ia finally spoke softly, "

y's heart. Just as he realized his own feelings for her, he

y me, even if it means we never have children, as long as we can be together. I do care for him, but it's familial love, the bond

y ingrained. He was her cousi

heart flutter; she co

arification. Though still reeling from the emotional whiplash, one thin

tion was to make

enever she was in danger, his body reacted instincti

e very dilemma troubling Sophia. His long lashes lifted briefly, t

g instantly. The shadow on her lovely fa

e'd naturally back off," h

ws furrowed. "It's not like I

rified. "Just enough to ma

for my life right now. Who would risk playing along?" S

ed. "I'm already used to sol

e was tak

etend, her heartbeat q

ed eyebrow. "Not

I'm just surprised,"

sed?" He wa

ake on burdens." Aside from initially saving her life, everything else-accompanying

ifferent now. His feelings for her had change

woman he c

You haven't given

pread across he

iumphant smile spread acr

-

htt

nto pitch-black darkness, as if

es in black struggled on a balco

faint moonlight, they confirmed someone was asleep in bed. Immediately

ashed on

oze, blinded by

ky said with a

ove and had already move

Susan (who'd tagged along for the

ed the glass do

stabbed him before. "You still

o need to chat. Just kill them and feed them to the dogs-much simp

"Or toss them off the

e, three throwing knives shot out, each leav

his tongue. "I'll remember not to piss off Su

know," Sus

A sudden ra

ophia," Susan s

ked in. "It's them? The three w

tly. Come in-the mystery

ly wanted to know who was behind the attempts on he

ntle tone leaving no room for ref

held he

nt, the three r

"John, if you would-noses or ears, whichever. W

el. "Who wants to go first?" The cold glint in h

blade inches away. He swallowed, hardly daring to

John

," the man

belief. "Impossible!

She paid us to kill you-any me

mured, her expression clou

. Never could she have imagined Mary hiring

e her enough to

Brown?" Rocky

er strength to face the truth. "The kind of f

ed killers? She n

nymore," Sophia said, her eyes

be this painful, perhaps never

lson to escort the three men out, lea

ers, turning her to face

, took root, and began to grow. "Can

y," he sta

, pulling her into his arms-as if hoping to