from the pain of our past.
I could move on.
At least until Azriel got around to shattering my barely healed heart again.
“Look,” I continued. “I’m not denying there’s still chemistry between us, but I have to wonder how much of it is just the pull of our wolf natures.”
“This is more than just that—”
“Jak,” I cut in, exasperated. “I’m with someone else. I don’t care how much lust might flare between you and me—or anyone else for that matter—it’s not going to happen. If you can’t accept that and move on, well, then, good-bye. But I won’t be blackmailed into something I don’t want.” Not this fucking time, anyway.
He stared at me for several seconds, then took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay, you accept what I said, or okay, you’re out the door?”
He smiled. “The former. You still owe me a major story, my dear, and you’re not getting rid of me until I get it.”
I couldn’t help a chuckle. He really hadn’t changed. “Then cut the crap and tell me what you’ve got.”
“I just hope your reaper appreciates what you’re giving up,” he said, amusement teasing his lips.
“Who said it was the reaper?”
He snorted. “Anyone with two eyes and half a brain. Don’t try to kid a kidder.”
“Jak—” I warned.
“Okay,” he said, the amusement on his lips becoming an all-out grin. “There have been several weird fire-related reports popping up on the scanner over the last half hour.”