Page 108 of The Monster and the Last Blood Match

Beckham watched her closely as she examined the pictures again and tried to detect the hidden meaning. What was he thinking when he was shooting landscapes? Who was the woman in the café?

“I agree with you about everything. How people deserve to be treated. The direction our world is headed. How we need to do more to correct the problem, not rely on a path of dependence that is spiraling out of control.”

Reyna smiled. It was nice to finally hear someone agree with her. It was wrong that ninety-plus percent of people lived in poverty and that the top one percent owned and controlled everything.

“Be careful,” she teased. “They might accuseyouof being part of Elle.”

“I know. It’s why I’m very careful.”

Reyna paused. “Wait, what?”

He gave her a pointed look, and her mouth dropped open. What was Beckham trying to say here? Had he just said what she thought he’d said? No, no way. That couldn’t be right. It made no sense, but she had to ask it anyway.

“You’re a…rebel?”

“Yes.”

Reyna felt her world tilt upside down. Everything from her time living with Beckham was a lie. He was part of Elle. He disagreed with everything he was doing working for Visage. How was that even possible? How could he keep up the double life? And at that, how was he so damn good at it?

She never in a million years would have guessed that Beckham had ties to the people who wanted to stop Visage’s infinite growth.

“How?” she stammered.

Beckham gestured for her to take a seat on the couch and began to tell his story. “I decided a year ago that I couldn’t sit back and let the world keep heading down this path. It was destructive for both humans and vampires. If Visage takes over the world, subjugates humans, reverts back to animals, then what? There is nothing left? Humans will die, and thus vampires will die. There is a balance in this world, and we need to find a way to achieve it. So, I set out to find a way to help in secret.”

Reyna found it all hard to process. “But you staked your entire reputation on me in Harrington’s office. What if they suspected?”

“No one suspects, and I did it because I knew it would work. Only a few Elle members even know that I work with them. And now you,” he said.

“Then why are you telling me?”

He smirked. “No more secrets, right?”

“Right.” She had already forgotten. “So, how did you get involved?”

“Penny, actually.”

“Wait,” Reyna snapped. “Penelope is in Elle?”

Beckham cringed. “Yes, she is. She has been my cover this whole time.”

Reyna pitched forward in her seat. “You weren’t dating Penelope?”

“No,” he admitted sheepishly. “But I had to maintain appearances so that I had an excuse to go to meetings. I’m afraid they want me to continue to do just that.”

“Wait, back up. You aren’t with Penelope?”

Beckham reached out for her and planted a soft kiss on her lips in response. “No. Isn’t it obvious? I only want to be with you.”

Reyna felt her head spin at his declaration. She couldn’t comprehend all this new information at once. First, Beckham and Penelope were never even an item, and now…now, he wanted her and only her. Reyna’s breath came out in soft sputters, and her eyes rounded.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to say anything back. I’ve lived longer than you. I know that I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

“Oh, Becks, I left my family to be with you,” she said with a sigh. “Of course I want to be with you.”

His smile was spectacular. It was a smile that could block out the sun with its radiance. He had doubted her feelings for him even though she had been the one to push him toward it all along. She hadn’t been sure of her own feelings until she had said the words to him. All this time, he had been pushing her away and she had been denying her true affections. Now with it out in the open between them, it felt absolutely right.

Their lips crashed together, desperate to feel the other’s touch. None of the reluctance that she normally felt in his kiss was there. It was primal and addicting. This was all she wanted, all she had ever wanted. Beckham was hers.

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