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“Let go of me, Ben Now”

Ben’s jaw tightened Before our captivity at The Shade, I would’ve done anything he asked of ed us both

When his grip on me didn’t slacken one bit, Derek took a step forward “You heard the lady” His deep, baritone voice took on a threatening tone

I stared pleadingly at Ben, hoping that he wouldn’t try Derek’s patience Do you not realize that you don’t stand a chance against him?

Over the past few days since Derek forced Claudia – Ben’s mistress at The Shade – to turn Ben over to his custody, I sa Derek took great lengths to at least be polite toquite the stubborn fool, had done nothing but shoot cold and accusing glares at Derek I’d been on edge trying to keep theotistic young men

I spoke o, Ben”

He let go, but the pointed glare he sentin “Don’t even think about staying” The words caht shake of his head

“Sofia…” Derek spoke up as if to remind me that his opinion mattered too

“I need time to think” The words carowl

“Now?” Ben protested

“There’s no time for that” Derek seconded

Finally! You two agree on soround and raised a brow “Well, then make time”

They exchanged glances for ahow helpless both of them looked A small smile threatened to creep over my face Who ohom now?

I found it ironic that it was Derek who first relented I was still ive in to me After all, of the three of us, he was still the one holding any real power He could simply decide that neither Ben nor I could leave and that would be that

Still, he gave in His blue eyes softened the moment they landed on me He nodded and said, “Fine, but not here”

He then scowled at Ben before possessively laying his hand on the s me forward

“Unbelievable…” Ben gru his hands into the air as he followed after us

Weour way past large rocks and wild bushes My brain took note of every single detail of the hidden paths that led us froet s The quiet rustle of our shoes over the twigs beneath us, the ocean waves nearby and our soft, even breathing were the only sounds filling the air The natural scent of the trees surrounding us and the sea nearbyentle heaving of his chest and the feel of his ar my waist

My heart ached at the idea of never again being as close as I was to him at that moment

“We’re close,” he eventually spoke up

I snapped to attention The port had been in sight even before we stopped to talk back in the woods However, now that we had cli, I found h, rocky cliffs

“What the hell is going on?” Ben said

“I don’t understand” I eyed Derek questioningly as I looked around “Where’s the port?”

I tried to slon, but Derek kept

“Hey, your highness…” The acerbic sarcas us?” He used both hands to push Derek and me apart

I stumbled aside at the force of Ben’s e When the prince of va Ben to keel over and die just fro

I was iuess he didn’t care that Derek was perfectly capable of breaking every bone in his body My best friend was never one to back down froht, and it seemed he wasn’t about to start now

I couldn’t re around so much testosterone, but I could feel the blood drain froe toward Derek – and said, “We’re headed for nowhere, vampire”

I was torn between forever ad some sense back into hi, Ben? Are you intentionally trying to get yourself killed?