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I wanted to go to her I wanted to reassure her that I was safe too, but I felt Carter besideabout them

I looked up, saw the concern in his wolf eyes, and nodded The worry disappeared, and he pointed to the office "I think Eht want to talk alone"

"Yes" I breathed

My sister nodded her agreeht away "Yes"

"Andrea--" her friend started

She patted his arht therabbed for her hand

She evaded him "Stop, Kevin This is her I want to talk to her"

"I don’t think you should be alone"

"Stop" Her eyebrows lifted in warning "I mean it, Kevin I don’t think theseyou wait outside"

He glanced around hiun to creep up to his face again, and he lifted a hand, itching the backside of his neck "Andrea, I…okay I guess"

Carter went to the office and opened the door I started to follow Andrea inside, but he held me back "One minute, please," he said to her as he shut the door

She frowned at hilanced overdistance froht of me"

"What?"

"I don’t trust you alone with her either The door can’t be locked, and I’ a weird feeling, scratch behind your ear I’ll co to attack ?’

"I don’t know" He was insistent "But I’ to risk it The Bartels killed AJ I don’t put anything past them"

"Oh" I tensed immediately "But her…"

"Emma," he said quietly His hand still heldback and forth "Just be careful, okay?"

"Okay Yeah" I pressed a kiss to his cheek "I will"

I started to step back, but he caught the back of ain One more kiss One solid touch from him to me This wasn’t about passion It wasn’t even about comfort This was a connection between us I felt his need forwithin me It wasn’t sexual It was primal It was the need for both of us to be okay My lips pressed back against hi up into his eyes

I saw a bleakness there andthat He shouldn’t feel that way, ever I touched the side of his face to reassure him