NI

opinion. I had her. My patience ran out tonight. I rejected all of the eligible women my mother had practically paraded in front of me. The piercing, burning energy of Rebel was unmatched by any of them. I stood at the bar and allowed the phoney laughing and shallow chatter to wash over me as the night wore on, drowning my annoyance in wine. Then I caught sight of her. It was neither the way her shoes clicked on the marble floor, drawing attention without a word nor the dress she wore-a masterpiece of black silk that clung to her like a second skin. It was her. A predator among prey, the air changed around her. The wine glass broke

anic broke out in the gathering, and word soon got out that a foreign president had just been discovered dead. No struggle, no gunshot, simply dead. My heart pounded with a strong, possessive longing rather than fear. I snarled at Klaus, "She's not going out of this building." "Seek her out." As I forced my way through the co

he muffled sounds of panic outside, but my men searche

aught her before she could fall to the ground. I felt angry, and her body was chilly and shaky in my arms. The person who did this to her will pay a heavy price. Klaus stepped forward and stated, "She's hurt." I said, "Back off," and drew her in. I didn't need the assistance of my men, who hung around, uncertain of what to do. I refused to let anyone else touch her. Rebel's skin was pale, and her breathing was shallow. Is it poison? A substance? As I took her out of the building and into the waiting car, my mind was aflutter with potential outcomes. Klaus entered next to me, He started making calls with his phone already out.

Even today, I couldn't deny her attractiveness, but what really captured me was the fire in her eyes. Even though it had dimmed, I could still see the flickering flames that would not go out. "What did they give you?" M

nst my protective instinct. I had her. I had always had her. And I was determined to make sure she remained that way, no matter what. Other than the sound of her breathing, the night continued to be silent. I eventually fetched a moist cloth to gently remove the blood from her skin without waking her. She