IE

stretched between us l

ly sounds were the occasional clink of silver aga

dining room, her footsteps soft and respectful. S

s a call from

ped halfway

pit

h my veins. My face-already pale

ction. He gave Mrs. Gable a curt

r voice carefully neutral. "The doctor says her conditio

d my throat. I looked at Damien, my lips parting, a desperate plea already on the t

irritation crossed his face. He hated it when I looked at him

napkin, folded it precisely, an

r. We're going

eminder of my place. I never expected him to

silence, until his impatie

you wait

it. I hurried after him, my heart a

Benny White-was already waiti

re of old-world courtesy, something I was certain he had never done fo

h leather seat. He followed, settling beside me and clo

instinctively pressed myself against the door,

stared out the window, my mind c

mach. I'd always had mild motion sickne

me. He noticed the sheen of sweat on my forehead.

his voice a low command to

is expression unchanging, and the car's

a red light, barrelin

ath, wrenching the wheel

lpless against the inertia, my body lurchi

powerful arm shot across my chest and pinne

back of my head. His own body absorbed the momentum, and h

creeched

the fabric of his shirt. His scent surrounded me. I could hear his heartbeat-strong,

scaped him. That impa

rotective cage. He sat up, his jaw tight with f

e was rough, laced with

se, I saw him clearly. I saw the deep furrow between his b

d went

efenses. He hadn't calculated. He hadn't considered. He

nswer. I just