Page 24 of The Monster and the Last Blood Match

“Everett,” she cried. Then she covered her mouth. She hadn’t meant to be so loud or enthusiastic, but he was the only person who had been nice to her.

His smile brightened when he saw her. “Hello, Reyna. Did you have a good day yesterday?”

Her own smile faltered. “It was eventful.”

“I’m sure it was. Do you need a cab?”

“Actually, I’m supposed to get in Beck…erm, Mr. Anderson’s vehicle.”

Everett nodded and quickly looked away from her. He snapped his fingers at a man across the parking lot, and soon a sleek black town car drove up in front of the valet.

“Here you are,” he said, his voice switching to a formality. She didn’t understand what she had done wrong.

She reached for his arm to stop him. “Is everything all right?”

“Of course.”

The car parked in the front.

“Allow me.” He escorted her over to the vehicle and popped open the back door.

“Everett?”

“Reyna, you are here with our most distinguished guest. I thought… Well, it doesn’t matter.” He smiled.

“You thought what? That I could use a friend? Because that would be accurate.”

He laughed. “A friend. You’re not from the city, are you?”

“No,” she answered truthfully.

“I can tell.” Everett sighed and then pulled a card from his suit pocket. As he helped her into the car, he slipped the piece of paper into her purse. “A few of us are going out this weekend to a club nearby. Give me a call if you want to join.”

“Okay,” she answered a little too earnestly. She coughed and then backpedaled. “I mean, yes. Uh…if I can get away.”

“If not, then there’s always another time.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you.”

She sank into the back seat, and Everett shut the door. She reached into her purse and withdrew the plain white card. She ran her fingers over the letters. Everett Taylor. She almost jumped with joy that she had plans this weekend. Real plans. With humans.

The car door opened again, and Reyna quickly stuffed the card back into her bag. She scooted over to the far seat as Beckham sat down.

“Let’s go.”

Beckham immediately pulled his phone out again and directed all of his attention to it. She was certain he was addicted to the thing. How could one person spend an endless amount of time glued to a screen? He missed everything with his face buried in his phone. She didn’t care if he had lived in the city for the last two hundred years. Well, she didn’t know how old he was. There was still so much to see.

With her eyes still directed out the window, she asked, “Where are we going, anyway?”

“Work.”

Reyna cringed at the thought of going to Visage headquarters with so many vampires all in one place. “Oh. Just work? That’s all? I got all dressed up for us to go to your work?”

“You considerthatdressed up?”

She ran her fingers down the silky material. “Yes. Very.”

---