Real Vampires: Glory Does Vegas by Bartlett, Gerry (white hot kiss TXT) 📕

marble floor and one of the bouncers who worked the casino floor became interested. Several tourists had also stopped when Sid hit Jerry with his bandaged arm.

“Jerry, enough. We have an audience.” I looked around. “Nothing to see here.” Of course, that didn’t make my lover release Sid.

“I can hold you here or we could take this outside,” Jerry said quietly. “You won’t like what happens outside.”

“Pay bill,” he croaked. “Animal Control. Wrong dog.” Jerry finally threw him away. Sid fell, retching and grabbing his throat. “Meet you there.” His voice was raspy and he gagged.

“Man bit off more than he could chew.” Sherie told a couple who walked past, giving us a wide berth. She pounded Sid’s back and gripped his arm.

“We’re going together, Sid. In a cab. Right now. If anything bad has happened to Valdez, motherfucker,” Sherie hissed it close to his ear, but my vampire hearing caught every word. “Well, I’d hate to think what would happen to you, Sid. Hate to think. Right, Jerry?”

Jerry nodded, his hard stare almost daring Sid to make a run for it.

Sid gulped and staggered. His gaze darted around the lobby but clearly no one was coming to help him. The bouncer had gone back into the casino. The doorman had heard enough and turned his back on him.

Sid finally held out his bill with a shaky hand. “Here. Take it. Then, uh, yeah, let’s go.”

“You will never see Ms. Simpson again,” Jerry said quietly.

“No. Good bye and good riddance.” Sid hadn’t learned. He “accidentally” tripped on his way out the door, hitting his head on the heavy glass. His cry was ignored by one and all.

“Who the hell was that?” Jerry asked as soon as Sid and Sherie were out of sight. “I know he was never one of your lovers.” He folded the bill and stuffed it in his pocket.

“No, he was my roommate’s mistake.” I sighed. “I’m trusting Sherie will rescue Valdez. I could go myself but sunrise is too close and it wouldn’t help Valdez if I dropped dead on the front steps of Animal Control and fried in the sun.”

“You’re right. Come upstairs with me.” He held out his hand.

“I wish you wouldn’t pay his bill.” I slipped off my shoes and handed them to him.

“I can certainly afford it. Forget about it. It will keep him off your back. I wish I’d broken his neck.” He squeezed my hand. “Come.”

I let him lead me to the elevator. “I’m afraid our night is ruined. I won’t relax until I know Valdez is all right.”

“I’m sure Sherie will text me as soon as he’s released.” Jerry punched the elevator button with the toe of my high heel. “I have a surprise for you in the suite.”

“You know I hate surprises.” I did want to leave him with a good memory. He’d be gone until Halloween and the big blood tasting. I missed him already. Another surprise. What could he have in mind? His last one had been wrong-headed but at least we’d managed to pass Caro off to Dom. When we reached the door to the suite, we were met by a shape-shifter I didn’t recognize. He was tall and handsome in a dark suit.

“Not another guard for me. Valdez will be back, I know it.” I put my hands on my hips. “I won’t have anyone else, Jer.”

“No, this one works for me. Meet Neil Turnbull, another Turnbull grandchild. While Sherie works on the Valdez situation, he’s on duty. Your surprise is in my bedroom. Neil is going to wait out here in the hall until the sunrise then come inside. Right, Neil?”

“Right. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Glory. I’ve been hearing about you from Gran and Pops for years now.”

“Thanks. Another Turnbull. How many of them are there?” I followed Jerry into the suite.

“Too many to count. Have a good night.” Neil smiled and shut the door, staying in the hall.

“He’s well-trained.” I stopped at the door to the bedroom, looking for clues to my surprise.

“Yes, all the Turnbulls are, just like the shifters from the Valdez family. I’m not surprised your current bodyguard is hung up on his contract. It’s a matter of honor with the shifters from those families. It’s why I hire a Valdez when I can’t get a Turnbull.” Jerry pulled off his jacket and kicked off his shoes.

“There weren’t other Turnbull bodyguards, only Fergus, when you hired my first Valdez. The Turnbull empire hadn’t been created back then. I give Maggie credit for pushing that family into becoming the big, successful business it is today.” I was distracted by the sight of Jerry unbuttoning his shirt. “Um, my surprise?”

“It’s over there, on the dresser.” He sat on the end of the bed. “You’re right. Fergus was content to settle in Dollar and enjoy family life once he left my employ. Maggie pushed him to want more. Both of you have a lot in common, now that I think about it. Ambitious women.”

I couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying because I’d seen his surprise. It was a small blue box, instantly recognizable. Tiffany. What had he done?

“You look scared.” Jerry got up and picked up the box and placed it in my hands. “Relax. I know our rules. Open it. I think you’ll like it.”

Our rules? I carefully blocked my thoughts. I wasn’t the one who was adamantly opposed to marriage. But maybe I wasn’t being fair to Jerry. My big push to be independent was also a roadblock to becoming Mrs. Blade or Mrs. Campbell or whatever I’d call myself if I married this man who stood there waiting for me to pull the satin ribbon on the blue box. I gave up analyzing and just opened the damned thing.

“Oh, Jerry!” I lifted the bracelet out of the box. “It’s like the one you gave me before. The one I lost.”

“Lost?” He shook his head as he slid it onto my wrist and fastened the clasp. “Sold.