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"How about the co kids?" Talin’s tone was harsh "The ones you gave Max are doctored"

Santos couldn’t hide his surprise this ti, do you, Talin? You rearrange the pieces until you find a pattern I forgot that aspect of your abilities"

"Answer the question Can you get her the files or are you even more useless than you appear?"

The other man’s eyes turned assassin cold "Careful, Mr Bennett I’m not the easy prey you think I a but as far as the search goes, you haven’t given us shit Either front up or get out of it"

"These are our kids" Santos’s voice held a raw protectiveness Clay hadn’t expected "Everything we do is to keep theive me the files," Talin pleaded "You said it yourself - I see patterns Maybe I’ll see so that’ll help us find the children"

The Shine director didn’t say anything for several minutes "I’ll have hard copies couriered to DarkRiver’s Chinatown HQ by to Destroy them after you ht to catch"

Clay rose "We’ll call you if we find anything"

"I’ll give you what I can" His sophisticated mask slipped to display the ruthless interior "There are those ant to go softly, but I’ any more children die on lanced at Talin "Read the files without the blinders of knowledge Let’s see what patterns you find"

Dev waited until he was in his soundproofed rental car beforethe call "You underestimated them"

"We can’t risk - "

"Yes, we can" His hand threatened to crush the phone "Children are dying"

"We need to know if DarkRiver is secure enough to entrust with this information"

"Who are you afraid will find out?" He was an inch away froh the windshield "They already know That’s why they’re taking our children!"

Talin was irritated and tired by the ti place next to the lair She had wanted to visit Max, but Clay had nixed that idea on the grounds that they could lead danger to Max and vice versa Instead, he’d made a call on a secure line and been told that Max was unconscious but stable

Frustrated by her own inability to protect those she cared for, she struck out "I can’t believe Dev’s hiding things that ive us one crucial piece of information," Clay said, his hand on her lower back as they walked toward the lair "The Psy"

She shook off his hold Her skin reacted to his touch in ways she found disturbing - because, her bold statement to Faith aside, she wasn’t sure what the hell she wanted Only that she couldn’t lose Clay "We have no proof of a Psy link Max is a good cop - he’d have found it if it existed"

Clay pulled open the door and used the newly installed voice activation systehts "What the hell is it with you and Max? He’s fine - I’ve been injured worse and survived," he uy?"

Her heart stuttered at hearing he’d been that badly hurt, but she hid it "You’re , she headed toward the ladder "I just happen to think he’s a nice, trustworthy, considerate guy You know, I could do a lot worse!"

Clay snorted and followed her up the ladder "Nice Trustworthy Considerate," heas shoe leather"

"Maybe I don’t want exciting," she said through gritted teeth, wondering how they had ended up in this conversation Turning, she faced hierous

For the first time in days, she felt a hint of wariness Clay was tired and annoyed, too She probably shouldn’t push him The woman who had flinched at his first touches wouldn’t have Soer that woman "Normal," she repeated "I want a nice, hu-ups like licking"

Clay took a step toward her "Kinky?"

She took a step back "Uh-huh"

"Hu No sharp teeth" She made her tone so firs she had never been "White picket fence"

Clay’s eyes darkened to near black and he stopped his stalking advance "Really?"

"Really" She forced it out "I’ on the outside"