Page 68 of Twilight Destiny

Sofia blew out a sigh as Rosa came to the end of her story. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me I’m making the biggest mistake of my life?”

“I was,” Sofia admitted. “But who am I to tell you what to do? We’ve always supported each other. The other night, I was remembering when Ethan turned me. I’d been injured but it wasn’t a fatal wound. I knew I’d want him to turn me sooner or later, so I just told him to do it. I’ve never regretted it, and yet, sometimes I wish I’d waited a few years. So, my only advice is to be sure it’s what you want if you decide to let Kincaid turn you. Once it’s done, it’s done.”

Rosa nodded, remembering that Saintcrow had said the same thing. They talked a few more minutes, sharing their worries about their father, promising to get together soon.

Rosa smiled as the call ended and she set her phone aside. She had to admit, she felt a lot better after talking with Sofia. And more determined than ever to make things work with Jake, no matter what.

She was debating whether to call him and ask him to come back over when there was a knock at the door, and a sexy male voice called, “Mind if I come in?”

Rosa’s heart skipped a beat. Had he been reading her mind? “Silly question,” she replied, and a moment later, Jake was on the couch beside her and she was in his arms again.

“So, what did your sister have to say? Did she threaten to lock you up if you didn’t stop seeing me?”

“Hardly,” Rosa said, laughing. “She said she didn’t have any right to tell me what to do. Just told me not to do anything that couldn’t be undone until I was sure it was what I wanted.”

“Quite a change in her tune, I’d say.”

“I know, right? It wasn’t at all what I expected.”

“I want this to work between us,” he said, caressing her cheek with his knuckles. “I’m going to try my damnedest to keep my hunger and my lust under control. I know every time we get close, I head for the door, but it’s only because I’m afraid of hurting you.”

“I know. And I can’t say it doesn’t scare me every now and then. But I really don’t think you’ll hurt me.”

“Well, next time you’re worried, just mention Saintcrow’s name. I have a healthy respect for his threats.”

Rosa grinned at him, thinking it was a good sign that they could joke about it. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything. Any time.”

“I know you don’t work, but … ” She paused, wondering how to delicately phrase her question.

“You want to know how I pay for things when I have no income.”

She felt herself blush as she nodded.

“The way most vampires do. We steal what we need. At least I used to. Decades ago, I found a man’s wallet. There was no identification in it, nothing but a thick wad of hundred-dollar bills. I went to a broker and invested it in the stock market. He advised me to buy into a few things that really paid off. Things like Apple and Amazon and Microsoft. And Disney.”

“So I’m dating a billionaire?”

“Are you thinking of marrying me for my money?”

“Are you calling me a gold-digger?”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Let’s just say I have enough to keep you comfortably for the rest of your life. And mine, too.”

He must really be rich, she thought, since vampires lived for hundreds of years. “Is that how Saintcrow made his money?”

“I never asked.”

“Tell me about your house in Montana. What’s it like?”

“You wouldn’t like it. It’s an ugly little two-bedroom house on a cul-de-sac. I only go there to rest.”

“Where do you spend the rest of your time?”

“Lately, I spend most of my waking hours with you.”