nity, I sat in the dead silence of the

, the city's glittering lights bled

heavy click. Familiar footsteps, weighted

t, his broad shoulders seeming to relax at the sight of me. He loo

a and leaned down to

e, I flinched, turning my he

ight jaw bunched, pulling the corne

e asked, his voice a low, gravelly h

own lips, though my chest ache

son possibly have with his mother?" I asked

rigid, and the arc of his mou

urned, I had bypassed the biometric lock on Xander's private safe-a vulnerability I

registry onto the glass co

s," I said,

roof of his deceit. His jaw clenched s

lowly straightened to his full,

se," Xander said. His voice

re built behind my eye

n-year betrothal? Why spit on the memory of my father, wh

ly. "She refused the position of a comare. An alliance h

e man I knew with the creature of cold

shing myself off the sofa to stand before him. "Was

He just watched me with

demanded. "Who is th

silent, his face

ding chest, the tears finally breaching

. "Are you afraid I'll bring a blood

ing speed. His grip was a manacle o

ed to a lethal,

touch my wife, Sienna, you will

zed. I stopp

d laced with a disbelief so profound it fe

s and grabbed his co

"Do not agitate the baby. I

of tailored wool, and start

to her?" I asked h

ooking back over

ossing a li

ated through the floorboards. A minute later, I heard the fading roar of his armor