Page 16 of Protected in Darkness
Another smirk was all Obsidian offered as he let the door shut behind him.
He didn’t appear at all fazed by the luxurious surroundings, as though they were inconsequential. On some level, Penelope understood. After all, she’d grown up with an affluent family. Her mother was a lawyer, or had been before she ran off with a man-child, her father having built his own tech company from the ground up. She and her brother were not strangers to wealth and privilege, having gone to the best schools money could buy, from grade school through college.
“Wine?” Obsidian offered.
“Sure.”
As though summoned, a man appeared. Blond hair, aqua-blue eyes, a smooth, chiseled jaw. He was tall, just over six feet, Penelope would guess, but seemed small in comparison to Obsidian. His black suit was a bit overpriced for a uniform, but maybe that was a requirement when dealing with the upper class.
“Now’s your chance,” Obsidian stated, nodding toward the man.
Confused, Penelope stared up at him.
“To grill the butler.”
Oh, right.
Her face heated from embarrassment. “I’ll hold off for now. Maybe later.”
Obsidian smiled, clearly amused.
She watched as the man poured two glasses of wine, passing them over in a manner that said he had vast experience with waiting on those who stayed here. Like Obsidian, she couldn’t detect his emotions, and she wondered whether that was something they mastered because of their clientele. Being unobtrusive to the guests was likely a positive.
Still holding her hand, Obsidian led her out onto the patio.
Penelope instantly knew what all the fuss was about. The interior, while spectacular, didn’t hold a candle to this. The enormous space was softly lit from the lights in the whirlpool and the gas fire pit, but it was the Vegas strip that drew the eye.
“It’s beautiful. Especially at night,” she mused, stepping up to the railing beside the handsome man.
“I’d have to agree,” he said softly, his gaze focused entirely on her.
Penelope felt the blush warm her cheeks, so she kept her attention on the lights.
The sound of dishes had her turning. The butler was placing two covered plates on the table, along with a variety of accoutrements.
She smiled up at Obsidian. “You were serious about breakfast.”
He grinned. “Hungry?”
“Starving.”
Though she wasn’t sure it was for food.
Chapter Three
THOUGHHISINTENTIONSHADBEENPUREWHENhe’d made the offer of breakfast, now that Obsidian had Penelope alone, it took everything in him to remember she had no clue who he was or that the Fates had destined them to be together.
While he’d been on a path that would allow their lives to intertwine, Penelope would believe tonight was a chance encounter, a happy accident, perhaps. Obsidian didn’t want to spoil the morning, though he was ready to move on with the rest of his life with her at his side. Since human traditions dictated he wine and dine her, get to know her on a deeper level, he figured that was the least he could do, even if it was trivial considering they would be together for eternity.
Pulling out a chair, he waited for Penelope to take a seat before moving to his own. Selecting the one to her left, he was able to keep the balcony wall behind him and maintain a full view of the hotel room. One might say he was a paranoid angel. Then again, if the humans were aware of the evil that lurked, they would probably do the same.
Alden, the angel posing as the butler, came over, removed the silver lids from the plates. “Is there anything else I may get you?”
Penelope’s reaction to the male was a quick smile, her eyes dropping to her plate.
“We’re good for now,” Obsidian told him, followed by a telepathic order:Follow up with Reidar, get a status.
Alden bowed, then exited quickly.
