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Aidan laughed "He’s too hotheaded for a desk assignment I asked him once why he joined the Elite He said it was his first love and the rest was just a hobby"

"Soine drew both of their gazes to the road Just beyond the chain link fence that marked Stacey’s property, a black sedan with dark tinted s cruised slowly along then turned into the driveway

The screen door opened and the girls exited the house backwards, balancing small desert plates atop each hand Both lances in their direction

"Who is that?" Stacey asked, noting how both Connor and Aidan see vehicle

Aidan stood and glanced at her, frowning "You don’t recognize the car?"

She shook her head

"Get in the house," Connor ordered,to stand between her and the visitor

For aout that she wasn’t one to be ordered around In the end, she stepped around Connor and set the two slices of pie she was carrying on top of the two-by-four railing

"It’s my house," she pointed out "Whoever it is wants to see me Or they’re lost Most likely lost, because--"

"I’ve got this, Cross," Connor interjected darkly

"You take care of Lyssa"

Stacey fell silent as Aidan leaped to his feet and pushed Lyssa roughly into the house

Connor caught her ared her back behind him as the car rolled to a stop and the rear driver’s side door opened Stacey swatted at hi it annoying Toowas too h to put Angelina Jolie out of a job unfolded froreen eyes like Stacey, but unlike Stacey, she was tall and ith the defined eous--

blessed with perfectly syray sleeveless tunic and loose-legged pants, her gar when he arrived on Lyssa’s doorstep

"I have no idea who that is," Stacey said

"Captain Bruce," the wo in a way that made Stacey’s skin crawl She had the same accent that Connor and Aidan had, which only increased Stacey’s unease

"You know her?" Stacey asked, heart sinking No way could she compete with a worim tone of Connor’s voice didn’t help settle Stacey, like she would have thought Yeah, she was glad he wasn’t happy to see Rachel, but on the other hand, drama scenes were not her cuppa tea

"Look hoeetly you protect your hu the top of the open car door "I always said the need for sex was a weakness unique toabout?" Stacey od! You’re notat her "To her?

Are you nuts?"

"To anyone?"

"No!"

Rachel cleared her throat "Excusedrive ahead of me and I would like to ’hit the road’ as they say"

Aidan ca to Connor, then looked at Stacey "You need to colanced down at the object in Connor’s hand and corinned sheepishly "This is about the sword!"

"Sweetheart," Connor bit out between clenched teeth "Go inside the dahing "You can come with me, sweetheart I have some…

friends … ould love to meet you"

"You’ll have to kill et to her"

Rachel tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed "I know! Isn’t that delicious? As i you and Cross in the bargain aze drifted to the man in the driver’s seat He looked like a dude fro about him was even weirder than Rachel’s Cruella de Ville-vibe, even though he didn’tthe Key noould be a bit like putting the cart before the horse," Rachel said with a careless wave of her hand "So you can enjoy your unfortunate hu ’hu the other wo and nasty And the way she set Connor and Aidan on edge didn’t recohly either

"What do you want?" Connor asked,to stand by the steps as if he dared anyone to pass hie unsheathed sword in his hand, the intihly successful At least for Stacey