Page 32

“Yeah, vampires like Clement. Not Mr. Blackmore. He’s terrifying.”

“True. Hopefully, it’s nothing important. I’m looking forward to a break.”

Lucy grinned, her pretty face lighting up like a flower in bloom. “I know what you mean. Once the diplomats arrive, things will be crazy again. I swear if something goes wrong, I’m going to kill someone!”

Leah laughed at the younger woman’s vehemence. She couldn’t imagine Lucy harming a fly, much less a person. “Cross your fingers. If anything goes wrong, it’ll be on our heads.”

Lucy jokingly flinched before saying, “That’s a somber thought. Anyway, I’ll see you later. Tell me how it goes.”

“I will.”

Leah watched the girl run away in the same harried way she’d arrived. God, how did she have so much energy? Leah was about to collapse. She much preferred having her ass handed to her in the gym than endlessly dealing with unreasonable demands from high-strung caterers and diplomat staff.

What did Blackmore want? He’d asked Clement to summon her. Was he too high and mighty to call her himself? If it was business related, he could’ve just called her. Anticipation hummed in her blood as she returned to her room. She shouldn’t want to see him so much, shouldn’t wake up craving the feel of his rough hands on her.

Back in her room, Leah stripped and stepped into the shower. When the hot water hit her from four directions, washing away the day’s sweat and grime, she sighed with contentment. She didn’t know how she could return to the ascetic life in the Compound now she had a taste of luxury.

Thirty minutes later, she stepped out of the shower, feeling like a new person. The water washed away her fatigue. Drying off her hair, she entered her bedroom to grab some clothes.

And froze.

Her heart went haywire, beating like a drum in her throat. She lowered the towel to cover herself as her temperature shot up. Looming at the entrance, his ice-blue eyes were unblinking as he drank her in from head to toe. Desire flared up with a vengeance. Was it even possible for her to be so wet in a few seconds?

Leah perused him with defiance in the same slow way. She’d almost forgotten the impact of his presence. His immense power hummed beneath the surface of his enormous frame. No one could mistake him for anything but a powerful predator, even if he wore a well-tailored slate suit like a second skin. It was such a contradiction. The clothes of sophistication for someone who was more animal than man.

“What are you doing here? How did you get in? I thought only I had the password to my room.” Her throat dry, she fought against the urge to step back when he took a step toward her. Her hands clutched the towels tight as if that thin strip of cloth could save her from his presence.

Blackmore shrugged. Leah recalled the hard muscles on his back and had to stop herself from salivating. What was wrong with her?

“You’re right, but Tristan allows me to go anywhere I want. As for what I’m doing here, I wanted to see you.”

Of course, he could override Tristan. He’d been avoiding her for days, and now he sauntered into her quarters like it was no big deal? Just because he was her boss didn’t give him the right to invade her privacy.

Then again, this might be the chance she’d been waiting for. But she couldn’t hide the venom coating her voice as she said, “I received your summons. I was going to your office after getting dressed. You didn’t have to come here.”

“No, I wanted to see you here.” Blackmore walked around the room, his eyes picking up the tiniest detail. “I didn’t mention it last time, but I like the changes you’ve made.”

“I don’t need your permission.” The defensiveness was a reflex. In the Compound, Leah hadn’t been allowed to have unnecessary things, so she made the most of it whenever she was outside. Considering her short stay, she didn’t waste any time and went on a shopping spree almost immediately.

She’d thought of saving more money for when the Organization released her if she met her terms in the deal with Dmitri. But so far, success seemed out of reach. She hadn’t scored with Blackmore yet, and the odds of her keeping his interest for the length of her agreement with Dmitri and surviving were quite low, so yeah, she’d spent her money.

“No, of course not.” He raised an elegant brow. “Purple and yellow, are those your favorite colors?”

“I don’t know.” She’d picked out the pairing from a magazine catalog. She enjoyed trying new things in the different places she stayed. “Now, go away. I need to change.”

To her utter frustration, Blackmore grinned. Oh, the man was infuriating, but all she wanted to do was kiss him again. “Don’t let me stop you.”

Gritting her teeth, she stalked into her closet and shut the door behind her. If he barged in, she didn’t care about her deal with Dmitri or that he was her boss. She was going to kick him where it counted.

“Wear something nice.”

If she gritted her teeth any harder, her jaw might break. Scanning the rows of clothes, she almost chose the ripped jeans and tank top to spite him. But her better sense won in the end. She pulled on a black knee-high cocktail dress with an embroidered edge. To match the dress, she picked a pair of Christian Louboutin heels she bought a week ago.

When she returned to the bedroom, he looked her over from head to toe. His dilated pupils told her he approved, even though she didn’t want to care. She didn’t move closer for fear that she’d end up getting dressed for nothing if his eyes continued to devour her.

“Any reason I had to dress nice?”

He smiled, a slow smile that said he was up to no good. Wetness pooled between her thighs. “I thought I’d take you to dinner.”