“I have to work at Addy’s tomorrow night, but I’d like to go with you to talk to Paris,” she said.
“After the events of tonight, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Dante told her. He was going to spend more time with her, but he wouldn’t put her in danger again.
“She’s a young human; there’s nothing to fear there.”
“No, but whatever Julie got herself mixed up in involves real vampires. I think it’s best if you stay out of it completely.”
Cassidy had expected his response, but she couldn’t help being disappointed by it. Everyone underestimated her; she was the baby of the family and was treated that way her whole life. She hated it, and she wouldn’t accept it from him.
“I’m quite capable of taking care of myself,” she said. “I did kill a vampire tonight.”
She forced herself not to shudder at the reminder. The vamp’s death was necessary; he would have killed her or Dante if she hadn’t stopped him, but she still hadn’t fully processed what she’d done. She wasn’t a killer; except, she was.
“I know,” he said.
“If you think I’ll get in the way or somehow hinder your ability to find Julie, I’ll stay away, but I might be able to help you. I was a teenage girl once; I understand them.”
“I was a teenage boy once, and I did talk to girls back then.”
“But you weren’t one of them. You don’t understand what makes them tick. Besides, I bet your conversations revolved around sports, friends, favorite shows, and games, all while you were thinking about how to get in her pants.”
Dante couldn’t stop himself from laughing over this. “Get out of my teenage boy's head.”
The sound of his laughter caused her to grin stupidly at him. “I knew it.”
His eyes sparkled when they met hers again. While she still saw a hint of sadness in them, for the first time since meeting him, she also saw a hint of the boy in that family photo, and she loved it. Because of that, she let her argument go for the next block, but as they neared her place, she knew it was now or never.
“I can help,” she said. “You’re meeting with her during the day, so there won’t be any Savages out. If you think I’ll get in the way, then tell me, but I want to help you find Julie. I’d like to see this through to the end.”
Dante considered her words; he couldn’t see how her safety would be at risk during the day, and he couldn’t think of another reason to tell her no. She could be helpful with Paris, and he could think of a hundred reasons why he wanted her there.
“Okay,” he relented. “I’m meeting her tomorrow at eleven in the common by the swan boats.”
Cassidy kept her face impassive, but she was trying not to smile over the prospect of spending more time with him and helping to find Julie. Nearly dying in a fire had left her feeling almost as invested in locating the girl as Dante.
“I’ll meet you at your place tomorrow at ten then,” she said.
Dante squeezed her hand as she turned the corner onto another street. “How about I meet you at your place?”
“Do you want to see my brothers again?”
“No,” he admitted, “but I’d prefer it if you didn’t walk the streets alone.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Again, I’m quite capable of taking care of myself.”
“I know, but—”
“There are no buts. I’m strong and fast. I am not some fragile little thing. Please don’t treat me that way. I get it enough from my brothers; I won’t accept it from you too.”
His eyes widened slightly, and she had to admit her vehement tone surprised her a little, but she was so tired of being treated like a weakling when she was stronger than him and Kyle.
“It will be easier if we meet at your place,” she said more calmly.
Dante didn’t argue with her; she was right, she could handle her own; she’d proved that tonight. However, he couldn’t shake his almost desperate, overprotective instinct to keep her safe. He didn’t understand, and he’d certainly never experienced it with any other woman, but it festered inside of him.
“Okay,” he said. “We’ll meet at my place.”
Cassidy fidgeted with the ends of the sleeves of her new sweatshirt. There was something else she should tell him, but she had to talk to Brian first. She wasn’t exactly sure how her brother-in-law’s ability to locate people worked. He could probably help find Julie, but she didn’t know about Maya.
Still, she felt wrong keeping the possibility she might know someone who could find his sister from him. However, after everything he’d been through with Maya, there was no way she would get his hopes up only to destroy them.
They turned another corner, and her apartment building came into view. The headlights of the cab driving toward them bounced off the sidewalk. Cassidy lifted her hand to shade her eyes as from inside the taxi, a woman let out a low whistle.
“Hello, handsome!” she yelled, and the other women with her laughed.
Cassidy glared daggers after the taxi, but Dante didn’t react to it. She wasn’t sure if he didn’t know the woman was calling to him or if he didn’t care. Or maybe he’d gotten so used to women throwing themselves at him that he didn’t notice it anymore.
“This is my place,” she said as she stopped in front of her building.
Dante glanced at the brownstone before looking at her again. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“You will,” Cassidy said.
Before she got too lost in her head and overthought her actions, she rose on her toes and kissed him. The second her lips touched his, all doubts faded and a sense
