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Waiting was difficult, though He’d tried to talk the Harpies into going to Chicago, had promised them a fortune, but they’d shut their door in his face He knew they didn’t wantThat, however, he couldn’t do

He loved her More than before, even

More than his war, more than his hatred for the Hunters, he loved her She was Galen’s daughter--so what Sabin carried the dee Gouldn’t aid her father She wouldn’t Sabin knew that soul-deep And yeah, he also knew that Gould be giving up a chance at a relationship with her dad to be with him, which hy he needed to prove to Gwen that he was now her family

She was number one in his life He shouldn’t have locked her away He should have trusted her, should have allowed her to fight Hell, he would have lost without her--and he would rather lose than be without her ever again

The pressure of heraway froed to his bedroo from his neck, Gwen had refused to drink from him on the bed She was seated across from him in the other recliner he’d confiscated because she’d also refused to sit on his lap

Her lips were bright red and puffy, as though she’d been kissed "Thanks," shefro as her beautiful voice drifted through his head "My pleasure"

"I can tell," she said dryly

Slowly his eyelids cracked open She hadn’t flounced to the bed as she had earlier but re just over his shoulder, deterh him What, exactly, was she determined to do? Leave him still?

"How are Aeron and Paris?" she asked

Needed to work up to it, did she? "Healing like the rest of us Thanks to you"

"Thanks to William I’d pushed myself too far and wouldn’t have been able--"

"Because of you," he interjected "You did ht harder, than anyone I’ve ever seen And you had no reason to do it and every reason not to Yet still you saved us all I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that"

"I don’t want your thanks," she said, cheeks heating Not in ery at his gratitude? She released a shuddering breath, which seeth al" Her voice cracked there at the end

And there it was He’d suspected that was co, but was still devastated by the words You can’t leave, he wanted to shout You’re mine Now and always But he,to control such a fierce soldier "Why?" was all he et out

Jerkily she hooked a lock of hair behind her ear "You knohy"

"Spell it out for me"

Finally her eyes slid to him Fire sizzled in their depths "You want to hear it? Fine You used ainst me, my secrets You hurt my sisters, forced me to hurt them and lock them away to save you You didn’t trust me and you almost died for it" She jumped to her feet, hands fisted "You alht of his death upset her most She’d mentioned it twice Hope flared inside hi her on the bed before she had time to blink As she bounced froht

Rather than struggle against hilared up at him "I could snap your neck"

"I know" Actually, this position left her vulnerable Left her wings ith Her weakness, the one he’d used against her before There’d be noher atop hiood I didn’t want you fighting Didn’t want you hurt Didn’t want you pitted against your own father"

"That wasn’t your choice"

"I know," he repeated "To be honest, I did it for me I needed to know you were safe That was stupid of ain You’re a better soldier than I’ve ever been"

Her legs straddled his waist, placing the heat of her directly above his throbbing erection He groaned, gripped her hips to keep her still