After I Fall (Immortal Billionaires #1) - Melissa Sercia Page 0,68

care of the bodies. None of it will lead back to any of us. Especially Raven. I also erased any paper trail of her going to your winery in Italy.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me through the phone. I breathed out a sigh of relief and anguish. “What about our hacker problem?”

“I’ve got a hold on that too. I was finally able to trace the IP address to an apartment in Brooklyn. Registered to a Harley Ryan.”

I pinched my eyes shut, trying to fend off a blood migraine. “Never heard of him.”

“Yeah, me neither. I’m putting a team together to retrieve him. Once I have the guy back at my compound, I’ll find out who he’s working for and let you know.”

“Good. Use all means necessary to get him to talk. I’ll be at my estate for a while if you need to reach me.”

“Got it. Try not to beat yourself up for another hundred years over this one, buddy. Camille was coming after her regardless of you.”

“I gotta go. Talk to you soon.” I hung up before he could launch into another lecture about fate and destiny. His heart was in the right place but I just didn’t have the stomach for it tonight.

As soon as we landed on my estate, I headed straight for the cellar and ripped open the biggest blood bag I could find. I sat in the dark and musty room on the floor, not caring about the dust getting on my designer suit. I stayed there all night. By morning, my shirt and tie were crumpled on the floor next to me along with three empty blood bags.

I jerked at the sound of tires hitting gravel coming from outside the main floor. I grabbed my shirt and flew up the stairs. I raced across the foyer and peered out the front window. It was one of my cars. The sleek black town car slowed to a stop. The driver jumped out and opened the door to the back seat. My heart sped up.

Raven.

Standing in front of Ozi’s house, I was beginning to lose my nerve. Enzo had been kind enough to tell me where he was and to lend me the car. He’d said it was the least he could do for keeping me in the dark all these years. My heart was racing as I tried to think of what I would say to Ozi. How would this work? Would he still want me if I was only human? I’d age and he wouldn’t. Would he be with me then?

The front door opened and he leaned against the entryway. His hair was disheveled, his pants wrinkled, and the first three buttons of his shirt were undone.

“You look like hell,” I half teased, half meant it.

“You look stunning.”

A rush of heat flushed my cheeks as he fixed his gaze on me. I had forgotten how sexy he was. How just one look could send me spinning. I strutted forward in my little black dress and stiletto heels. It was the fanciest outfit I owned and he had not gotten a chance to see me in it. I stopped short of the porch, suddenly more nervous than I’d ever been around him.

“I’ve thought about everything you said and I’ve decided that I don’t care about any of it. Not the money, not my job, not even the fact that you’re a vampire. None of it. I only care about you. I don’t know what that means or how any of this is going to work but I just don’t want to be away from you. I know I’m just an ordinary human but—”

Before I could finish, Ozi flew toward me and scooped me up in his arms. His lips smashed against mine in a frenzy and I melted into him. His kisses deepened as I trembled against him. He worked the tip of his tongue around mine, exploring all of my mouth with a ravenous hunger.

“You are anything but ordinary, Raven. You are an explosion of stars lighting up my dark sky. You never have to be away from me ever again. I promise.”

I kissed him harder and tangled my hands in his hair. The scent of tobacco and whiskey and blood filled my nose as the breeze picked up around us. His muscled arms held me tight to his chest and I let myself surrender to all of it.

He led me inside and began giving orders to his staff to prepare dinner.