Page 69 of Hot Blooded
“No. Thank God. I got a bench trial. Just us and a judge. I’m sorry, Reign. The police around here have never faced a case like this. And the law is clear. We’re going to need to argue it with a judge.”
My heart sinks at the thought of parting with Tressa, rotting away in some prison cell for who knows how long. A life sentence to a vampire… it’s unthinkable.
“You still there?” Wilson asks.
“Yes, sorry, just processing my life falling apart,” I admit.
Wilson makes a little cough sound. “Well, I do have some good news. We found Henrick’s family, and Henrick is doing well at the training facility. They already said they’re grateful you paid for it, I made sure they knew the price tag… trust me, with their income, knowing you shelled out ten thousand dollars for their son meant a lot. And from what I gather, the mother especially likes the idea of her baby never dying.”
“Okay,” I say as I process what he’s telling me.
“This is a really good sign, Mr. Tryst. I bet we’ll have this wrapped up in no time.”
“If you say so,” I mindlessly agree as I stare at Tressa from the window. She’s just popped her finger in her mouth to suck off some blood. Why she has to work with thorny roses, I’ll never know. I should have insisted she use peonies, or something less dangerous. Not that any of this will matter.
“I want to make a change to my estate, Wilson,” I find myself suddenly blurting.
“Okay,” he says cautiously.
“If I am convicted, I want to put Tressa in full charge of everything. Give her access to a large stipend, so she can live very comfortably.”
“I’m sure it won’t come to that…” he starts.
“Just do it, Wilson. Give her at least a million a year. Is that a comfortable living? What do I live on now?” I ask, genuinely not knowing, because I’ve paid other people to take to care of all this for me for so long.
“You sir? You live on ten million. But one million is a very healthy living for normal people.”
I also choke at his words. “Tressa deserves more than normal. Give her whatever I have. Make sure she has access to the houses and cars too.”
“I will, Mr. Tryst. But just keep in mind, I doubt any of this will come to pass…” he starts.
“Just in case,” I cut him off again.
“Yes sir,” he relents before we click off the call. “I’ll prepare the documents you need to sign and call for a notary.”
I nod.
There. At least one thought to make me relax. Look at that innocent creature out there. Completely unaware of all the misery I could cause her. Falling in love and then being jailed… and here I thought the worst thing I could do is trap her in a life with a vampire, damned to be a childless spinster, or growing old alone.
Little did I know… but it’s too late for second guesses. A prison cell is fitting for me. Whether it’s this mansion or some lowly five by five cement room. I don’t belong anywhere. I was never meant to exist in this world.
Just then, Tressa looks up, wiping sweat from her brow, leaving a huge smudge of mud that makes me laugh. She catches sight of me, smiles, and waves sweetly.
I manage a smile and wave back. Poor girl.
It’s time. Past time. I need to end this, before history repeats itself. Before I make her as damned and doomed as me.
Chapter 36
Tressa
Tonight is finally here. We’ve donated a few rather expensive books to become part of a museum auction for a charity, and now we get to go send off the precious items. That, and take a much-needed break from the stress that is a young vampire.
“You look delicious,” Reign purrs, his voice liquid velvet. He runs his hand across the skinny strap of my dress. The sensation sends a shiver through me.
I giggle. “You make me sound like a meal.”
There’s an unmistakable hunger in Reign’s eyes, followed by a darkness, as if his thoughts pain him.
