Page 72 of Cooper’s Passion

31

Anita’s tears dried, and for the first time since her mother had disappeared, she felt that her father understood her, and they were pulling in the same direction.

“Thank you, Dad.” She lifted her head from his chest.

Cooper and the police chief entered the room. She caught Cooper’s gaze, and smiled at him, thanking him silently for giving her and her father privacy.

“Sheriff,” Donnelly said, “as you can see, we have the situation under control. We’ll be running the sting tonight. Or rather, Cooper and his men will. They know what to do.”

“If you say so. But I’m going to take an active part in the sting,” her father insisted.

It was a terrible idea. She wanted her father nowhere near the crazy vampire who’d abducted and killed her mother. And she couldn’t very well tell him that the killer was a vampire. And that Cooper was too. She looked at Cooper for help.

“Sir, uhm, José,” Cooper corrected himself. “Trust me when I tell you that this isn’t the first time I and my team have dealt with a brutal killer like this one. We’re a well-oiled machine and know what we need to do. There’s no need for you to put yourself in danger.”

“That may well be, but you’re not gonna change my mind. I wasn’t able to save my wife from this killer, but I’m gonna make damn well sure my daughter won’t become his next victim. So save your breath, ‘cause I’m not going anywhere.”

Cooper hesitated, meeting her eyes. Anita shrugged. There was nothing she could do. Once her father’s mind was made up, there was no way of changing it.

“Fine,” Anita said, resigned. “Dad, why don’t you get a hotel, and then we can organize the sting?” It would give her and Cooper some time to talk in private.

“All right, honey, I’ll get us a two-room-suite. There’s no need for you to wear out Cooper’s hospitality.”

Fuck! That wasn’t the plan. She had no intention of staying in a hotel with her father. She wanted to stay with Cooper.

“José, it’s really not necessary for you to book a hotel,” Cooper interrupted, clearly having the same reaction. He wanted to be with her just as much as she wanted to be with him. “There are plenty of guestrooms in my uncle’s house. You’ll stay with us. Please, I insist.”

Her father hesitated. “I don’t know. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“It’s not a burden,” Cooper said quickly. “It’ll be much more comfortable than in a hotel.”

He cast her a stolen glance, and she read the promise in his eyes. Yes, it would be much more comfortable for her and Cooper to sleep in the same bed.

“All right then,” her father conceded. “Thank you for the offer, Cooper.”

Cooper nodded. “Let me make a few phone calls to apprise my team that we’re on our way to HQ, and get a few things prepped.” He nodded to Donnelly. “Mike, maybe you and the sheriff could look over the sketch I sent you a few minutes ago, while Anita and I use your assistant’s office to make the calls?”

“Yeah, sure, let’s do that,” Donnelly said instantly.

“Excuse us for a few minutes,” Cooper said and motioned to Anita to follow him outside.

When the door shut behind them, and they were in the ante office, where an assistant was typing on a computer, Cooper took her hand and opened another door, and led her into an even smaller office used for storage. He closed the door, and they were finally alone.

“Okay, so we have a little issue,” Cooper said.

“You mean the fact that my father wants to be part of the operation? Yeah, I’d say that’s more than just a little issue. How are we gonna keep him from finding out that we’re hunting a vampire? And that you and your team are vampires too?”

“I’ll make sure that everybody knows to be extra careful around him.”

Anita rolled her eyes. “Famous last words.”

“Don’t be so pessimistic,” he said, chuckling. “It’ll turn out fine.” He put his arms around her and drew her into an embrace. “So, the other little issue…”

“What little issue?”

“The fact that you don’t seem to want him to know that we’re together. What’s that about?”

Anita took a long breath. Would Cooper understand? “My dad is kind of old-fashioned. I don’t think he would approve of you if he knew that you got me into bed so quickly, you know, without us really knowing each other. He would think that you’re just using me.” But there was something else too. She sighed. “And he would think that I’m reckless for trusting a man I barely know.”