Page 103 of Marked By Moonlight

And just like that, all the unnecessary clutter around my emotions fell away, leaving what mattered most: love. Devotion. Respect.

My feet flew across the floor, and a second later, we were hugging tightly. Not just me hugging him but him hugging me like a dragon’s greatest treasure.

He buried his face in my shoulder and breathed me in. I closed my eyes, clutching his back. His body warmed mine, and in the recesses of my mind, a single thought registered.

Actions speak louder than words.

So, to hell with Gordon’s file. To hell with my own doubts. To hell with anything that stood between me and my man.

Yes, we would definitely have to work on our communication. No, he shouldn’t have secretly marked me. But he was a good man at heart, and he loved me.

I sensed the others shuffling uncomfortably. Well, to hell with them too.

Then I caught myself and pulled away. I loved Marius, but I’d come to love the others too. Not in the same, desperately passionate way, but as friends. And maybe we hadn’t been thrown together by chance. Maybe that was destiny too. From day one, we’d been in this together.

And now, on a day with all hell breaking loose, we needed one another more than ever.

I drew back and turned to the others.

“Nice to see you too,” Bene quipped.

I did my best to look stern. “For the record, I’m still furious.” I pointed at Marius. “Especially at you. But right now…” I stopped talking and switched to body language.

I opened and closed my hands in a chatting motion, then pointed around.We need to talk.

Next, I put a finger over my lips and pointed to the adjoining suite.In a way they can’t overhear.Because it wasn’t unreasonable to assume Gordon had tapped our room.

Finally, I raised my hands, palms up.So, what do we do?

What seemed hopeless to me was child’s play to men trained in skills most law-abiding citizens had no clue about, let alone use for. Bene motioned Marius and me onto the small balcony off the far bedroom, while Roux turned the television to a sports channel and cranked up the volume.

Zoom! Zoom!Race cars sped around and around a course.

“Formula One,” Bene murmured. “Perfect.”

Roux and Henrik joined us, and we huddled together in that tiny, exposed space. Yet I felt safer and more comfortable than in Celeste’s warm, enclosed suite.

My eyes met Henrik’s, and his hit the floor. So, maybe vampires could feel shame. I wouldn’t count on that to save my life, but I figured I was safe enough for now.

“What did Gordon say?” Bene asked.

I skimmed over the details and got to the point. “As I see it, we need to figure out how to protect ourselves from whatever goes wrong next — including whatever surprises Gordon pops on us.”

Henrik frowned. “You think he has something planned?”

Roux chimed in before I could. “No, but he isn’t above throwing any of us under the bus.”

His eyes landed on Marius and stuck like glue.

“Everyone but her.” Bene pointed to me.

I grimaced. “Maybe, but I have the feeling my immunity might wear out soon.”

Henrik shook his head. “Worst case, he’ll find a way to send you home and keep you out of trouble.”

I hated the thought, but he was right.

“So, where do things stand now?” Bene asked. “With the art deal, I mean.”