Page 40 of The Art of Seduction

"How does the rest of the clan treat Pierre?"

"It's been a lot of years, so they've learned to accept him. It took a little while, but things evened out, especially after the clan realized they would still have an official alpha mate. It was the whole vampire thing that really threw them."

Luckily for me, that had all been worked out while I was still a kid. I did have some bad memories of being picked on and bullied due to my parents' relationship, but that had been years ago, and I had let it go a long time ago.

"Is that why you don't live with your clan?"

"No, that I could live with. It's that whole elite—"

"Elite society thing."

I nodded. "They expected me to take over for my father. That was supposed to be my only goal in life, and the elder members of the clan figured they had a right to say what I did, who I was friends with, even what I studied at the university, and it wasn't art."

"Let me guess. You disagreed with them."

I grinned.

Alessandro chuckled as we walked into the elevator, Tashi coming in behind us. "I probably would have paid good money to see that scenario."

"Oh, there wasn't some big drama scene or anything like that. My parents simply took me on vacation. When we arrived in France, they set me up in an apartment, gave me an allowance and paid for my art school, and then wished me well. I've never been back."

"After we're officially mated, maybe we should go back for a visit."

I snorted rudely, and I meant it to be a rude sound. "Or maybe not."

"Being mated to the prince of gryphons is a lot higher up on the food chain than being the alpha of a clan. As it stands, you're even higher up on the food chain than every alpha in Italy, including your parents."

"Crap, my parents." Worry swept through like a tsunami, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "I never told my parents that I had been attacked or warned them to be on the lookout for trouble."

"I have people watching your parents,gattino. I would never leave them unprotected."

"You have people protecting my parents?" That surprised me, and yet it didn't. If Alessandro was all in for this mating thing, I would expect nothing less than him to protect the three most important people in my life.

I pressed my hand to his cheek and looked up into his deep golden eyes. "Thank you."

Alessandro's smile was serene and gentle. "Anything for you,gattino."

I was starting to think he really meant that.

"I don't suppose this fancy hotel suite of yours has a master bedroom?"

Alessandro's eyebrows shot up. "It does."

"With a really big bed?"

Alessandro swallowed tightly. "Yes."

I wiggled my eyebrows and smirked. "Want to try it out with me?"

Alessandro squinted at me. "Why is that even a question?"

I laughed and turned to press the button to take the elevator to the penthouse.

"How do you know which floor we're on?" Tashi asked.

"Oh, please, Alessandro is the prince of gryphons. Of course he's in the penthouse suite."

Alessandro chuckled. "He's got you there, Tashi."

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