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She shrugged. “You probably minimized them yourself and then thought they were closed when you left.”
“Probably.” He shut down the laptop and snapped the lid closed before sliding it into its case.
On their way through the squad room, Rita waved. “Have a good night.”
Eric saluted and Christina waved back. “You, too.”
Eric ducked his head and whispered in Christina’s ear. “I’m going to put in a good word for her with my brother.”
“She deserves it.”
Christina got behind the wheel and Eric slammed his door. “Dinner tonight? You must be starving after that pathetic lunch of a few bites of lettuce you had today.”
“I am starving.” She wheeled out of the parking garage, focusing on the road ahead. “Did you mean dinner together or another solitary meal like last night?”
“Together.” He’d planned to take it slow with her, but that kiss in the evidence locker had heated things up. If he wanted slow and easy with Christina Sandoval, he’d have to stop being alone with her. He hadn’t yet forgiven her for keeping Kendall from him, but that didn’t stop him from wanting her in his bed.
* * *
CHRISTINA LEANED INTO the mirror and brushed on a little makeup. Then she smiled at herself—like the cat who’d swallowed the canary. She and Eric had a moment in the evidence locker. He needed her just as much as she needed him. And Kendall needed both of her parents.
She slipped into a pair of flats, black to match her skinny jeans. They were going casual tonight, walking to a place just off union Square, but casual could come with a hint of sexy, especially if she hoped to get her man back. With that in mind she pulled on a low-cut sweater.
Eric rapped on the door, and she invited him in. He shoved his hands in his back pockets. “Am I underdressed?”
“These are just jeans.”
“No, these are just jeans.” He dipped his chin toward the slightly faded, totally worn-in denim that hugged his powerful thighs.
“Those are guy jeans, and these are girl jeans.”
“I’ll say.”
Her phone on the nightstand rang. “Sorry, have to get that, just in case.”
“Do you want me to step out?”
“I have nothing to hide from you, Eric.”
“Anymore.”
She glanced at the display—blocked number. She punched the button to answer. “Hello?”
“Christina, it’s Vivi.”
“Everything settle down for you?” She mouthed Vivi’s name to Eric.
“Are you okay, Christina?”
“I’m fine. What’s up?”
“I got some news from D-Dad today.”
“Is he okay?” Christina’s voice sharpened despite her differences with her father. She put the phone on speaker.
“I’m not really his. I’m not really your sister, Chrissy.”
“What?” She turned to Eric and shrugged.
“My mother was one of those women who wanted a child with a powerful brujo, and she was so desperate to make it so she lied to our...your father about her pregnancy.”
Christina winced and dropped her gaze from Eric’s. “Are you sure, Vivi? You’re more Dad’s daughter than I am in so many ways.”
“But not the most important way—blood.”
The word caused a chill to run through Christina’s body. “It doesn’t matter, Vivi. Does Dad know?”
“He knows. He’s always known.”
“Then it really doesn’t matter. He’s accepted you as his own. You’ll always be my sister.”
“But it does matter, Chrissy. It matters to you.”
“Not a bit.”
“Chrissy, you don’t get it. You’re—legacy.”
Christina clutched the phone and sank to the bed.
“Do you know what that means?” Vivi practically shouted the words over the phone.
“I’m an only child of a brujo.”
“A very powerful brujo.” Vivi sobbed. “Listen to me, Christina. I know who’s taking the blood from those others. It all makes sense now.”
“Nothing makes sense. You know who the killer is? Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I just figured it out. When Dad told me today that I wasn’t his biological daughter, it all fell into place.”
“Tell me.”
“He’d been so interested in me, and then it all just stopped. He must’ve known. He must’ve found out I didn’t have Dad’s powerful legacy running through me.”
Christina’s legacy blood ran cold through her veins. “Are you talking about...?”
“Darius. I’m afraid it’s Darius.”
