Page 80 of The Monster and the Last Blood Match

His eyes darkened, and he looked away from her. “Just don’t leave my side. You have no idea what you’re about to walk into.”

She wanted to ask him to tell her, but the look on his face stilled the question on her tongue. He wasn’t going to answer. She knew that much. He was enjoying the anticipation.

She focused her attention instead on imprinting the way Beckham looked in that moment to her brain. Head cocked to one side, dressed in a black suit with a black shirt underneath unbuttoned at the top. All black from head to toe and utterly delectable. It might be easier to avoid wanting to jump his bones if he didn’t look so damn attractive.

In the place of their normal town car was a sleek black limo. Her eyes lit up. She had never been in a limo before. Never even dreamed that she would have use for one. The driver opened the door for her, and she slipped into the back seat. Beckham followed after her.

“There’s one more piece to your outfit,” he told her once the car pulled away.

“Oh?” she asked, intrigued.

He removed a thick black ribbon of silk from his pocket. He looked devious in the dim lighting.

“Have you ever been blindfolded?” he asked.

She swallowed. “Is that necessary?”

“The Vault has strict security. No one is supposed to know the exact location unless they’re an elite member. It’s a precaution.” He twirled his finger in place. “Turn around.”

She slowly did as instructed. Her heart pitter-pattered in her chest with anticipation. She hated herself for getting so worked up over it—but damn, she wanted him.

He slid the fabric over her eyes, and everything went dark. He tied it in a tight knot at the back of her head. His hand slipped down her back once he finished. “How is that?” he asked.

“I can’t see anything.”

She tightened her legs together. Without her sense of sight, she was susceptible to everything else tenfold. The smell of his musky cologne, the light touch of his hand against her skin, the small physical distance between them—and how desperately her heightened awareness made her want to bridge it.

But after touching her back, Beckham left the space between them vacant. She felt cold and empty without him, but she wouldn’t be the one to cross the line. Not after what had happened on the roof. Her nerves got the better of her, and with each passing mile and turn of the car, she grew more anxious about where they were going. About a half hour later, the car drove beneath the city.

The car finally came to a halt.

She was ready to pry off the blindfold herself and find out where she was. She had been turned around thirty minutes ago and had no hope of ever leading anyone to the underground location.

Beckham leaned toward her in the limo and tugged the blindfold from her face. She found herself staring into his dark eyes as she adjusted to the new light.

“We’re here,” he said.

“Where is here, exactly?”

He shook his head. “It’s best if you leave all the talking to me.”

“Okay,” she said hesitantly.

“And I got you something.”

“What? Something else?”

He removed a black box from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to her. She took it in her hands in awe. A jewelry box. Who would have thought she would ever own a piece of jewelry that would warrant a black velvet box?

She pried the top open and stared down at the most beautiful silver bangle bracelet with inlaid diamonds. The top was engraved with the wordsANDERSON, O-. Her mouth was open, and she couldn’t seem to recover herself. Adiamondbracelet?

Beckham slipped it on her wrist, where it sat cold against her skin. “Never take this off once you’re inside. It shows that you’re with me. It will protect you.”

“From what?”

“Everything.”

That was another nonanswer, but she at least trusted him to keep her safe. Even though the bracelet had something to do with the Vault, she relished the feel of it against her wrist. She loved that it meant she was with him even if it in some way meant shebelongedto him.

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