“You told some human kid?”I coughed, buying time. “He's Neph, too.”Jonathan LaGrey went rigid and his ruddy cheeks paled. I squirmed as his eyes bored into mine.“Which one's his father?” he asked through clenched teeth.“Richard Rowe. I guess you'd know him as Pharzuph.” Oh, boy. He wasn't pale anymore.“You came across the country—”“Shhh!” I warned him as people looked over. He lowered his voice to a shouted whisper.“—with the son of the Duke of Lust?! Son of a—”

“Thankfully I had to stand solitary for only one long moment before Jay came back feeling over-the-moon happy. I let his emotion drench me.“What were you and Kaidan Rowe talking ’bout?” Jay asked me. “Man, y’all looked like you were gonna rip each other’s clothes off!” I gaspedand smacked his arm, but he didn’t flinch.“We did not.” My eyes darted over to Kaidan for a fraction of a second, and though he was too far away to have heard, the wink he sent mebrought another flush to my skin.”

“Spend the night with me.” (...)“I’m tired of living like I’m not alive.” He dropped his hands from my face to grip my shoulders. “I’m bloody sick to death of it. I want one night to be alive. With you.” He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on mine.“Please, Anna. One last night and we’ll go back to being safe again. I need this. I need you.”

“Wait,” Kaidan called from behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, but kept walking. Then I felt his hand around my wrist, spinning me in a half circle and pulling me to his chest. His face was so close. He reached down and cupped my face with onewoolly hand, and wiped the top corner of my lip hard with his thumb. I flinched back. “What are you doing?” “I...” He appeared to have no idea himself. “I wanted to see your freckle.” A vulnerable tenderness flashed across his face, more painful to see than the coldness. It took every ounce of strength I had not to beg for one last kiss. As fast as his expression had softened, it was back to stone again. “What do you want from me, Kai?” “For starters?” His voice lowered to sexy, dangerous depths. “I want to introduce myself to every freckle on your body.” A powerful shiver ripped through me.”

“What are you doing?”“I...” He appeared to have no idea himself. “I wanted to see your freckle.”A vulnerable tenderness flashed across his face, more painful to see than the coldness. It took every ounce of strength I had not tobeg for one last kiss. As fast as his expression had softened, it was back to stone again.“What do you want from me, Kai?”“For starters?” His voice lowered to sexy, dangerous depths. “I want to introduce myself to every freckle on your body.”

“Would you like me to drive so you can manage your social life?” I asked. It came out much snippier than I’d intended, but he was oblivious to mytone, still looking at his newest message.“No, no, I’m fine.”“We’d better not get in an accident because you’re busy sexting and driving,” I said. He burst out laughing”

“Ready to s-snuggle?” he asked Kaidan, a slight clatter in his voice. Only Blake could joke on a night like this and get away with it.Kaidan shook his head and undressed down to his boxers, too, the tension finally shedding away from his frame. “I swear, mate. If I feel something poke me in the back. . .”Blake's laugh was dry. “I'm pretty sure my junk froze off, man, so don't worry.”