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Suffers with shanore He couldn’t take her, he realized like a harsh slap in the face Not here Not now Not like this, with things left unsaid and unplanned

Frustrated, he sht His body screa the separation froasped with surprise "K-Kane? What’s wrong?"

His shame rose "Sorry I didn’thad stopped, Disaster cal

"Did I drain you and not realize?" she asked

"No" Re her, he lay down "The de up" Despite the pain of unsatisfied lust, there was no underlying ache--but there was a surprising underlying wave of contento to my room now," she said hollowly

Orhere That’s not up for discussion"

"You don’t get to decide what’s up for discussion and what’s not" Her voice had a bite to it

"I do get to tie you to the bed if you even think about leaving"

She closed her eyes, hiding the anguish he’d just gli! One second you’re all overaway I shouldn’t have kissed you, I aded In fact, they’re worse I asked if you planned to marry Synda and you refused to answer"

If the situation had been different--if he planned to marry Synda for any reason other than to save Tink--he would have agreed "I thought it oing through with the e to Synda, and yes, it was still an option, but just then, with Tink’s taste in hishim, he kneasn’t an option he would ever be able to take "I rong"

He would think of soht on the bed railing and now fell into his eye He hissed

Kane tilted back his head and poked around until he found and removed the tiny sliver

Hatred for Disaster burned thatyou’re sure of?" Tink asked quietly

He was sure he was tired of pretending Tired of thoughts and irl "I’m sure we both need some rest" Before Disaster caused her harm "We’ll talk about this later"

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

"GUESS WHAT? IT’S LATER"

Kane looked around Josephina stood at the side of the bed, surrounded by the sa white mist he’d seen in the dark alley beside the club "Did you project yourself into ht next to me?"

Wait She was next to him, wasn’t she?

He patted the space beside hih, the heat of her caressed his hands

She raised her chin, probably trying for haughty but only uilty?"

"You’d already be over leam danced in her eyes "You would not spank e me on this topic?"

She held up her palms and backed away fro like that"

He laughed and waved her back, the sense of being carefree astonishing him "Why not just talk to me in person?"

"Three reasons I’ht now And Disaster can’t hurt me here"

"Way to bury the lead," he said with a smile "Who else have you invaded like this?"

"My ave me the ability forever, I accidentally took it a few times"

Curious, he said, "Why not use it with others?"

"There’s no one in this realm I want to talk to, and no one ants to talk tomy heart "Well, don’t invade anyone else" He didn’t like the idea of her being this intiue "Whatever you say, Dad"

He tsked, sitting up "Careful That’s an invitation to a guy like me"

"What is? The action or the insult?"

"Both"

She opened her mouth, and he suspected--hoped--she meant to issue a verbal invitation But all she said was "Kane?"

The muscles in his stos over the side of the bed

"There’s so to ask you" She paced in front of hih hi"