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Could she kill Grange? That question haunted her now She had been so certain before Had convinced herself she could easily put a bullet between his eyes and never think twice Anywhere Anytime Cassie wasn’t with her now Her innocence wouldn’t be a casualty to the blood her mother shed

She turned from Dash and stared out theover the sink as he an a series of war the little cabin perfectly

A secure place, he had called it A fellow soldier loaned it out No big deal

A friend She noticed everyone was an acquaintance, a fellow soldier, part of the Forces He had contacts to hell and back, and his voice reflected his respect and often affection for each man he had talked about But he never called theave voice to the bond she could hear that tied theether They were a part of a network of honor, of dedication to each other

He had killed to save her and Cassie He had killed to save his men He had killed in the heat of battle and didn’t question the lives he had taken It was kill or be killed But he wouldn’t kill in cold blood And she was terribly afraid she could

Grange was aas he was alive he would pose a threat to Cassie He would never stop in his desire to take her Men like that didn’t stop

She sipped at the coffee, ree’s men had taken The times they had hunted her without mercy, without emotion As she finished the coffee and rinsed her cup slowly, she realized the haze of anger and pain that had filled her over theinside her

“Elizabeth?” She glanced at the reflection in the , seeing Dash behind her, staring down at her gently

She sed tightly “Does it make me a monster too, Dash?” she asked him “Am I unredeemable?”

His hands settled on her shoulders as he drew her to his chest, aze in thebefore them

“There’s nothing erous than a , Elizabeth,” he told her rather than answering her question “You feel safe in the house Everyone does They don’t think about s But hunters do They watch the s, hidden, safe, their sights trained on that set to pass by, to stop and admire the view Then they have you”

She stared back at hi here why?”

“You’re always vulnerable Everyone is And you’re se is a er to you or me, then he’s dead Period If not by your hand, then by mine Nature takes care of the diseased, baby Eventually Grange will fall, if not sooner then later When he does, there will be a dozen more monsters to take his place It’s the way of evil Always there” He drew her away froet ready, because I’ to put you on your ass”

Chapter Twenty-Two

He did put her on her ass More than once Over and over Snapping orders at her like a daeant when she didn’t ht he had explained to her