Page 35 of Benjamin and the Thief

“Oh, I see. I don’t think I’ve ever met triplets,” Catalina said. Small talk wasn’t easy for her, but she knew she had to make an effort. She wanted Benjamin’s friends to like her.

“You look familiar,” a blond woman said from a few feet away.

Catalina’s pulse kicked up. She knew this woman. She was the one who’d worked security at the Preston party, the same one who’d blocked the back stairs, forcing her to use the front stairs in the house. Luckily, she’d worn a long wig and glasses, but how long could she hide that she’d been part of the catering staff at the party? Or did she not have to hide that fact? She wasn’t sure. How would she explain why she’d disguised herself for the Preston party? It would be suspicious. And she didn’t want Benjamin to get in trouble because of her.

“Hey, Lydia,” Benjamin greeted the beauty. “I thought you had a gig to sing at the Mezzanine tonight.”

“That’s later,” she replied without taking her eyes off Catalina. “Have we met?”

Catalina shook her head. “I would remember that. You have such gorgeous hair. I wish I had curls.” She pointed to her pixie haircut. “But the best I can do is really short.”

“It suits you,” Lydia replied.

It appeared that the distraction worked.

“Thank you.”

Catalina looked past her and saw another face she recognized: the security guard who’d worked at the side entrance to the Preston property. What had Benjamin called him when he’d asked him to cover for him at the front entrance while he’d led her outside to his car? Ethan, that’s right. She hoped he didn’t make the same comment as Lydia. Because if they both did, then maybe they would figure out where exactly they’d seen her.

“Oh, Benjamin, do you think I could have something to drink?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said quickly. “And I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Grayson motioned toward the open-plan kitchen. “Somebody ordered pizzas.”

Her stomach growled as if on cue. “Perfect.”

“Let’s get you something to eat,” Benjamin said and led her to the kitchen. In a much quieter voice, he added, “Nicely played with Lydia.”

16

Benjamin did the best he could in the situation. He’d completely forgotten his own birthday. And he certainly hadn’t expected a surprise party, particularly since there was a larger party planned for the following week, to which the older generation was invited as well.

At the surprise party, only the hybrids and their blood-bonded mates were in attendance. Since five of them were humans, there was food as well as actual drinks available. But he also saw human blood that those hybrids who weren’t blood-bonded were gulping down. He could smell it. They had poured the blood into glasses instead of drinking it straight from the glass bottles Scanguards used to distribute the donated blood in. He was grateful for that. At least from afar, it made the blood look like red wine.

While Catalina was distracted with putting food on a plate, he managed to tell Nicholas, Adam’s brother, to make everybody aware that Catalina had no idea that he and most of the guests were vampires, and to be careful with the blood.

“She’s beautiful,” Zach, one of the New Orleans triplets, said to him, while giving him a brotherly slap on the back. “You exclusive?”

“Like I said to Adam: she’s off-limits.”

He lifted his hands in a show of surrender. “Just checking. Guess you’re not gonna hit the bars with us afterward, are you?”

“Definitely not. I’ve got better things to do.”

He cast a loving look at Catalina, who devoured another slice of pizza. He made a mental note to be more aware of her need to eat real food. Which reminded him of his own hunger. Turning so that she could only see his back, he leaned closer to Zach.

“Let me have your glass. I need to replenish while she’s not looking,” he murmured to his friend.

Zach handed him the nearly full glass of blood. “Be my guest.”

Benjamin gulped it down quickly, then returned the glass to him. “Thanks. I needed that.”

“I can see why.” He motioned in Catalina’s direction. “I know what I would like to have her do with those plump lips⁠—”

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence,” Benjamin warned.

He knew exactly what she’d already done with those gorgeous lips, and just the thought of it made him want to toss his guests out and Catalina onto her knees so she could wrap her lips around— Fuck! That was exactly the kind of thinking he’d wanted to avoid.