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I stood, staring at her--transported back to the day I’d brought her back to the Covenant and seen what lay beneath the gris sucker-punched me

Alex was beautiful--flawless--to me

Her lashes lifted Our eyes locked, and a sweet flush crept across her cheeks My gaze dipped to her parted lips and a very different kind of hunger stirred Before I knehat I was doing, I crossed the roo for her

Alex darted back, her knuckles bleaching white Confusion shot across her face as she sucked her lower lip between her teeth Anxiety rolled off her as she stared back at? She was… afraid of me--afraid of her Master I cursed

She ju

I’d never hated ave her space "Stay here I’ll find you some clothes"

"Yes, Ma--"

"Don’t call me that" My tone was harsher than I intended and I worked to soften it "Calllanced over my shoulder My brows furrowed She stood in the sa the robe and eyes on the floor as if it was so?

Then it struck"Alex…"

"My na her carefully When I was sure she kneas beside her, I cupped her elbow "You don’t have to stand here You can do whatever you want, Alex--Alexandria Sleep Or watch TV" I nodded at the flat screen in the corner as I led her to the bed "You can do as you wish Okay?"

Sitting down, Alex nodded and watched ht?"

"Of course," I assured her She kept glancing around the roo at all I proain "Okay, Ma…" She flinched "Okay, Aiden"

It didn’t take s were still in the room next to mine Marcus had already checked in, then disappeared back downstairs, and now Deacon hovered by the door

Gathering up Alex’s clothes, I faced ainst the doorfraht it, as expected, but it worked" I sat on the ar "She’s… she’s not like she was"

"As in she’s not Evil Alex…?"

I shook my head "She’s… just not--it’s only teether "That bad, huh?"

"I didn’t say it was bad"

He arched a brow "I know you, Aiden Your disappointment--in yourself, not Alex--is written all over you It’s practically dripping frorubby?"

"You’re kind of gross Might want to think about shaving, too, unless you’re going for the ho laid"

I laughed and stood "I’ll keep that in enuine smile, one that was so rare on oing to be okay, right? I mean, someone will find a way to break the connection and she’ll be snarky-but-not-hoood humor vanished A crack broke my control, shattered the weakened wall around me "Gods, I hope so, Deacon I can’t…"

"Live without her?"

Turning away, I didn’t answer because there was no need "Has it always been that obvious?"

"Honestly?" Deacon laughed "I knew you had a thing for her and her for you from the moment you came back from Atlanta and bitched me out To me, it was obvious, but only because I know you It’s funny, because she’s a half, but in a weird way she’s perfect for you, don’t you think?"

I smiled weakly "Yeah, I think so"

There was a pause and then he asked, "Even if all of us od-zilla on the world and she goes back to Teaet your happily ever after?"

"We’d leave That was our plan It would work Apollo owes us"

"No shit?" He sounded incredulous, not upset "You’d give up being a Sentinel? Run off and try to live as ealed into tell you We’d work so out so that you and--"

"Dude, I know you’dseveral times "Damn, Aiden…"

"What?"

"It’s just… , I’reat It’s love--the real kind you make sacrifices for The kind where you scream ‘screw it’ to everyone else That’s envy-worthy"