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Kara rushed into the motel roo, her breath co her, and in her line of work, that was a death sentence

She’d slipped her tail about an hour ago and stolen a car before holing up here for the night It was as safe as she was going to get for now

Marcus was angry She didn’t blame him for that She’d failed hiht he loved herMaybe he didn’t love her at al He wouldn’t kil someone he loved, would he?

This was al Lana’s fault If she hadn’t survived, none of this would have happened And she wouldn’t have survived if it hadn’t been for Caleb Stone

The two of them had ruined Kara’s life, and she wanted the left to bury No one would question her presence at the youth center She could plant the bouards were dead, Marcus would no longer be angry He’d forgive her for her failure and she’d finaly be able to go hoyhts, only this ti for her Caleb was He stood with his feet braced apart, looking like he was ready to co after her if she tried to run

She let out a weary sigh and tossed her backpack along the wal Running aasn’t an option, but neither was alowing Caleb to take over her lessons "Is Grant sick?"

she asked, striding forward The sight of Caleb in that snug T-shirt and shorts s were layered with e stand out in stark definition

"No," was al he said

Lana stepped onto the th to face hi"

"Then I’l cal one of the other o Maybe he’s sitting outside" She turned to go check, but Caleb’s hand stopped her His fingers wrapped around her arm, and the contact of his skin on hers drove the breath froled there at the end of his arm, unable to free herself, too stupid to even try

His thumb slid over her ar bundles of nerves scah her syste pile Six days without his touch had been too h

He puled her toward hio She didn’t have the wil to fight hi battle

She looked up into his face expecting hi that she hadn’t been able to walk away Instead he gave her a solemn, steady look--the same one he’d hen she’d first woken up in the hospital It wasn’t exactly pity on his face, because that she could have resisted It was so that went beyond sorrow She could see that he wanted so, but not for himself For her He wanted to save her Protect her

Lana couldn’t breathe It was tooto keep her safe even though he had no idea what he was up against It didn’t ht or even if it kiled him This hat he did He saved people

A second later, that devastating look was gone as if he hadn’t just turned her world upside down His hand slid down her aroose bu nice"

Nice? His ruthless determination to stick by her side until he wore her doas playing nice? Even when he wasn’t with her, he was nearby, watching her

She must have had one hel of a look on her face, because Caleb let out a rough laugh "I can see you finaly believe , at least"

"I don’t knohat you littering with aaa you didn’t wantherself to say the word, so she just nodded

It was a mistake to taunt him like that

Caleb leaned closer, and Lana was frozen in place Her heart was racing like a rabbit’s, knowing she was caught He reached out and swept a lock of hair behind her ear with a single finger His voice dropped low, stroking against her nerve endings like velvet "Do you realy hate it when I touch you?"

She couldn’t even nod She was too busy wishing he’d touch her again

He bent his head to her neck, his war out over her throat "Does that mean you don’t want me to kiss you?" He pressed his ue over her skin

Lana grasped his arrazed her neck while his hands slid around to her back His fingers spread wide, holding her in place "Does thatyou up over and over until you co holding her up Ribbons of sensation shot through her body, and she felt herself groet and ready for him to do just what he’d said She couldn’t reth of hi the line of her jaw She tried to turn her mouth to kiss him, but he evaded every atteed to shake her head just a little, hoping he’d felt it against his h to look into her face His eyes were black, and the signs of his own lust stained his cheeks "I’ I just wanted you to know that Ime away I won’t alow it"

Lana sed and nodded She would have agreed to al as he kissed herjust out of reach

Lana blinked in confusion and tried to close the distance, but he held her back

"Not now Not here," he said His thu her shiver His voice dipped until it was deep and so quiet she had to strain to hear "When I take you ho to make love to you until you’re too tired to think Too tired to lie"

"But what if I don’t--"

He cut her off "This isn’t a negotiation I’l et to iven me no choice I have to keep you safe, and I’l do whatever it takes Even if you can’t standI don’t know"

"No, but I canBut first, we have some work to do" He toed off his shoes and kicked them off the mat "Come on, Lana Shohat you’ve learned"