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"You can go back to your own aparts, too, and a uard to keep it that way"

"Why?" she asked "Why go to al this trouble when there’s nothing I can offer you in return?"

Shadows outlined his wide jaw and accentuated the high ridge of his cheekbone He atching her with a hint of sadness in those black eyes "I know you’re scared, but I hope that you’l figure out you can trust ive in to the hope she heard in his voice He wanted her to trust hi, but she knew better He was only one man He couldn’t possibly protect everyone she cared about, and even if he puled in whatever resources were at his disposal, Lana couldn’t bring herself to trust them Too many lives were at stake Al she had to do was keep her mouth shut and everyone would be okay

She just had to pretend a little longer and Kara would go away

Lana looked away, feigning interest in an older couple getting into their car a few yards away The little old man opened the door for the little old lady and tucked her into the seat as if she were the most precious treasure on earth

She wondered if they kne lucky they were to have each other

"There’s nothing to trust you with," she lied "I wish I could help you, but I don’t knohat it is you want me to do or say"

His expression hardened, and she saw that faint hope in his eyes die "Would you feel safer in a hotel, or would you rather go home?"

At hoo ho?"

"I’h"

"Okay, then I’l go houess"

Lana realized with a shock that it was true She did trust his when he said so Maybe it was foolish to trust so easily, but she couldn’t see in over her head with Caleb, even as she feared it was already too late

Grant was sitting outside Lana’s aparted to avoid getting the two of theether earlier today because she’d been stuck on the phone, but now there was no reason not to introduce her to his wo to sit by while Grant seduced Lana with his char smile or whatever it was about hi off at every turn

If Lana’s panties were co it

Grant unfolded his lean body fro toward the, lean muscles rather than the heavier bulk of Caleb’s build They’d been friends for nearly a decade, and Caleb would do anything for theexcept let him have Lana

Theys his hand out for her to shake

Lana gave Caleb a questioning glance as if to ask if Grant was safe Caleb wanted to hesitate, to give her just a hint of a reason to keep her distance, but he just couldn’t do it Not to Grant The man had puled his ass out of more fires than he cared to reiving Lana a reassuring s the words back the moment they left his lips

Lana took his hand and Grant did that just-hold-it thing that seemed to make wo off as stalker material, but he did Every damn time "I’m Grant At your service"

Caleb waited for the slow smile of feminine approval to dimple her cheeks, but it never came Instead, she puled her hand back as soon as was polite and took half a step nearer to Caleb

He felt like he’d just won the freaking lottery That smal show of trust orth rin Grant shot hiht?" asked Grant

Caleb had told Lana he was going to stay with her, but he hadn’t actualy explained to her that heout in the car waiting for her nightmares to strike If she had another bout of bad dreaht there He owed her that et hi to leave her to suffer alone

Lana licked her lips in a nervous gesture, and Caleb felt that lick al the way to his toes Wanting her and not being able to have her wasn’t pleasant, but it sure was easy As easy as breathing

"Yeah," answered Caleb before Lana had a chance to argue

"The place is spotless, so feel free to doyou knohatever"

Caleb knew exactly hatever was, and there wasn’t going to be any of that going on Stil, Grant didn’t need to know that "Good night," said Caleb