"Amora embodies the qualities of a great doctor, doesn't she?"
Instead of sitting next to the bed, Jay planted his bottom on the edge of the mattress. Ruby instinctively closed her legs, worried about touching that sensitive area and making strange assumptions. Her task now was to react like a human girl, and her vulnerability was a plus.
Haris's undercover rule rings true. Let Jay think he's in control. Remember to sharpen your claws.
"It seems what happened last night shook you," Jay said gloomily.
"I should thank you for the horrible date, Mr. Jayden Gavian," Ruby said sarcastically.
"I understand your anger, Miss. I deeply apologize."
"Is your company okay?" Ruby got straight to the point; she really wanted to hear.
"How did you know my company was almost in disarray?" Jay asked back with a frown.
"Yes… because they said they would do something to your company."
Jay moved forward, leaning half his body. "Who are you calling 'them'?"
Ruby was suddenly startled by the sight of those red eyes, which once again sparked a hypnotic glow. "They… are thieves."
"Thief?"
"Yes, they stole my red ruby necklace!" Ruby grumbled.
"I'll help you get it," Jay said, "but I need to know more about what they're discussing regarding my company. Did you see the face of the person leading the troops? Do you have any clues?"
Ruby's hopes were high, but she quickly realized his ridiculous motives. Jay only cared about saving the company. Meanwhile, Ruby's reason for lying helpless was to destroy the company.
"They were talking about 'gas,' but I didn't understand," Ruby said.
"Don't worry. After this, I'll start fixing everything and be careful. Your safety is our number one priority. I'll protect you. I won't let my guard down like I did before," Jay coaxed. "I'll repay you for the rest of my life."
"You're overreacting," Ruby replied. "I just want my necklace back."
Jay shook his head quickly. "I'm serious."
"I'm afraid you'll fail. Are you capable of facing an enemy with so many weapons? They seem professional! The people behind them must be compelling, not afraid of the law. Furthermore, those in power often lose to businessmen, or, I mean, their money."
"My dear, who said that?" Jay moved to sit beside Ruby and linked their hands.
The bed was spacious, leaving a wide gap between the left and right wings. However, Jay moved to the middle of the bed, their thighs rubbing together.
"Shall I tell you a secret?" Jay whispered.
"Have you eaten goat?" Ruby quipped, her breath on her earlobe. The pungent smell of human blood wasn't as bad as that of goat. But what was wrong with enjoying yourself at the expense of a vampire?
Jay shifted slightly away. Turning around, he let out a stream of curses that fell into Ruby's ears.
"James, damn it. He must have been trying to fill my wine bottle."
"No need to be embarrassed," Ruby said, trying to suppress her teasing laughter at Jay's embarrassed smile.
"Sorry. I haven't had time to brush my teeth."
"Mr. Jay, our blind date is over. You can be yourself. There's no need to try so hard," Ruby said, flexing her fingers, which had finally been freed from Jay's grasp.
"Ah, yeah, okay, but who knows what the future holds?" Jay said, shrugging.
"What do you mean?"
The vampire's cheeky smile evoked sentimentality. "I mean, at least we have allies. We have to find the ones who fought them last night. Don't worry, my money can afford presidential-level security."
Ruby's eyelashes fluttered. Right. Missed wolf tracks.
"Oh? I don't know, I don't remember that. Maybe he came after I passed out?"
"Hm… maybe. Let's put that aside. How about it? Are you willing to make a deal?"
Ruby bit her lip. Thinking about it, allying with an enemy or facing the same enemy might make it easier to destroy two at once. Jay had given her an ace; Ruby just had to make sure her enemies stayed under control.
Trying to delete the app might be overkill. Ruby was trapped in a vicious cycle. She didn't want to repeat the same mistake. It was better to start over with small, careful steps. After that, she just needed to find a compromise, essentially keeping Jay's victims away from Baskerville. For a moment, the idea crossed her mind to ask Jay to move the body dump.
However, for now, Ruby will keep that idea under wraps while she plans her next move.
"What if I fail to help you find the attacker?"
Ruby's question was to test if the vampire wasn't as stupid as she thought. Ruby knew perfectly well who would be the first to draw a gun. A vampire's agility was always dangerous.
"Then I'll either get you home safely, or… get you back to my house?" Jay teased, cracking a smile.
"You act like our date was a success?"
Jay clasped his hands behind his back. He paced casually, but cheerfully. "At least my feelings worked. I'm honored to have the help of a beautiful and strong woman like you. When I met you, I was prepared for the possibility of falling in love."
"I went on many blind dates, but only you could fill the empty space in my life," Jay continued.
Ruby gasped, feeling nauseous from being mixed up with small talk.
"Not, sir. My living space is being bombarded with hot bullets," she quipped.
"Yes, I'm sorry, beautiful." Jay bowed slightly, his thumb pointing to the table. "May I begin writing the agreement now, Miss?"
"If your handwriting looks like chicken feet, I'll think twice."
The accusation of "goat smell" sparked a lengthy debate. Halfway through the game, James Sandreas wasn't satisfied with his defense before Jay confirmed his friend's innocence. James explained the plot, which began last week, regarding the schedule for replacing the blood stock in Jay's private wine cellar. He insisted he hadn't used goat blood on Jay.
"Why would I do it? I have no reason!"
"Since when do you need an excuse to play pranks? The entire office knows you're the one who sticks gum on people's desks for no reason. Last time, I received a report that your naughty hands cut off the electricity."
James's mouth pursed. "Wait, how did you know? Aren't you on a business trip?"
"Does it matter? What matters is your reason, you idiot."
"I like playing around, but I don't have the guts to mess with you, Jay!" James snarled.
"Now you're dealing with me."
"Hey!" James hissed, narrowing his eyes. "You seem to be looking for someone to blame, right?"
Ruby slumped against the car's back seat, rubbing her ears repeatedly. James's shrill chatter was interrupted by Jay's thin, raspy voice, a never-ending auditory pollution. Jay's shrug infuriated James.
"Hey! Hey! Turn around! Let's examine each of your wine bottles! That's the only way to prove my innocence!"
"You don't smell like goat!" Ruby interrupted, preventing James from taking over the wheel.
Jay's pupils shot a bright glance into the rearview mirror. "Really?"
A minor accident wouldn't affect a vampire in any way. However, as a creature with blood flowing through it, it would be a real nuisance if Ruby were to get involved in an accident.
"I said that out of annoyance. Now, can you stop? Someone is recovering here," Ruby said. "Oh, yeah, drop me off at the next station."
"Station?" Jay asked, turning grim.
"Why?"
"That would be completely inappropriate. I intended to take you straight home. It would be too risky to leave you at the station."
"No problem. My brother is waiting there."
"But-"
"He knows I'm on a blind date. Get ready to break your nose by bringing his little sister back battered like this," Ruby quipped lazily.
"I can explain everything to him. No, I'll kneel down!"
Ruby rolled her eyes. "He's going to hit you."
"No problem."
"Jay, I want to get off at the station!" Ruby said firmly.
"Ah… okay." Jay gave up.
James leaned his elbows on the backrest as he turned around. "Are you really okay, Miss? Your stitches haven't healed yet. Your wounds must still be sore. I don't think three days of bed rest is enough. Why don't you take care of me at Amora's private clinic? You look strange for a normal human being."
"Why not?" Ruby's lips pursed. "My legs are fine. I'm not a weak girl. You speak like you're not human."
Jay cleared his throat. "James, you bought her a nice dress," he complimented, changing the subject.
"Of course! I hang out with a lot of women. The assertive, strong, yet intimidating type of woman looks good in open-collared tops. Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Hm, yeah…" Jay said quietly, "She was gorgeous from the first time I saw her." Jay continued to steal glances through the rearview mirror before continuing, "And fierce."
Ruby's stomach tingled every time she caught the vampire's teasing glances. Jay had teased her about the night's intimacy. Ruby saw it as an attempt to hold Jay's lips hostage solely to protect her neck. Damn, Jay must have thought otherwise. A blush spread across the apple-cheeked girl.
Ruby looked away from the rearview mirror. She hated Jay's flirting, but she also hated being swayed by it. It was hard to understand why. Jay's way of speaking was complemented by his inhuman appearance—he wasn't human—but the fact was, Ruby couldn't resist his charms.
"Wohooo! How far have you two come?" James encouraged.
"Now isn't the time to focus on appearances, gentlemen. Beauty isn't everything," Ruby said. "But I look in the mirror often, so don't bother telling me."
"We're here," Jay said, getting ready to operate the brake pedal.
A few seconds later, the four wheels scraped against the asphalt and came to a stop. Ruby got out without a word. The driver's window rolled down, and Jay quickly emerged before Ruby could enter the lobby.
"Don't forget our next meeting, this week, at my house."
"Oh, so that's your home address. I thought it was your office address."
Jay chuckled. "There's no way I will send dozens of soldiers guarding the office. It would be conspicuous. I'll be waiting at our castle, honey. Take care and get some rest. We have a lot to do."
Castle? The real coffin.
The day grew increasingly complex as Ruby's tongue continued to hold back grumbling. Luckily, all that escaped her mouth was, "Okay, see you later."
Ruby walked with her back to Jay. She deliberately took slow steps, as if adjusting to the stamina of her upper body, which was racked with pain and aches. Ruby's intuition told her Jay was still frozen, keeping her in sight. The luxury car glided onto the open road only after entering the lobby.