Page 33 of Tempting the Dhampir

“Now who’s the one doing the threatening? Have a good night, you two.” She does a little finger wave before she saunters away, looking entirely unperturbed.

My shoulders are tense as we resume walking, and I loosen my death grip on Sadie’s hand but don’t let go. I don’t want my father to know about her. I have a fierce need to protect Sadie, more than my oath I swore to her requires.

I’ve felt this way since the first moment I saw her in the forest. This stunning woman with the heart-shaped face and beguiling blue eyes. My connection to her is growing stronger with every moment we spend together.

We enter the elevator in silence, Sadie most likely reading my tense mood. I don’t even realize I started doing it, but I become aware that my thumb is tracing back and forth on Sadie’s hand.

“Do I need to know who that was?” she asks.

“That was Alexandra,” I sigh. “She works for my father, who is worse than she is. She might think herself his second-in-command, but she’s human. He’ll never truly value her. It’s important to know she’s schemy, always trying to prove herself to my father. So if, by chance, you bump into her again, don’t engage with her. She’ll try to get under your skin.”

“Got it. Alexandra: bad human. Your father: bad vampire. Stay clear of both.” Sadie gives me a resolute nod.

“Exactly. I’d never want you to meet my father,” I confirm vehemently.

Her head jerks back like I’ve struck her, hurt clear in her eyes.

I’m about to explain how evil my father is and that I’m just trying to shield her from him when our elevator dings.

“I doubt I’ll be around long enough to meet him anyway, so don’t stress about it.” She removes her hand from mine and pats me on the chest as she exits onto our floor.

I’m not quite sure what exactly I said that would elicit that response, but I resolve to ask her later and follow her out of the elevator.

“I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing back there.”

“Seriously, no worries. Which one is our room?” she asks a little bit too brightly.

Taking her cue, I shift gears, hoping to get her back to the excited state she was in pre-Alexandra.

I walk slightly ahead of Sadie as I lead her down the hallway to the last room on the floor, her heels quiet on the plush gray carpet. “I know you were looking forward to Vegas and the lights, so when I had to pick a suite, this was the only one that would do.”

“Why this one?” Sadie asks, craning her head to look for any clues.

“It’s our best suite. Only this one’s view could rival your shine.”

“You saying I’m going to have competition?” Sadie asks with challenge clear in her eyes, one hand on her cocked hip.

“I’m saying it can try, but I’d much rather stare at you,” I reply, biting my lip as I give her a lascivious once-over.

Her delighted expression causes something in my chest to flutter, making my smirk slip into a lopsided smile.

Key card in hand, I ask, “Ready for your new home, sparkles?”

She tilts her chin up. “I was born ready.”

I place the card on the lock and push the door open once it beeps. Discreetly wiping my weirdly clammy palm on the front of my pants, I usher Sadie in with a hand on the small of her back.

I have a feeling things are about to get even more interesting.

Chapter eighteen

Sadie

Iwalk into the luxurious living room, hardly taking in its blue-and-gold aesthetic, and immediately run over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, pressing my hands up against the glass. The neon lights, like bright beacons in the dark, tempt me closer like a moth to a flame.

The view is better than the photos I’ve seen online, my eyes jumping from one building to the next, trying to take in their details. For a second, I allow myself to forget about all the events that led up to this moment and just breathe. The only thing that would make it better would be if Everett came up behind me and pressed my whole body against the window with his, let his hands—

Nope. Not going there. No way am I begging him, despite what he said.

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