Blood Type
Page 33
“Honestly, do you not pay attention to tabloids?” Sophie asked.
“No…”
“They were the talk of the town this summer. A human and a vamp. As you can imagine, it was everywhere. I guess you don’t get that information outside of the city.”
“I guess not,” she said softly. Her stomach was in knots. Beckham had never mentioned that he was dating anyone. He had never mentioned anything though. Why was she even surprised?
“Well, it fizzled out for a while, but it looks like they’re back on. Maybe that’s why he’s not fucking you,” she said crassly.
Reyna paled. “We’re not like that, Sophie. Whether he’s with her or not.”
Sophie patted her hand again sympathetically. “Whatever you say. But I’m glad I’m not competing with…that.”
That was the understatement of the century. Competing with Penelope Sky was like competing with the sun.
Reyna tried to pull her attention from them, but she couldn’t help but watch him. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, the easy way that his breath hit her skin, the way she smiled up at him like a lover…with the effortlessness that came with intimate familiarity.
She had about had her fill when Beckham seemed to notice her stare. Their eyes met across the room, and her cheeks heated. Then he smiled, a dangerous wicked smile, and started walking Penelope across the room…straight toward her.
Chapter 19
“Reyna,” Beckham said, “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Penelope.”
Reyna swallowed back all of the anger and frustration that lanced her body in that moment. Beckham did not belong to her. Not in any way. One kiss didn’t mean anything. She was his employee. And they may have a strange…slightly unprofessional relationship, but he had made it clear this couldn’t go on.
“Hello,” she said softly.
“Penny, this is Reyna.”
Both women assessed the other. Reyna didn’t know what Penny saw when she looked at her. The woman’s face was a mask of serenity. Which was even more infuriating. It didn’t help that she was prettier up close. Her eyes were as clear blue as the ocean, and she had the slightest dimple in each of her cheeks.
When Penelope realized that Reyna wasn’t going to say anything, she spoke up. “I’ve heard so much about you, Reyna.”
“Really?” Reyna asked. She turned her attention to Beckham and arched one eyebrow.
“Yes! I was so glad when you first got here. So good for Beckham to have someone always around for him. And good for you too from what I’ve heard.”
Reyna refused to be embarrassed that this woman clearly knew her history. She couldn’t believe that Beckham would tell her, but there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. Her insides were on fire and some part of her wanted to scream.
“Yep. So good for Beckham. Just what he wanted,” Reyna said.
Penelope either didn’t hear her sarcasm or refused to register it. “He was telling me last night about your interest in my city.”
Last night. He had been out with her last night? While she had been in her room wondering what he was doing and why he was avoiding her…he had been with this woman.
“Really…your city?”
“Oh, my father is the mayor,” Penelope said proudly.
“Uh-huh. Forgive me. It’s funny how this is the first time I’ve heard about you at all.”
Beckham made an exasperated face at her. Sophie covered her laugh by coughing into her hand.
“Well,” Penelope said, “I’ve been busy at university. We’re on break now so I’ll be around a lot more.”
The way she said it made it sound like a threat. But why should someone like Penelope even have to threaten her? The woman was drop-dead gorgeous and seemed to be a perfect match for Beckham…for anyone, honestly.
While Reyna stood before her in clothes she hadn’t paid for, with her hair and makeup done by people she hadn’t hired, working at a job that Penelope could hardly understand. There was no need for Penelope to feel threatened.
“University?” Reyna asked, latching onto the one thing she could comment on. “That must be nice. To be able to afford to go to college.”
“I feel very fortunate.”
Reyna had to restrain herself from laughing. Of course she did. Reyna would have felt very fortunate to be able to go to college too, but instead she was here, working for Visage.
“So…how exactly did you two meet?” Reyna prodded.
Penelope looked up at Beckham with a big smile on her face. “Oh…well…” And then she flushed lightly. “It was at a political event. Beckham was there on behalf of Visage.”
He gave her an amused look. Reyna could see from a mile off that something about the story was off.
“You remember, don’t you?” she asked, nudging Beckham in the side.
“Yes, Penny. I remember.”
“You spent the entire night avoiding me like the plague. I thought I smelled funny or something. I mean, how did you ever resist this face?” she asked with a giggle. Penelope leaned her head against Beckham, but Reyna had had enough of watching that.
Reyna turned to look at Sophie. She wore a pitying expression, but didn’t say anything. Reyna shouldn’t have asked about them. She didn’t really care. Nothing was going on between her and Beckham. But still he had brought her here tonight. If he had preferred to show up with Penelope, then he shouldn’t have brought Reyna along. Sitting at home with her pictures was better than feeling left out of the inside joke between him and his whatever girlfriend.
“It must have had something to do with your politics,” Beckham said dryly.
“Oh, boo on you. My politics are perfection and you know it.”
Reyna sighed. She needed to change the conversation away from the two of them so she could get through the rest of the night. “So, is that what you study?”
“Oh yes. Politics. My father thinks it’s important for me follow in his footsteps.”
“I see. So, do you have any ambition of your own?” she quipped.
“Reyna!” Beckham cried.
She just smiled at him, and enjoyed watching Penelope squirm. At least Reyna wouldn’t be the only one.
“I’ve always loved politics, and I believe in what my father is doing,” Penelope said. “He is enacting meaningful change in the city. Something to be proud of. He has programs in place for the hungry and poor. He’s working to get citizens back on their feet. He’s partnered with Visage to decrease the unemployment rate.”
Reyna didn’t know who Penelope was trying to convince with that speech, but Reyna had lived on the streets. She had seen the city streets. Beckham had educated her as well as the rogue vampire who had almost killed her. If Penelope thought she was doing her job, her father was doing his job, then they needed to get out more.
This wasn’t even about Beckham and Penelope at this point. Reyna had actually experienced being poor and hungry, and saying some program was going to fix things was almost insulting.
“That’s a nice speech, but unrealistic,” Reyna said.
“What do you mean? I’ve lived through the administration. I’ve seen the improvements.”
“You call this an improvement?” Reyna asked, shocking even herself in her enthusiasm. “Have you actually seen the streets? Like walked around on them? Seen the people starving and dirty and poor? Seen the streets littered with filth and felt the utter despair? It’s palpable. Has your father—or have you, for that matter—actually done anything to change what’s happening out there or are you just hiding behind your words? Because I’m not sure if you’re aware, but words don’t feed the hungry or help get the poor a job or make the streets livable.”
“No…”
“They were the talk of the town this summer. A human and a vamp. As you can imagine, it was everywhere. I guess you don’t get that information outside of the city.”
“I guess not,” she said softly. Her stomach was in knots. Beckham had never mentioned that he was dating anyone. He had never mentioned anything though. Why was she even surprised?
“Well, it fizzled out for a while, but it looks like they’re back on. Maybe that’s why he’s not fucking you,” she said crassly.
Reyna paled. “We’re not like that, Sophie. Whether he’s with her or not.”
Sophie patted her hand again sympathetically. “Whatever you say. But I’m glad I’m not competing with…that.”
That was the understatement of the century. Competing with Penelope Sky was like competing with the sun.
Reyna tried to pull her attention from them, but she couldn’t help but watch him. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, the easy way that his breath hit her skin, the way she smiled up at him like a lover…with the effortlessness that came with intimate familiarity.
She had about had her fill when Beckham seemed to notice her stare. Their eyes met across the room, and her cheeks heated. Then he smiled, a dangerous wicked smile, and started walking Penelope across the room…straight toward her.
Chapter 19
“Reyna,” Beckham said, “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Penelope.”
Reyna swallowed back all of the anger and frustration that lanced her body in that moment. Beckham did not belong to her. Not in any way. One kiss didn’t mean anything. She was his employee. And they may have a strange…slightly unprofessional relationship, but he had made it clear this couldn’t go on.
“Hello,” she said softly.
“Penny, this is Reyna.”
Both women assessed the other. Reyna didn’t know what Penny saw when she looked at her. The woman’s face was a mask of serenity. Which was even more infuriating. It didn’t help that she was prettier up close. Her eyes were as clear blue as the ocean, and she had the slightest dimple in each of her cheeks.
When Penelope realized that Reyna wasn’t going to say anything, she spoke up. “I’ve heard so much about you, Reyna.”
“Really?” Reyna asked. She turned her attention to Beckham and arched one eyebrow.
“Yes! I was so glad when you first got here. So good for Beckham to have someone always around for him. And good for you too from what I’ve heard.”
Reyna refused to be embarrassed that this woman clearly knew her history. She couldn’t believe that Beckham would tell her, but there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. Her insides were on fire and some part of her wanted to scream.
“Yep. So good for Beckham. Just what he wanted,” Reyna said.
Penelope either didn’t hear her sarcasm or refused to register it. “He was telling me last night about your interest in my city.”
Last night. He had been out with her last night? While she had been in her room wondering what he was doing and why he was avoiding her…he had been with this woman.
“Really…your city?”
“Oh, my father is the mayor,” Penelope said proudly.
“Uh-huh. Forgive me. It’s funny how this is the first time I’ve heard about you at all.”
Beckham made an exasperated face at her. Sophie covered her laugh by coughing into her hand.
“Well,” Penelope said, “I’ve been busy at university. We’re on break now so I’ll be around a lot more.”
The way she said it made it sound like a threat. But why should someone like Penelope even have to threaten her? The woman was drop-dead gorgeous and seemed to be a perfect match for Beckham…for anyone, honestly.
While Reyna stood before her in clothes she hadn’t paid for, with her hair and makeup done by people she hadn’t hired, working at a job that Penelope could hardly understand. There was no need for Penelope to feel threatened.
“University?” Reyna asked, latching onto the one thing she could comment on. “That must be nice. To be able to afford to go to college.”
“I feel very fortunate.”
Reyna had to restrain herself from laughing. Of course she did. Reyna would have felt very fortunate to be able to go to college too, but instead she was here, working for Visage.
“So…how exactly did you two meet?” Reyna prodded.
Penelope looked up at Beckham with a big smile on her face. “Oh…well…” And then she flushed lightly. “It was at a political event. Beckham was there on behalf of Visage.”
He gave her an amused look. Reyna could see from a mile off that something about the story was off.
“You remember, don’t you?” she asked, nudging Beckham in the side.
“Yes, Penny. I remember.”
“You spent the entire night avoiding me like the plague. I thought I smelled funny or something. I mean, how did you ever resist this face?” she asked with a giggle. Penelope leaned her head against Beckham, but Reyna had had enough of watching that.
Reyna turned to look at Sophie. She wore a pitying expression, but didn’t say anything. Reyna shouldn’t have asked about them. She didn’t really care. Nothing was going on between her and Beckham. But still he had brought her here tonight. If he had preferred to show up with Penelope, then he shouldn’t have brought Reyna along. Sitting at home with her pictures was better than feeling left out of the inside joke between him and his whatever girlfriend.
“It must have had something to do with your politics,” Beckham said dryly.
“Oh, boo on you. My politics are perfection and you know it.”
Reyna sighed. She needed to change the conversation away from the two of them so she could get through the rest of the night. “So, is that what you study?”
“Oh yes. Politics. My father thinks it’s important for me follow in his footsteps.”
“I see. So, do you have any ambition of your own?” she quipped.
“Reyna!” Beckham cried.
She just smiled at him, and enjoyed watching Penelope squirm. At least Reyna wouldn’t be the only one.
“I’ve always loved politics, and I believe in what my father is doing,” Penelope said. “He is enacting meaningful change in the city. Something to be proud of. He has programs in place for the hungry and poor. He’s working to get citizens back on their feet. He’s partnered with Visage to decrease the unemployment rate.”
Reyna didn’t know who Penelope was trying to convince with that speech, but Reyna had lived on the streets. She had seen the city streets. Beckham had educated her as well as the rogue vampire who had almost killed her. If Penelope thought she was doing her job, her father was doing his job, then they needed to get out more.
This wasn’t even about Beckham and Penelope at this point. Reyna had actually experienced being poor and hungry, and saying some program was going to fix things was almost insulting.
“That’s a nice speech, but unrealistic,” Reyna said.
“What do you mean? I’ve lived through the administration. I’ve seen the improvements.”
“You call this an improvement?” Reyna asked, shocking even herself in her enthusiasm. “Have you actually seen the streets? Like walked around on them? Seen the people starving and dirty and poor? Seen the streets littered with filth and felt the utter despair? It’s palpable. Has your father—or have you, for that matter—actually done anything to change what’s happening out there or are you just hiding behind your words? Because I’m not sure if you’re aware, but words don’t feed the hungry or help get the poor a job or make the streets livable.”
