Page 71 of Cherished By the Sinners

Mason glanced at the street outside the car.They were almost to the hotel, good.He could hustle Darlene out of the car and into his and Magnus’s suite.She needed time and space to calm down.

His cellphone buzzed.He looked at it.Anna.

Call me.

“It’s Anna,” Mason said to Darlene so she’d know why he was paying any attention to his phone while she was having a meltdown.

He hit the call icon.“Mason,” he said, when she answered.He put the phone on speaker so Darlene was included.So she’d know she was as important to him as his family was.

“Where are you?”Anna’s voice made Darlene’s head come up.

“A couple of minutes away,” he said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

“Go straight downstairs to the staff entrance.All street-level entrances and exits are being watched.”

“I understand.Darlene is with me,” he said.“She is...upset.”

“To be expected,” Anna said.“She’s been through a lot.”

When he didn’t respond, she asked, “Has something else happened?”

“Something triggered a powerful fear response in her.I’m worried.”

“I...I’m...I’m okay,” Darlene said, crying and hiccupping at the same time.“I don’t know why I reacted like that.”

“We’ll talk about it once you’re back, showered, and dressed,” Anna said.“But I think the events of the day may have overwhelmed you.”

“Yes...ma’am,” Darlene said.

The call ended and Mason put his cellphone in his suit jacket.

They went through an intersection and the car slowed as it approached the entrance to the underground parking lot reserved for employees and VIPs of the hotel.

As the car left the night behind for artificial light and only a muffled sound of the city, Darlene uncurled herself and scooted back over to wrap one hand around Mason’s wrist.

When he met her gaze, she lifted her chin and stared him down like she was a professional gun fighter.“I’m not afraid of you.”

He let one corner of his mouth curl up.“I know.”But she was afraid of something.Unfortunately, now wasn’t the time to figure it out.

She nodded, then looked out the window.“Now what?”

“Now, we do as Anna suggests.”

Darlene looked at him with a tiny smile on her face.“Don’t you mean orders?”

“Yes, suggestions, orders—they are the same thing when Anna says them.”

“She’s always been very nice to me,” Darlene says, her smile in her eyes now.“But she’s got a scary face.I’ve only seen her look like that a couple of times, but...”

Anna was nice to Darlene at first because she’s Sam’s friend and then because Mason and Magnus made it clear they wanted her.But now, Mason was sure that Anna liked Darlene because Darlene was the most honest person she’d ever met.Honest, kind, and joyful.

Darlene had no idea how much she was worth to a bunch of immortal paranoid assholes.Honesty, kindness, and joy hadn’t been part of their lives for hundreds of years.

“She’s protective of her family and the people in our employ,” Mason said as the car came to a stop and he opened the door.“Stay there,” he said.“I’ll come around.”

He jogged around the limo and opened the door for Darlene.She got out, and nearly collapsed onto the pavement.

Adrenaline spiked in his bloodstream and he caught her in his arms.“Darlene?”He carried her into the building.“Are you okay?”