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He ignored her muttered sidebar

"You’ve been outed, rel Jinn on the loose with a child that has the potential to resurrect the Dark Lord" He cupped her face in his hands, holding her gaze as he sought to make his point No matter how ruthless he had to be "There’s nowhere you can hide the baby that it will be safe"

Fear flashed through her eyes before she was stubbornly hiding it behind her ready temper

"If there’s nowhere safe then ould the vauess?" Her eyes narrowed "As soon as I’h to reveal where the baby is hidden you’ll turn the both of us over to the Coe deal?"

"Youwith fire," he warned, his voice soft

"Just the opposite" She knocked away his hands "All I want is peace and quiet and a place where I can keep the baby safe"

He clenched his teeth He wouldn’t let that hint of wistful yearning tug at his heart "An impossible dreae to provide us with a home I’m not helpless"

His lips twisted in a humorless s to turn a blind eye to the dangers that stalk you I’ll bet e are in search of the child"

Without warning she turned on her heel and paced across the office, her beautiful features set in lines of gri for me," she corrected "I’m the only one who can touch the baby They need ht there, Laylah"

She glanced over her shoulder "What?"

"I’nize that expression"

She abruptly returned to her pacing "I don’t knohat you’re talking about"

With a blinding speed he was across the roo her around so she wouldn’tsome insane scheme and I won’t allow it"

"Won’t allow it?" The air filled with dangerous prickles "I ought to fry you just for being an arrogant ass"

"And I ought to lock you in the nearest dungeon" With an effort he loosened his grip on her ar tothe pleasure of zapping hi delight of trapping hih to lead Marika and Sergei away," she at last broke the silence "Once they’ve lost ood"

His power blasted through the roo priceless first editions off the shelves and hts flicker

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

She paled, but held her ground "I’ll admit it’s not the best plan …"

"It’s a suicide mission and you know it," he snapped

"There’s no need to be sotime"

"Shit ass luck that’s bound to run out eventually"

She sucked in a furious breath as she surged onto her tiptoes and stabbed a finger into the center of his chest

"I wasn’t asking your perrasped her arlare

"Then obviously you’ve forgotten you’reanywhere"

"Don’t you have that backward?" she ground out, drowning him in the delicious sensation of heat and furious wo the hell out of hi deep into her body was searing into his brain "You’re in o"

He claimed her lips in a kiss of blatant ownership "Checkmate"

Her lips softened in a brief ainst his chest

"Tane …"

"No Laylah, you won’t be charging off alone" He returned her feet to the fancy carpet, but he held onto her arood choices Not so long as the Coer What he needed was time to convince the damned Oracles this female was not a threat Andherself killed before he could do it "There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t follow"

She frowned at the harsh warning in his voice "Why?"

"I don’t know"

Chapter 12

It was his siher brain functions

I don’t know …

She could return the sentiment

The damned vampire had her so twisted in knots she didn’t know if she was co

One minute she wanted to zap him into a little pile of dust and the next she wanted to back his to his hard, perfect body