Chapter 15
Benjamin looked up from the file he was studying and noticed Catalina stifling a yawn.
They’d been poring over the police files on Santiago for several hours, reading every statement, every scrap of evidence, and examining every photo and drawing.
He’d also asked for the court transcripts, and thanks to his contacts, he’d managed to get a copy delivered to Anita’s office within two hours.
He worked his way through those papers too.
Apart from the missing security video, one thing stuck out as he read through them: the public defender hadn’t put up much of a defense. She hadn’t even put Santiago on the stand, so he could explain why his fingerprints were in the walk-in closet.
Now, he met Catalina’s gaze.
“It doesn’t look good, does it?” she asked.
“Without having seen the video, I can’t really say much,” he said evasively. “But I’d like to speak to the public defender.”
“You think she can tell you more?”
He shrugged. “I’d like to ask what her strategy was, because I don’t even see that she brought in a single character witness or any experts to refute the prosecution’s forensic evidence. It looks pretty lazy.”
He looked at his watch. “But it’s a little too late tonight to speak to her.”
“Tomorrow then?” Catalina asked.
He nodded. “Let me just leave a note for Anita, and then we’ll head out.”
After scribbling a thank-you note and placing it on Anita’s desk, he reached for Catalina’s hand.
“Okay, if we stay at my place tonight?” he asked.
“You want me to stay with you?”
“Of course. Unless you don’t want to…”
He looked at her. Was he making too many assumptions about their relationship? What if she wanted to take it slower? After all, many couples who started dating didn’t see each other more than once or twice a week. But for him, that wasn’t enough. At least not with Catalina.
She squeezed his hand. “I’d love to.”
He smiled back at her, relieved by her answer.
“Then what are we still doing here?”
A few minutes later, they got in the car and left the police parking lot.
“Are you hungry? We can call to have food delivered.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“We’ll order online when we’re home.”
And while she was busy going through the online menu, he could sneak a bottle of blood out of the fridge and gulp it down in the bathroom, then hide the empty bottle.
The drive to his flat in the Tenderloin took less than fifteen minutes despite the traffic. He parked the Porsche in the garage, then led Catalina to the elevator. Once inside, he punched the button for his floor before pulling Catalina into his arms.
She molded herself to him, and he appreciated the gesture. Feeling her body pressed to his instantly awakened his hunger for her.
“You must be exhausted,” he murmured at her lips. “I know I should have let you go home to sleep in your own bed, but I’m a selfish bastard.”
“I wouldn’t call that selfish.”
“That’s because you don’t know what I’m dreaming of right now.” He slid his hand to her ass and drew her against his groin.
A small gasp rolled over her lips.
“Yep, now you know…” He pressed his forehead to hers. “But if you’re too tired, tell me, and I won’t—”
“—won’t make love to me?” she interrupted. “But what if I want you to? But if you’re too tired…”
The little temptress didn’t finish her sentence and instead pouted, making her lips look even more appealing. And impossible to resist.
“Not another word out of that pretty mouth of yours, or I’m gonna make love to you right here in the elevator.”
He didn’t give her a chance to reply. Instead, he lifted her off her feet and pressed her against the wall of the elevator before he captured her lips and kissed her as if his life depended on it.
She responded to him with just as much passion, and when she slid her hands onto his ass to yank him closer, his heart skipped a beat, while his cock filled with blood, readying itself for what was to come.
Hunger surged inside him. He wanted both her body and her blood, but most of all, he wanted her heart.
He wanted it to beat for him. He wanted her to know his true self, the vampire within.
He wanted her to accept him fully without reservations, without fear.
Perhaps tonight was the right time to tell her what he really was.
He’d shown her that he was prepared to do everything in his power to help her and her brother.
Would this prove to her that he was good?
That he wasn’t as dangerous as his sharp fangs suggested?
But how would he even start that kind of conversation?
A sound from behind him suddenly startled him, and he ripped his lips from Catalina’s and whirled around, instinctively shielding her behind his broad back.
The door into his flat had opened—not by itself, but at the hands of his brother, Damian.
And he wasn’t the only one in his flat. All his friends were there.
They broke into song, reminding him what day it was. With everything going on, he’d completely forgotten.
“Happy Birthday to you…”
While they sang, Damian stepped closer and looked over his shoulder, then grinned. He’d spotted Catalina.
Damian pulled him in for a hug. “Well, that explains your massive boner,” he whispered. “Happy birthday, bro!”
“Happy birthday, bro,” he replied.
With his friends still singing to them, he turned slightly and reached for Catalina, leading her out of the elevator. She looked embarrassed, to say the least. He put his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side.
“…dear Damian and Benjamin, happy birthday to you!” They ended the song.
“Thanks, guys!” Benjamin replied, then turned to his brother. “Why didn’t you tell me there would be a party?”
“I didn’t know either.”
His mate, Naomi, came to his side and hugged him, then winked. “Trust me, he knew. He was just too sweet pretending he didn’t know what I was planning.”
Damian pressed a kiss to Naomi’s lips. “I’ll thank you for it later.”
Several people in the crowd laughed. They all knew what he meant by that. His twin was utterly insatiable, and Naomi clearly encouraged him.
“Get a room, you two,” Benjamin said.
“I could say the same of you,” Damian retorted. “So, aren’t you gonna introduce her? Or were you planning on hiding her?”
Catalina felt heat shoot through her core. There were at least twenty people in the flat. A large banner hung in the living room that read: Happy 37th birthday, Damian they don’t bite.”
“Are you sure I should be here? I mean, you probably weren’t planning on me meeting your friends yet… you know…”
Most guys didn’t introduce their new girlfriends to their friends for several months. She and Benjamin had only known each other for barely three days.
A soft laugh came from Benjamin, and he brought his mouth to her ear. “You’re not getting out of this one, baby. Everybody in this room has noticed my hard-on, so you leaving would just add insult to injury.”
“Oh.” She instinctively looked down at his lower half, where a bulge, though diminished now, was still visible. “Sorry.”
“Come on,” he said and took her hand. “They’re all gonna love you.”
He pointed to one guy with ultra-short hair and a toned physique. “There’s Cooper. You met his wife today.” He slapped him on the shoulder. “Great to see you. Where’s Anita?”
“At work, as so often,” he replied, then smiled at her. “Nice to meet you, Catalina. How come my wife met you before the rest of us?”
“Oh, we just needed to look at some police files,” Catalina said vaguely, not wanting to let everybody know who her brother was.
It was best if nobody knew, or they might get the wrong impression of her. Benjamin was already dragging her to the next person.
“Grayson?” Benjamin asked, surprised. “You flew in for this party from New Orleans?”
The handsome dark-haired man grinned. “Of course not. We flew in for the formal party at Scanguards next week.”
“So, Monique is here too?” Benjamin cranked his neck before adding, “Catalina, that’s Grayson, the son of the founder of Scanguards. He runs the New Orleans office together with his wife, Monique.”
“Nice to meet you, Catalina. And I brought the triplets.”
“The triplets? You have triplets?”
Grayson laughed out loud. “No, that would be exhausting! Monique and her two brothers, David and Zach, are triplets. They all wanted a little break to party in San Francisco.”
“Oh, I see. I don’t think I’ve ever met triplets,” Catalina said. Small talk wasn’t easy for her, but she knew she had to make an effort. She wanted Benjamin’s friends to like her.
“You look familiar,” a blond woman said from a few feet away.
Catalina’s pulse kicked up. She knew this woman.
She was the one who’d worked security at the Preston party, the same one who’d blocked the back stairs, forcing her to use the front stairs in the house.
Luckily, she’d worn a long wig and glasses, but how long could she hide that she’d been part of the catering staff at the party?
Or did she not have to hide that fact? She wasn’t sure.
How would she explain why she’d disguised herself for the Preston party?
It would be suspicious. And she didn’t want Benjamin to get in trouble because of her.
“Hey, Lydia,” Benjamin greeted the beauty. “I thought you had a gig to sing at the Mezzanine tonight.”
“That’s later,” she replied without taking her eyes off Catalina. “Have we met?”
Catalina shook her head. “I would remember that. You have such gorgeous hair. I wish I had curls.” She pointed to her pixie haircut. “But the best I can do is really short.”
“It suits you,” Lydia replied.
It appeared that the distraction worked.
“Thank you.”
Catalina looked past her and saw another face she recognized: the security guard who’d worked at the side entrance to the Preston property.
What had Benjamin called him when he’d asked him to cover for him at the front entrance while he’d led her outside to his car?
Ethan, that’s right. She hoped he didn’t make the same comment as Lydia.
Because if they both did, then maybe they would figure out where exactly they’d seen her.
“Oh, Benjamin, do you think I could have something to drink?” she asked.
“Of course,” he said quickly. “And I’m sure you’re hungry.”
Grayson motioned toward the open-plan kitchen. “Somebody ordered pizzas.”
Her stomach growled as if on cue. “Perfect.”
“Let’s get you something to eat,” Benjamin said and led her to the kitchen. In a much quieter voice, he added, “Nicely played with Lydia.”