Page 45 of Blood Vows

“Across from yours.” Of course he was.

“Is there a bathroom?” she asked.

“It’s attached to your room,” he said.

“The kitchen is through there,” he said, pointing. “I think I can find that one.”

“Good, then we’re making progress,” he teased. She followed him upstairs. The guest room was large—too large for someone who claimed no one knew where he lived. A queen-sized bed sat against one wall. There was a dresser, a chair near the window, and another small bookshelf.

Elena walked inside. “It’s nice.”

“You sound surprised again,” he said.

“I’m adjusting my expectations,” she teased.

“Try lowering them.” She turned and found Dante leaning against the doorframe. He looked tired—really tired. She hadn’t noticed before, probably because he carried exhaustion the same way he carried everything else—like it wasn’t allowed to affect him.

“When did you last sleep?” she asked.

“Last night,” he lied.

“In a chair,” she said.

“I slept,” he said.

“For what? Twenty minutes?” she asked.

“That was enough.”

She frowned. “You should sleep.” His expression changed. Not much, but enough.

“I’m not leaving you unprotected,” he said.

“We’re in your secret house that only Luca knows about,” she reminded.

“Yes,” he agreed. “We are.”

“So lock the doors and go to bed,” she said.

“No, it’s not safe,” he said.

“Dante.” She let out the breath that she was holding. “You’re impossible.”

“So I've heard.”

She sighed. “Do you have coffee?”

“In the kitchen,” he said.

“Good,” she said.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because apparently neither of us is sleeping.”

He watched her walk past him. “Elena.”

She stopped. “What?”