Page 70 of Hunters and Hydrangeas

Noah barks out a laugh. “What?”

“Your deodorant smells amazing.”

“Remind me to keep buying that brand.”

Smiling, I step away from him when we reach our floor and the doors open. We leave the elevator hand-in-hand, yesterday’s attack forgotten…until we arrive at the room and find a man leaning against our door.

His sandy brown hair is cut short, and his jaw is smoothly shaven. Wearing khaki-colored shorts, a navy blue polo shirt, and white boat shoes, he’s the preppiest person I’ve seen in my life. He looks like he should be sipping expensive mineral water on the deck of a sailboat, talking to his fellow yuppies about the stock market.

He turns toward us, a bored look on his pretty face. “Hello, Montgomery,” he says in a cultured British accent. “I heard you’ve been looking for me?”

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“You could hide anywherein the world, Alfred.” Noah’s voice is deceptively calm as he pulls me to a stop at a safe distance from the vampire. “Why did you choose Miami of all places?”

“I’m not hiding.” Alfred pushes away from the door, frowning slightly as he runs his eyes over me. “I’m buying a hotel.”

“We’re looking for Sophia Barrington,” Noah says, cutting to the chase. “Word has it you’re dating the woman she was last seen with.”

Alfred smiles like he thinks the entire world is beneath him. “A woman I’m dating? You’re going to have to be more specific.”

Wow, way to live up to your stereotype.

Noah cocks his head slightly to the side, his eyes narrowing in a way that makes me want to call Cassian and warn him there’s going to be trouble. “Larissa Valentine.”

“Ah, Larissa,” Alfred answers. “Nice girl—though a bit stabby.”

“And yet you’re still alive.”

“A miracle,” he says dryly.

“Any idea where she is?”

“Larissa?” Alfred says, like he’s already forgotten we were talking about her. “I can’t say. I haven’t seen her in ages.”

“Do you know how to get ahold of her?”

“I probably have her phone number somewhere.”

“Mind calling her for me? I’d love to get in touch.”

Alfred laughs. “Sure, Montgomery. Anything to help a NIHA official. Congrats on the promotion, by the way. Last I heard, you were knocked down to the nursery, and now here you are, rubbing elbows at the top of the department.” He winks. “Must be nice to have a prince as a bestie, am I right?”

This man is so smarmy; I feel like I need to take another shower.

Noah rolls his eyes. “Cut the crap and make the call.”

Alfred shrugs and opens his phone. He scrolls for a few seconds, and then he gives us an exaggerated sad face. “I’d love to help you, but it looks like I deleted her number. Broken heart and all.”

Noah isn’t amused. “You’re not being very helpful, Alfred.”

“Yeah, shucks. Looks like you hit another dead end. Must be frustrating to be so bad at your job—but I guess that’s what happens when you ride someone’s coattails to the top.” Pocketing his phone, he makes to pass us. “Best of luck finding Sophia. You’ll need it, seeing as how the nominations are in just a few days.”

Before he passes, Noah releases my hand. One minute, Alfred is wearing a cocky smile and walking away with a swagger. The next, he’s pinned against the wall between a cheerful light sconce and a table holding a vase that probably came from a discount warehouse in China.

“I didn’t mention the nominations,” Noah says coolly, pressing the tip of a stake to the vampire’s chest.

I don’t even know where he was hiding the weapon.

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