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He’d already let his hunger for her trument HeJordana’s virginity last night instead of bringing her in to take her statement as he would any other witness
That was the reason he now stood outside Chase’s office, fully prepared to take whatever punishment he was due
He’d placed his own selfish wants above his greater responsibility to his brethren last night He couldn’t regret a moment of the hours he’d spent in Jordana’s bed, but the fact he’d done it in spite of the hard-won discipline he prided himself on--worse, that he pursued Jordana at the expense of his duty to his teammates--was a failure he intended to rectify by any roaned at his loss
He would call her after hiswith Chase and tell her not to expect hi to have to try to explain to her that the next time she saw him, it would likely be on instructions to collect her and hold her at the command center as a witness until the Order felt she was of no further use in their investigation
He could only hope she wouldn’t despise hi that conversation with her before she surrendered to hiht
As he berated himself for that further failure, his coe this tie
Jordana, in a red dress
A sexy, back-baring, curve-hugging, stupefyingly hot red dress
And she had to kno incredible she looked in it Posed fro room, she looked over her shoulder at the camera with an expression that was confident, provocative, utterly sensual
And ums and his already uncomfortable hard-on becaers claht around his comm unit, it was a wonder the device didn’t shatter All the air left his lungs on a ragged exhalation
"Holy Fucking Hell"
Without warning, the door to Commander Chase’s study opened
"Shit" Nathan jerked his head up, at the sa his coht, he shoved his hands into both pockets too, hoping the added bulk would conceal the very obvious evidence of his arousal
His fangs and amber-flecked irises were equally difficult to hide
"Nathan" Sterling Chase’s shrewd blue eyes hit hi The co "I reviewed the reports froht I was just about to call you in here to discuss theht, sir"
"Come in" Chase turned and strode back to his desk inside the spacious office "Close the door and sit down"
Nathan did as instructed, taking a seat in one of a pair of leather chairs on the opposite side of Chase’s desk Even though he’d arrived there of his own volition, he knew full well that this was a repri to happen
More than likely, Chase had already spoken with Lucan and the two Order elders had discussed his failing … and his fate
Nathan waited in respectful silence for his colad for the opportunity to wrestle his libido into sube of Jordana dressed in flame red silk was burned indelibly into his mind
Chase put his elbows on the surface of his desk and studied Nathan for a longwith her--and why she’syou on a secure co"
With that, Chase leaned back and pulled up Nathan’s patrol report on the touch-screen e of his desk "As I said, I reviewed the teaht Disappointing, to say the least Not only did he e to elude our sweeps and shakedowns these past several nights, but his death provides the public with a story they’ll be talking about for years A beheading in the oddary sparks "Fortunately, JUSTIS is operating in typical head-up-the-ass fashion, so they’ve officially declared it a random homicide, subject and , not tobut randoreement "Whoever killed Cass knehat it would take to end him They had to understand what he was" Chase’s mouth pressed flat "Or they are the sauess," Nathan said "The question remains, ould someone--particularly one of Cass’s own kind--want hi "I’m informed there is a witness who saw Cassian Gray just hours before his death was discovered A witness who did not seem to warrant a mention in any of the patrol reports I wouldn’t have heard about this at all if Rafe hadn’t co Seems he wanted to shield a friend, so he oled to keep his face neutral, but inside he was kicking hi to protect him Nathan hadn’t asked it of him; he would never have expected it
"Fortunately for Rafe, his loyalty to the Order won out before the breach of trust was discovered on its own, or the consequences for hilanced over at the patrol report still displayed on the ht noant to knohy this same witness isn’t noted on my patrol team captain’s report--which also wasn’t filed until daybreak thisI want to knohy one of my best men, a warrior who’s served this unit faithfully, flawlessly, for more than a decade, suddenly decides to defy protocol" Chase slammed his fist on the desk "Da me to remove you fro he had earned every bit of Chase’s fury "I can offer no excuse I failed ive ain"
Chase studied hi look Then he blew out a harsh sigh "What the hell are you doing, Nathan? Forgetting for theinvestigation for the Order, she’s also a Breeds with her? You’ve already slept with her What’s next? A to find out you’ve blood-bonded to this fehtly His lip curled, the barest hint of a snarl "All due respect, sir, but that’s none of your daot up He walked around the desk and sat on its edge, directly in front of Nathan "This won’t do You know that The stakes are too high If we’re soon to face another rising war--this tiainst an entire other race of immortals--then we can’t afford distractions And Jordana Gates is a very big distraction for you There’s too leh Chase couldn’t have known, the charge he leveled noas a direct hit to Nathan’s soul Like a tide of black water,iht breaking in through the weathered slats of the old barn’s roof where he and the other young Hunters were brought after lessons in obedience and duty had failed to teach them who--and what--they were meant to be
You are a weapon
Crack!
Effective weapons do not feel
Crack!
Effective weapons do not bend Not ever Not for anyone
Crack!
Nathan said nothing, silently working through the vivid, unexpected recollection of his conditioning He reached for the part of him that was the detached Hunter The survivor who endured hisand lived to find a better life for himself outside of that other, brutal, bleak existence