⋆ Chapter 47

The sky was already melting into dusky purples when we got to the rooftop. The breeze was nice, and the city below looked a little softer from up here, like maybe it wasn’t the worst place in the world. Ralph had picked up a six-pack of canned beers, and we passed them around like some kind of weekday victory toast.

“To corporate drama,” Ralph said, cracking his open.

“To vampires infiltrating the office,” Georgia added dryly, raising her can.I

 just laughed and clinked mine against theirs. “To pretending this is all normal.”

We sprawled on the chairs, each one a little uneven and sketchy, but perfect in that after-hours, half-tipsy kind of way.

Ralph took a long sip before nodding thoughtfully. “Okay, but let’s be honest—Soren? Kinda just as hot as Cillian. But like, in a ‘let me tell you a story over whiskey’ kind of way, not ‘sign this NDA before I ruin your life’ energy.”

Georgia snorted. “That is… weirdly accurate.”

I smiled, but stayed quiet, staring out past the railing. Ralph wasn’t wrong—Soren was attractive. Tall, lean in that smooth, effortless way, and he had that laugh, the kind that invited you in like an old friend.

But then my mind drifted to Cillian.

Cillian wasn’t just hot. He was this whole storm system. Sure, he was cold at work, but outside that? Outside, he was warm skin pressed to my neck, a teasing voice in the dark. I still hadn’t told them about the club and what happened. How his lips had grazed my skin. How the tip of his fang had dragged over the curve of my shoulder.

My heart lurched just remembering it.

“I don’t know,” Ralph was saying. “Soren’s got more of a people-person vibe. Cillian’s like… marble. Expensive, cold, probably haunted. But Soren? He reminds me of your Xavier,” he nodded toward me.

I finally shook myself out of my daze and replied, “Really? I think Xavier had more charm than Soren.”

That earned me twin stares.

“Xavier?” Ralph blinked. “Seriously?”

“Way more charm,” I said defensively, sipping my beer. “I mean, yeah, he sucked in the end, but you can’t deny he had that easygoing warmth. The kind you don’t see coming until—boom! You’re done and begging him for more.”

Georgia raised a brow. “Wow. That turned fast.”

I just shrugged.

She leaned forward then, resting her arms on her knees. “Well, but I don’t trust Soren.”

Ralph blinked. “What? Why?”

“Because vampires aren’t friendly. You already know that,” she said flatly. “They’re manipulative. You also know that. They don’t win you over with kindness unless they’re getting something out of it.”

“That’s a little harsh,” Ralph said.

“Maybe. But think about it. Cillian doesn’t pretend to be your best friend. But Soren’s so friendly and I don’t buy it. That makes him more dangerous.”

I glanced down at my can. That uneasy feeling stirred in my gut again. Georgia wasn’t wrong. Cillian never hid his sharp edges.

We were in the middle of Georgia's conspiracy theory breakdown—something about vampire infiltration being a slow burn—when a smooth voice suddenly cut through the air.

“Didn’t think I’d find someone up here.”

We nearly died.

Ralph actually sputtered on his beer, Georgia stiffened like she’d been caught gossiping in church, and I—well, I froze with my can halfway to my mouth.

Soren Crowe stood by the rooftop door, leaning against the frame like he wasn’t the least bit surprised to catch three employees badmouthing him like he was a reality show villain. The breeze played with his loose button-down, sleeves casually rolled, top two buttons undone.

“Mind if I join?” he asked, already walking toward us before anyone could answer.

Ralph scrambled, ever the peacemaker. “Uh, want a beer?”

“Sure,” Soren said easily, catching the can Ralph tossed him with one hand like some damn vampire jock.

Georgia gave him a tight-lipped smile but didn’t say a word. She looked like she was debating whether hurling herself off the rooftop would be less awkward.

Then Soren turned his smile to me. “Good to see you again here, Matilda.”

I could feel Georgia’s eyes dart toward me. Ralph’s jaw actually fell open a little as he mouthed, “Again?” at both of us.

I cleared my throat. “We, uh, bumped into each other in the lobby earlier. You know, just...on the way up.”

Soren caught my subtle side-glance, and to his credit, didn’t skip a beat. “Brief but memorable,” he said, smiling like he knew exactly how to cover for someone.

Georgia looked suspicious. Ralph looked intrigued.

Soren popped open his beer and glanced around at the view before casually tossing out, “This place is definitely different from VLM Magazine. A whole other atmosphere.”

Ralph blinked. “Wait—you’re from VLM Magazine?”

Soren took a long sip from his can, then leaned back against the railing. “Yeah, I worked with VLM Magazine for a while—runway projects, mainly. It was intense but exciting. Then I quit to go on a cruise and do a little soul searching.”

Ralph blinked. “You cruised out of fashion?”

Soren chuckled then added, “Though in hindsight, soul searching was probably a stretch. I mean, I’m a vampire. Do I even have a soul?”

Ralph burst out laughing, clearly charmed. “Man, you’re a trip.”

Soren tipped his can toward him. “Cheers to eternal self-awareness. I do have a soul, by the way.”

I cracked a smile despite myself. Soren was definitely the kind of guy who could walk into a bar and walk out with three best friends and a free drink.

Georgia, however, was not buying it.

“Hm,” she muttered. “A vampire who jokes about being a vampire. That’s not suspicious at all.”

Soren raised a brow. “Would it make you feel better if I brooded silently in the corner instead?”

“No,” Georgia said flatly. “That’d just make you more suspicious.”

I nudged her knee gently, but she didn’t budge. Georgia had a gut about people, and right now, her gut was clearly waving a red flag.

Before I could say anything to lighten the mood, my phone buzzed. The alarm lit up my screen: Cillian’s Date with Torrence – 7:00 PM

Shit.

I stood up abruptly, clutching my can like I’d forgotten it was there. “I’ve gotta go.”

Ralph blinked. “So early?”

“Yeah. Stuff. Busy stuff. Very boring, responsible adult things,” I said, backing away with the grace of a possum caught in headlights. “Anyway, enjoy the beers. Bye!”

“I was just starting to feel like part of the crew,” Soren said, tilting his head.

I forced a smile. “Next time.”

His eyes flicked to mine for a moment longer than necessary, but he didn’t stop me again. Just nodded.

And then I bolted like someone with something to hide.

Because, well, I did.