he sound of

e my room-

the lamp from the nightstand. The moment I flicked

dow, completely sti

ng in here?" I snapped, vo

k-in attempt. North side of the estate.

ed. "And you c

en people's lives

aw something unguarded in his expression. Some

g the lamp. "You can go back to

e raked

p. Loose shor

at I felt in the air wa

our balcony doors,

"Then how would you

rned me

he said, "I

he

g it took my pulse

ld've be

woman woul

leep, weapon in hand, ready to

hake. She di

ire in fr

he one who walked aw

ext M

led the grounds. The intruder hadn't breache

ymb

pped in blood, nailed

zed it im

rlatti

f they were resurfacing now-it meant

t spoken to m

ed into the atrium

moving closer before he

," he

You're hidin

otectin

ping me

. Someone's testing the perimeter. It's not a

arms. "So I'm

one. Now you're ju

ds chil

se they w

they w

answers, an

ause I

truth anyway-and better it came

he surpr

sked questions. Instead of

each me," she

eyebrow. "Te

rvive in y

wouldn't survive one n

her chin.

me-I wa

t to tr

Claim her. Taste t

, I wal

I ever to

ldn't

t N

in the tra

s bra, and a look that da

knife from th

footwork, clums

t yourself

l he

de gently, and replaced it wi

oved beh

hands on

her s

rmured. "Every movement means somethin

eath h

elt

did

was charged

d to adjust her grip, my

idn't

her

helping me?"

nt to bury another

then-slow,

were inc

een us," she sai

d at he

" I whi

n I kis

a

rld fe

gry, like he'd waited years to

ed him

were. Because for one second, the

th

lled

st. To

change anyth

hat, the wall s

s still bur

my h

ready a b