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“You are a , which told Sydney that his ht conclusion, but his pride si him to utter the words Wisely, she stayed silent

Finally, he conceded “Very well But there are rules”

“Indeed?”

“If you want to stay alive, youthe book to hireed with his h” And most likely the only tactic that would allow her to escape in one piece

“You don’t go alone”

Sydney thrust a hand on her hip “I’d prefer not to But who can I take without arousing his suspicion?”

A ht passed before all eyes in the room drifted to the warrior in leather with the very bad attitude

Shock bristled “I’m not here to babysit”

“Too bad” Bram’s tone was unequivocal “You tell Mathias that you h Zain and that you persuaded her to coive him the book Tell hie for the diary and some positive press This buys you credibility and Sydney’s freedom And a way to ‘accidentally’ leave the protections around his base open”

“You want me to escort her in, keep the trail to his compound cracked for you to enter, then leave?” Shock exploded

“You want me to deliver the book into a madman’s hands and walk away?” she asked

“Yes and yes” Bram crossed his arms over his chest

“I’ll take Shock’s protection But your plan has two flaws: first, it keeps the book in Mathias’s hands”

“Not at all If youit over, it will return to you If you give the book to him, then it may remain We don’t know for certain Simply use that wit of yours and make him filch it As soon as you leave, so will the book”

Clever Quite clever Braht “Fine But there’s still flaw number two: I refuse to help you unless you allow me to capture video so I can later transcast proof of Mathias’s return to ickind Do you have a s ofto do Man up”

Braoesas the sun rose, Caden burst into the bedrooned Sydney and crossed his ar, but towith authority, but his gaze wandered Good God, as she wearing? Or rather, asn’t she wearing? Having barged in before she was dressed, he stared at her body clad only in her bra and very tiny knickers With effort, he dragged his stare to her face, squaring his shoulders with deterawk

But Sydney taunted hi a bit of creamy breast One strap fell off her shoulder, and she lifted it in place with a coy smile

Caden sed He would not let her lead hi to—bloody hell, her lacy knickers were actually a thong! When she bent over to don a pair of socks, the sight of her bare backside and graceful legs stopped all thought Sydney followed up with a sly look over her shoulder

“Actually, it’s none of your business” She shoved her shirt over her head and reached for her jeans

That snapped him out of his trance “By God, wo the book to hied the first And I willthis attack and no transcasting”

“Braed “Sorry”

She fastened her jeans, grabbed her trainers, and tried to slide by hiood to hold her She was addicting, especially when she glanced up at hiht there beneath hi?”

To take that ickind To ed to

“Spit it out or let o”

If only it were that sihtened his jaw Since he hadn’t finished speaking the Mating Call, he had no basis; they both knew it His head knew that he had no claiic and put her in deeper danger His body, pride, and heart, however, weren’t prepared to give up How had one fiery woman stolen into his life and turned his world completely topsy-turvy in scarcely more than a week?

Finally, he ry came across her face“Prove it, then Kissfire She had no idea how badly he craved to know the taste of her

Last night, after hours spent searching for Anka and righting his brother’s house so he could move Lucan there, Caden had stopped by a pub in which he’d been fortunate to find temporary female colances and even two pro he’d been able to muster enthusiasm for was another ale Sydney had so invaded his mind and heart, there wasn’t rooe their situation

“Sydney I can’t,” he said with regret

“You won’t Just like you won’t finish speaking those words to an in the library”

He froze So to her And she was clearly furious

Frustration boiled over, blending with pain, uncertainty, fear for her, and the goddarowled “I won’t put you in danger, which is exactly where you’ll be if I let you join this attack Sa either of us deeper into this ical muck”

“Why not?”

“What if Mathias takes you? What if so happens and I lose you? I justcan’t”

He expected her anger, but was surprised when her face softened “What happened?”

“Happened?”

“To ic? You didn’t choose a huickind and their cause because you fear battle You’ve hardly avoided women and relationships in your past, but you’ve avoided edy made you afraid?”

Caden froze, paralyzed He shouldn’t be stunned that Sydney had figured that out, but shock thru, he wondered what the devil to say She deserved answers, but opening up the wound Westin’s death had left inside hi