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“He . . . what?”
Alessandra at least looked sheepish about that. “Luckily, he changed his mind.”
“So he doesn’t speak to either of his brothers—”
“Nope.” Alessandra took her mug to the sink, dumped its contents, and made herself another tea. She hated “the bottom” of anything. Tea. Beer. Whatever.
“But so far, they haven’t tried to succeed where Kenton failed—”
“Seriously? They would try to kill you?”
Alessandra bit the side of her lip, her pause enough of an answer for Charlotte.
“Drake, probably not. But Rowan—”
“Then . . . are you in danger?”
Her friend’s lips curled into a smile that was more vicious than it was inviting. This was the new Alessandra. The one Charlotte had seen emerge over the course of the summer. This was the smile of a woman who had no fear, one who didn’t care what people thought of her. A woman very unlike Charlotte.
“No. I can sense vampires. Plus, Kenton and the Derricksons wouldn’t allow anything to happen to me.”
It was all too much.
“I . . .”
“Enough of that. Let’s talk about something a little more . . . intense.”
Charlotte groaned. “I thought maybe vampires and my family’s demise would be enough to make you forget about it.”
Alessandra made a most unladylike sound. “Forget about the fact that you were seen in a passionate embrace with Stone Haven’s most notorious playboy?”
“And a vampire, apparently.”
“And that. But make no mistake, that isn’t the most dangerous thing about Torr Derrickson.”
She found that hard to believe. “It’s not?”
Alessandra shook her head. “No, not to you. He would never hurt you . . . like that.” She pointed at her chest. “But your heart? Charlotte, I don’t know him well, but I know of him. And I can tell you one thing for sure. Getting involved with him will lead to one thing.”
Desire. Passion. Sheer and utter ecstasy? Nothing like any of her past boyfriends. She’d never allowed herself to be so out of control, so quickly before. Typically, her preference was for men who liked her more than she liked them. Easy. No worry of being hurt.
“Heartbreak. Plain and simple. He cares about one person. Himself. Maybe his siblings too,” she conceded, “but even Lawrence admits that his brother has had centuries to ‘grow up’ and has yet to accomplish the feat.”
Instinctively, she knew Alessandra’s words were true. She’d sensed as much, hadn’t she? Being with a man like Torr would tarnish the reputation she’d been building here, and it was a fool’s errand.
Last night had been a colossal mistake. One she would not repeat.
She almost believed herself.
