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He pushed back into the wall, grinding his erection against her.  Is that what you
wanted? he whispered.
Her lips parted, and she glanced down. When her eyes came back to his, the anger was
gone and that same pity she d had last night was there.  Blane. I 
 Don t take off like that again. I will do whatever it takes to do my job. Even if it means
keeping you in your room for the rest of the Luna.
She straightened, then her lips went into a hard line.  Is that all you wanted?
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No. He wanted to shake her into understanding.
But he couldn t. She was a stubborn woman who would only learn the hard way. So he d
have to be patient.  Yeah. You can go find your Romeo, but don t leave that room without me or
Khalil.
 All right.
He took a small step back and waited for her to go back to the ballroom.
Christiana kept glancing at him, but didn t speak again. She also didn t move. Instead,
she just stared that infuriating stare she did when she was trying to figure him out. Within a
moment, the leech came back, asking to finish their dance, and she was gone.
Maybe he was Vincenzo. If he was, their Internet romance just took a much creepier turn.
One that meant that either Maximilliano s boy was going after her behind Max s back, or he and
Max were working as a team. Her bonding to Max was sure to be a disaster when one of his
cosca was trying so hard to seduce her. Either way, she was the one who was bound to get hurt.
* * * *
Christiana stood on the balcony just outside the ballroom. Her feet were aching in the
new heels. Stephan had pulled her through three dances in a row, and the only way to make him
stop was to beg him to get her a drink.
 Here you are, bella. Stephan stood next to her holding a martini glass of red liquid
toward her. He smiled down at her and the expression made him even more handsome.  Drink
fast. We have another dance presto.
 Grazie. She took the glass and tipped it to her lips. The warm blood hit her mouth with
an energizing tingle and slid down her throat like the tea she d enjoyed as a human.
Stephan reached forward and put a large hand on the base of her glass. His gold family
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crest on his ring sparkled in the moonlight. It was the same as Isabella s ring.
He tipped the glass up again, forcing her to down in one long series of gulps. It was a
little annoying, but if he was her Vincenzo, she could forgive his eagerness to spend time
together.
Once the last of it was down, he pulled the glass away and sat it on the railing.  Follow
me, bella. We ll get one more dance in before I have to retire.
Christiana licked the last of the blood from her lips and let him pull her toward the
ballroom. They caught the group in the beginning of another dance. Thank the gods, it was a
basic modern waltz. Her feet couldn t handle much more.
Stephan pulled her close and led them through the steps. He came closer than the dance
required and whispered,  I m glad I had the heart to talk to you tonight.
So, he was Vincenzo. At least, that was what he d said in the e-mail.
She looked up at him.  I m glad that you did, too.
They finished a sharp turn and moved in a straight line again, but the room turned for a
second too long. Christiana blinked, but kept moving.  Will you be here tomorrow night?
 Sì.
The room shifted again, but kept moving this time. She gripped Stephan s shoulder to
stabilize herself.
 Christiana? His voice sounded like he was in a tunnel.
She closed her eyes and stumbled as she tried to plant her feet.
 Porca l oca! His hands grabbed her around the waist.
She could feel him pulling her through the crowd, but her eyes could only see in flashes
of images. Her head was too heavy and left side of her face felt like it was melting off.
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Chapter Nine
 Hey, Blane hurried through the crowded doorway where that weirdo was dragging
Christiana outside.  Stop!
He rushed through a small circle, knocking someone sideways.  Sorry, he shouted and
kept moving.
Christiana s head turned his way, then lolled sideways. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]