“Excuse me. I should have a word with Amaury,” John said, in a clear attempt to escape the conversation.

Blake didn’t stop him. If he lost the woman he loved, he wouldn’t want to talk about it either. The only reason Blake knew about John’s loss was because Cain had informed the Scanguards management team about the tragedy at the time of John’s transfer four years ago.

Suddenly standing amidst the crowd by himself, Blake turned and searched for Lilo.

But before he found her, Wesley and Samson came toward him. Samson nodded to him, then jerked his thumb at Wes. “Wes said you’re supporting him in this cockamamie idea of going after these Stealth Guardians, of whom we really know nothing at all.”

Blake nodded. He’d made a deal with Wes and he would keep up his end of the bargain. “If anybody can find them and possibly hammer out an alliance, then it’s Wes. I have confidence in him. We need to do this.”

Samson looked between him and Wes, and grimaced. “So you guys have decided to pull in the same direction this time. Well, then, I guess I don’t have a choice.” He addressed Wesley directly, “I want you to take all possible precautions when you attempt this. We don’t want to lose you.”

Wes grinned triumphantly. “You won’t. I can’t wait to tell Haven.”

“Tell me what?” Haven’s deep voice came from the side.

As Wes dragged his brother to another corner of the room, Samson came closer.

“I’m very proud of you,” Samson praised. “The threat is contained, and we’re safe again.”

“For now,” Blake conceded. “What are we gonna do with Ronny?”

“A difficult decision. The two surviving members of Norwood’s gang are on their way to the facility in Grass Valley, and they won’t be out for many years. Luther will make sure of that.”

Luther, who was bonded to Katie, Wesley’s sister, had once been an inmate of that same facility. After he’d been released, he’d subsequently broken back into the prison to follow a lead on a kidnapping, and the council had decided to hire him to improve prison security. He now divided his time between the penitentiary and Scanguards.

“But Ronny is a different case,” Samson continued. “I haven’t decided yet what to do about him. He showed remorse and helped us in the end. However, he’s also the one who knows the formula of the drug and how to produce it. The same thing could happen again.”

“It’s a difficult decision. Luckily, I’m not the one who has to make it,” Blake replied.

“Yeah, the perks of being the boss.”

“Wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.” Blake paused, motioning in the direction of Hannah, who was currently chatting with Roxanne. “Or in Hannah’s. She visited Ronny in lockup last night.”

“Is she going to reconcile with him?”

“I didn’t ask.”

Samson nodded. “Well, even if she is, it won’t influence my decision. Whatever it may be in the end. We have to think of the common good. That’s our mission.”

“Yes, so many people rely on us.”

“Let’s not disappoint them,” Samson said, and smiled, before turning around and leaving.

Finally, he was free to join Lilo again. He’d barely seen her since they’d arrived at the party two hours earlier. When he finally saw her, she was being cornered by Nicholas and Adam, both talking excitedly. Zane and Portia, who’d returned from New Orleans the same day, watched with smiles on their faces.

Blake walked to Lilo and slid his arm around her waist from behind, leaning in to bring his head next to hers.

“Are these hoodlums bothering you?”

She turned her head to him, smiling. “They’re just—”

“Look what Lilo gave us!” Adam interrupted, his voice full of awe. He held up a book Blake recognized. It was a Morgan West bounty hunter novel.

“So?” He shrugged, surprised that Adam could get so excited about a book. “I mean, I read it. It’s great, but I didn’t realize you were into books. Had I known—”

“But Lilo autographed it!” Adam opened the hardcover to the title page and pointed to it. “Look! To Adam and Nicholas, lots of love, Maxim Holt.”

Blake stared at the page. Why would Lilo autograph a book by Maxim Holt? He turned her in his arms.

“You are Maxim Holt?”

She chuckled, a sparkle in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We all have our secrets.”

“Touché.” Blake shook his head. “And I was feeling bad for praising Maxim Holt’s writing in front of you. You must have had a good laugh behind my back.”

“I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

From behind them, Nicholas interrupted, “When are you writing the next one?”

She turned to look at the teenager. “Just as soon as I can get back to work.”

The words sank deep into him. Lilo had responsibilities, a thriving career, adoring fans. And she wanted to get back to work. Did that mean she wanted to return to Nebraska? Or would he be able to convince her to stay? Nothing had been decided yet. And despite the chemistry between them in and out of bed, Lilo hadn’t once said what he needed to hear. He’d confessed his love to her hours before she was taken, but she hadn’t done the same.

Was she not ready?

42

Lilo turned the light off in the bathroom and walked into Blake’s bedroom, dressed only in a short, thin nightdress. Her eyes fell on the bed where Blake was already waiting for her, sitting halfway up, his head and shoulders resting against the headboard. His chest was bare, and she knew he wasn’t wearing anything underneath the sheets either—he hadn’t in the few days that they’d spent together after her and Hannah’s rescue. Every day with Blake seemed better than the next. But she also knew that neither she nor Blake had raised the subject of what would happen now. As if they were both afraid to talk about it for fear of destroying what they had. It certainly was the case for her.

Slowly her gaze wandered up to his face. His eyes were like embers, already shimmering golden at the rim, the vampire inside him awakening. She could tell now whenever he was close to showing his preternatural side, because she’d seen him make the change many times. A week ago she’d been frightened by it, but now she welcomed it, no, hungered for it. And just like she craved his kisses, she yearned for his bite. She understood the draw now, because she felt it physically. She felt the power he had over her, a power he could unleash with a mere smoldering glance, a casual touch, or a quiet whisper. This kind of power would have frightened her not too long ago, but it didn’t anymore, because she knew she exercised the same power over him.