A Slave to Broken Hearts (A Slave to Love Sequel)

Chapter 10: Financial Debut

"So Kiana, Blade tells me you're looking for a job?" Talia asked as she passed me a pitcher of water. Blade's parents had come over for dinner as they regularly did. We often took turns hosting dinners for each other, sometimes just us and his parents or the whole family. Today wasn't just Talia and Dante though, it was Lexi, Alek, and Ace as well.

"Yeah. I'm hoping for anything in the realm of food and baking, but I'll be happy if anywhere takes me honestly," I said, pouring myself a glass of water.

"That's good that you want to go out and work for yourself," Dante said, nodding his approval as he drank from a glass of blood. It was still a little odd to experience Dante being so civil, if not friendly, to me after the way he treated me when we met. He had been nothing but good since the Aros debacle ended...but still, sometimes bad first impressions stick around. "Too bad not all of us in the room feel that way."

Blade and Lexi both groaned. "Dad."

"Oh Dante, don't start that again," Talia said, sounding as if she wanted to groan along with her kids.

"Come on, I did my time. I gave literal decades of my life to working. I worked as much as a regular person does and then some. Don't you think I'm allowed to a little slacking off?" Blade said, clearly exasperated. I mean, Blade did have a point. He worked for years for Aros. Probably longer than most humans work. This was like his retirement. I tried not to laugh at the thought.

"I worked too! I mean why bother working some sucky job when I don't have to?" Lexi said.

"Perhaps it'll be humbling. And it'll also give you something to do," he replied.

"Just don't work too much kids, take it from me. It's no picnic," Ace added from his end of the table. "No time to live for this undead working man."

I nearly choked on my chicken. Mostly because the way he worded his phrase was amusing, but then the actual meaning registered and I sobered. Even Ace's tone sounded flat and without a lick of his usual humour.

"Don't you ever get time off to relax?" Talia asked, concern washing across her face. Ace just shrugged. "That's not right, Ace. After all that's happened to you they should allow you some free time to decompress. This was all thrust upon you and you're not used to it."

"It is what it is," Ace said, looking unperturbed even though he didn't glance up once. We fell into an awkward silence for a moment before Talia turned to me again, looking as though she regretted saying anything to Ace at all.

"You mentioned somewhere with baking? Is that what you're interested in?" She asked suddenly, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

I nodded. "I'm going into a baking program for college in the fall. I figured getting a foot in the door already would come in handy down the line and its good experience."

"And where exactly is this school?" Lexi asked, turning those calculating eyes on me. No doubt she was remembering the night before grad.

"It's about a thirty minute drive from here," I said, resisting the urge to stick my tongue out at her.

"So that means you're staying here?" Talia asked, a bright grin taking over her face. She looked so excited she might start bouncing up and down in her seat. I exchanged a confused glance with Blade.

"Yes?" I said uncertainly. I hadn't realized this was such an interesting topic.

"That's wonderful!" she gushed. "I was so worried you'd decide to return home. I'd miss you and Blade too much and we wouldn't have been able to see each other as often as now."

I blinked. So if I had decided to go home it was automatically assumed that I would take Blade with me? Even if it meant uprooting him from his life and family?