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He didn’t deny it He didn’t try to defend or justify anything she said He let out a slow exhalation His jaas set and rigid, his aura unco "Whenever you’re ready, I’ll take you home to your family’s Darkhaven"

"No, don’t bother You’re not responsible for me, remember? I’ll find rabbed her ar beneath the resolve in his dark blue eyes "Letit to you"

"Melena"

She wrenched out of his loose grasp "Good-bye, Lazaro"

This ti, as she stepped around him and walked out the door

CHAPTER 11

An hour later, Melena sat woodenly in the passenger seat of the Order’s SUV as it rolled up to her fa brownstone should have been a welcoht in so many ways, yet all she felt was sorrohen she looked at it through the tinted glass of the vehicle’s

Sorrow that she’d never hear her father’s voice inside the house again Sorrow for the pain her brotherhe’d lost not only his father but Melena as well She didn’t want to i the sole blood kin of Byron and Frances Walsh, both gone now

And yes, Melena felt sorrow for herself too Because instead of facing all of these heartaches with Lazaro’s strong arms around her and his love to hold her up if she cru it alone

"I’m ready," she murmured, more to herself than the Breed male behind the wheel

Lucan and Gabrielle’s son, Darion, put the vehicle in park and turned a sympathetic look on her "I’ll walk you inside, Miss Walsh"

"No" She shook her head, warentlemanly as he was attractive "Thank you, but that’s not necessary My brother won’t be expecting ine it will be easy for him when I walk in the door and he sees that I’m alive I’d rather do this on ave her a nod The dark-haired Breed th of a born leader "But I’one inside"

She reached over to touch his large hand "Thank you"

Melena climbed out of the vehicle and headed up the ay toward the front door It was unlocked, the soft light in the vestibule a warood-bye to Darion As the black SUV rolled away, she took a steeling breath and closed the door behind her