case, maybe he could convince Nicholas to hire her permanently. Knowing Talia, she would do her own convincing. She was not shy when it came to voicing her opinions. And she knew how to keep Misha in line. Which in itself was an achievement.
She was getting stronger every day, but she remained guarded, especially about her past. He prayed he had made the right decision in telling her his own history. Maybe it would help her be more willing to discuss her own attack. He blinked away the images of death threatening to surface and concentrated on Talia instead.
She had said very little during his explanation, but if he was not mistaken, her eyes had narrowed with a look of determination. She was beautiful when determined, and when angry, and when contemplative, and…hell, he was truly lost. What did Misha call it? Oh yes, whipped. He was one whipped vampire.
Chapter 10
Talia opened the door and greeted Deanna, who again sat behind the front counter. Did this poor girl ever get a day off?
Deanna smiled. “Hello. I’m glad you stopped by again. I lost the card you gave me with your hotel phone number. I wanted to let you know I talked to the other receptionist, and she doesn’t remember Jensen having any run-ins with our other customers.”
“Thanks for checking.”
“Have you found out anything yet?”
“We have some ideas. Hopefully, we’ll get a break in the case soon. I am actually looking for a friend of mine who just joined the gym.”
Deanna chuckled. “The only person who joined this week is Michael. Big guy who loves to eat?”
“That’s him.”
“I’ve never seen anyone before who is actually eating when they come into the gym. He took off after the exercise class this morning. If I didn’t know better, I would say he has the hots for Cassandra. This place is as wild as a bar sometimes. Sitting behind this desk, I’ve been able to watch some interesting couples meet and break up.” Deanna frowned for a second. “Can you do me a huge favor? Watch the front desk for a minute? I have to run to the restroom.”
“Sure.”
Deanna stood slowly and walked around the high counter. She rested her hands on her large belly and waddled through the door behind the desk. Talia gawked. She wasn’t sure how many more surprises she could take today.
“Where’s Deanna?”
Talia turned to the enormous man who had just walked in. He faltered for a second when he looked at her, but covered up his surprise quickly. Energy pulsed from his skin. He was a demon. She pulled her energy in tight and hoped the mask worked. “She’ll be back in a minute. I’m just watching things for her.”
He scowled and walked to the clipboard on the counter to sign in. Talia glanced at his name, and her suspicions were confirmed. David Townsend.
The door opened and Deanna trundled back into the room.
David’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened in shock. “You’re…”
“Big as a house. I know. You don’t have to point it out to me.”
When he continued to stare at her without responding, Deanna rolled her eyes and sat back down behind the counter. “Don’t worry, David. I won’t go into labor here. Today is my last day until after the baby is born.”
He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, then changed his mind and rushed through the door to the locker rooms.
Deanna watched him retreat. “He’s a strange one. He comes in here and exercises for hours—until we close, actually. Simon usually has to kick him out.” She glanced at her watch. “Since it’s Friday, we’re closing at five, thank goodness. I’m so tired, and it seems like I have to pee every ten minutes.”
Talia tapped the counter. “Thanks for your help and good luck with the baby.” She went out and joined Jean Luc on the sidewalk in front. “We just caught a break. David Townsend is in the building and will be there for the next hour. Misha gave you his address this morning, didn’t he? We can go look around
She was getting stronger every day, but she remained guarded, especially about her past. He prayed he had made the right decision in telling her his own history. Maybe it would help her be more willing to discuss her own attack. He blinked away the images of death threatening to surface and concentrated on Talia instead.
She had said very little during his explanation, but if he was not mistaken, her eyes had narrowed with a look of determination. She was beautiful when determined, and when angry, and when contemplative, and…hell, he was truly lost. What did Misha call it? Oh yes, whipped. He was one whipped vampire.
Chapter 10
Talia opened the door and greeted Deanna, who again sat behind the front counter. Did this poor girl ever get a day off?
Deanna smiled. “Hello. I’m glad you stopped by again. I lost the card you gave me with your hotel phone number. I wanted to let you know I talked to the other receptionist, and she doesn’t remember Jensen having any run-ins with our other customers.”
“Thanks for checking.”
“Have you found out anything yet?”
“We have some ideas. Hopefully, we’ll get a break in the case soon. I am actually looking for a friend of mine who just joined the gym.”
Deanna chuckled. “The only person who joined this week is Michael. Big guy who loves to eat?”
“That’s him.”
“I’ve never seen anyone before who is actually eating when they come into the gym. He took off after the exercise class this morning. If I didn’t know better, I would say he has the hots for Cassandra. This place is as wild as a bar sometimes. Sitting behind this desk, I’ve been able to watch some interesting couples meet and break up.” Deanna frowned for a second. “Can you do me a huge favor? Watch the front desk for a minute? I have to run to the restroom.”
“Sure.”
Deanna stood slowly and walked around the high counter. She rested her hands on her large belly and waddled through the door behind the desk. Talia gawked. She wasn’t sure how many more surprises she could take today.
“Where’s Deanna?”
Talia turned to the enormous man who had just walked in. He faltered for a second when he looked at her, but covered up his surprise quickly. Energy pulsed from his skin. He was a demon. She pulled her energy in tight and hoped the mask worked. “She’ll be back in a minute. I’m just watching things for her.”
He scowled and walked to the clipboard on the counter to sign in. Talia glanced at his name, and her suspicions were confirmed. David Townsend.
The door opened and Deanna trundled back into the room.
David’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened in shock. “You’re…”
“Big as a house. I know. You don’t have to point it out to me.”
When he continued to stare at her without responding, Deanna rolled her eyes and sat back down behind the counter. “Don’t worry, David. I won’t go into labor here. Today is my last day until after the baby is born.”
He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, then changed his mind and rushed through the door to the locker rooms.
Deanna watched him retreat. “He’s a strange one. He comes in here and exercises for hours—until we close, actually. Simon usually has to kick him out.” She glanced at her watch. “Since it’s Friday, we’re closing at five, thank goodness. I’m so tired, and it seems like I have to pee every ten minutes.”
Talia tapped the counter. “Thanks for your help and good luck with the baby.” She went out and joined Jean Luc on the sidewalk in front. “We just caught a break. David Townsend is in the building and will be there for the next hour. Misha gave you his address this morning, didn’t he? We can go look around
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