Page 19 (1/2)

Sophia didn’t say anything to Max until they were in the car heading out fro "Does it bother you?"

"What?"

"Being thought of as less because of your hureat deal Max orth far more than any other man she’d ever met

But he shook his head, his lips curved in a distinctly satisfied smile "Nikita felt the need to point out my humanity because she’s been forced into a position where she has to rely on a measly human That has to bite"

"It’s an irony, is it not?" Sophiaof connections, of mothers and fathers "She’s one of the most powerful people in the world, her net worth in the billions--and yet she doesn’t have a single person in her life whom she can trust not to thrust a knife into her back"

"She made her choices" Max had no sympathy for a woman who’d disowned her child He knew exactly how bad that had to have hurt Sascha

When Sophia didn’t say anything, he glanced at her "What about you, Sophie? Who do you trust?"

Her answer rocked through him "You’re the only person I’ve ever told of e, isn’t it?" His voice came out harsh, raith emotion

"What?"

"That the two people Nikita chose to work this case are both people whose mothers threw them away" It couldn’t be a coincidence, not with the resources Nikita had at her disposal

Sophia’s organizer flashed at that moment "Nikita’s lab techs have done a first-look analysis of the forensic data--the blood on the mirror was the victi to either Chan or Nikita’s other es he held in his home office No unexplained or suspicious DNA in the bedroom"

"That was fast"

Sophia’s ansas practical--and said a thousand things "She’s a Councilor"

"H restaurant, he turned off the engine "It’s almost half past two You can tell me about Pure Psy over lunch" Froroup sat in dia business alliances with the other races--but he needed to know ht be part of their arsenal

Sophia didn’toverheard"

"Takeout it is, then" He wanted nothing more than to be alone with her, to take the next step in this strange courtship of theirs "What do you want?"

"It matters little to me"

Max had already slid back his door, but now he paused and looked at her, realizing how far she’d retreated within herself, her expression so remote he kneas a front, meant to hide the vulnerable truth "Damn I’m sorry" Every protective instinct he had, awakened to quiet, intense life "I didn’t think about it"

"It’s alright" Those night-violet eyes held a surprise that rubbed those sa you need to think about"

That she’d say that after the unspoken depth of this connection between the her into a hard, hot kiss--renore But he couldn’t touch her, not yet "Yeah," he said, "I do" Because slowly, inexorably, she was beco histo watch over, to know

A wash of shadows in that stunning gaze, a silent indication that she’d heard the e behind the words "Thank you"

Such a polite state so much emotion "Don’t worry," he said with a slow s with suspicion, "I intend to takethe car to her sharply indrawn breath, he headed into the restaurant The buzz of huy surrounded him from every side--voices rose and fell in ani the huetic glance over her shoulder Another patron alot off a stool around the island that surrounded the chefs in their open-air kitchen

Ignoring what for him were distractions, but would for Sophia be a s the built-in pad on the counter