Page 39 of Betrayal and Vows

Lena throws open her bedroom door, bitching about wanting privacy. I follow her and slam it shut.

Then she spins around, fear in her eyes. I go to her, grabbing her arms and checking her over for marks.

“You’re shaking.”

She stiffens. “I’m fine.”

“Like hell you are. Did someone say something?”

“No.”

“Did he?”

“No.”

But her voice is too thin, too tight. She’s terrified.

I force myself to take a step back. “Did they find out?”

She hesitates.

“No,” she whispers. “But… I think they suspect.”

My jaw ticks. “Then you need to be more careful.”

“I was careful?—”

“You weren’tcarefulenough. You slipped your guard in public.”

“I didn’tknowyou were going to be there.”

“Exactly. That’s why it was dangerous.”

Her mouth opens like she wants to argue, but I cut her off.

“And for the love of God,” I murmur, leaning in just enough for my voice to wrap around her. “Stop looking at me like you want to climb me.”

Her eyes go wide.

“Someone’s going to notice.”

“I—I’m not?—”

“You are.”

She flushes. Pink blooms high on her cheeks.

I want to kiss those pretty blossoms. Run the pads of my thumbs across her face.

Nibble on her earlobes like I know she loves.

Mark her where no one else can see.

But I can’t.

Not here. Not when the wrong glance could get us both killed.

I step back. She sways slightly like the absence of my body from her personal space weakens her.