Page 33 of Property of Azrael

“We haven’t.” Reaching out her hand to me, Melissa smiles. “Melissa Filla. This is Jaime Russell.” She nods in the woman's direction next to her. Her short, multi-color hair reminds so much of Eden’s. “Jaime, this is her first event.”

“How exciting! It’s an outstanding event to pop your cherry on,” Jaime giggles.

“And I see you brought your model with you,” Melissa notes, shifting her attention to Azrael. “I’m not sure I’ve seen you on any covers.”

“Oh, he’s not my model,” I interject.

“I’m Hallie’s boyfriend,” he says smoothly. “Azrael.”

Orion chokes on his food, drawing the attention away from us and onto him. Though Eden doesn’t flinch. No. Her eyes narrow, but I don’t know why? She knew Azrael’s plan. His response shouldn’t come as a surprise at all.

Melissa leans down and asks, “Did you guys hear the rumor floating around this morning?” We all shake our heads. “GM told me she’d heard that a couple of readers caught an author and her model fucking around outside by the lake.”

This time, it’s my turn to choke, putting all eyes on me.

“You don’t say,” Azrael fires back. “Hallie and I saw nothing on our walk last night.”

“Well, whoever it was, apparently put on a good show,” Jaime adds.

“That so?” Eden chirps, staring a hole through me.

I turn to Azrael, who’s grinning like a madman. “Don’t you think it’s time we set up my table, honey? We have so much to do.”

“I just got my plate,” he protests as I reach down and tug at his arm.

“Take it to go.” I tug again, and he slides from his chair, stuffing two pieces of bacon into his mouth. “See you all in there!” I practically speed walk away from the table, adding as much distance between us and them as I can.

Azrael chuckles at my panic, and assures me, “Hallie, it’s okay. No one could’ve seen us that closely.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Do you honestly think I would let someone see you like that? I’m not into sharing, baby.” I smack him hard into the chest. “What the… What was that for?”

“For pointing the finger at us. If Eden didn’t suspect before, she certainly does now.”

“Let her. What’s the big deal? I fingered you on a park bench and you came.”

Pressing my finger to his lips, I shush him. “Stop saying that. Now, come on. I wasn’t kidding about getting my table setup.” Dragging him along behind me, we head back to the room. Packing up the books, we grab those and a few table decorations I’d had ordered to be sent with the books, and head back downstairs.

The room is half full of authors, assistants, and models. When we find my table in the corner, Azrael sets down the boxes and starts unpacking. I direct him to the idea I have in my head, and he adds some ideas of his own. I step back from the table and take a peek, tears welling in my eyes at the sight of my very first signing table. Raising my phone, I take a picture of it and send it to my parents. Though they won’t share in my excitement, I want them to see it.

Azrael joins me and nods in approval. “How much time do we have before the event?”

I peer down at the clock on my phone. “About an hour before the readers show up.”

He grabs my hand and pulls me behind him. “Follow me.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

We don’t stop until we’re at the elevators. Ushering me inside, he punches the number to our floor repeatedly. The second the doors close, he’s on me, his lips crashing against mine while lacing his hands into my hair. We back up and hit the wall of the elevator with a thud. Removing his hands from my hair, he cups my ass and lifts until my legs are wrapped around his thick waist. I can feel his dick hardening in the small gap between us.

The door dings open. Without breaking our kiss, he carries me out of the elevator and to our room. Resting me up against the wall, he pulls the room key out of his back pocket, unlocks the door, and takes us inside.

“What are you doing?” Instead of answering, he slams the door shut and presses me up against it, his kiss turning more relentless now that we’re alone.

“Fox is distracting Eden,” he murmurs against my lips, his hands digging into my ass. “We’ve got an hour until your signing starts, and I’m going to use that hour wisely.”

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