Kat drew back, slipping out of my grasp. Meeting my eyes and wearing a mischievous grin, she reached down and pulled her sweater off over her head.

Hells yeah.

Then all rational thought fled when the pants came next, along with everything else she’d been wearing. The prettiest pink swept over her body, but she didn’t duck her chin or hide from me.

Man, Kat fascinated me, every aspect of her. She was beautiful, but it went so beyond that. She was so incredibly strong, and she bore the scars of her strength like a prizefighter. She was smart and stubborn, but most of all, she was kind, and she’d given me the ultimate gift when she loved me in return.

That was the most important thing I’d always take from this.

Love was a gift.

Joining her in the buff, I wrapped my arms around her. I didn’t need to tell her that I loved her. The words were meaningless because they were spoken so much. Actions were always louder, always more potent.

I showed her.

On my knees, and then on the narrow bed, with her br**sts flush against my chest, and then I moved lower again. I wanted to do more, a whole lot more, but I hadn’t had the forethought to bring any protection from the mayor’s mansion with me, and the last thing either of us needed to worry about was a little Kat or Daemon on the way.

But like before, there were other . . . things we could do. And we did them until my senses were completely short-circuited, and I fell for her over and over again. We were greedy, pushing it until we were almost foolish in the way we felt for each other, pulling back at the last moment, and then falling over the edge together with our hands on each other and our mouths fused together.

It was perfect.

She was perfect.

And I was the luckiest guy.

When we finally left to meet up with Archer, Dawson was waiting at the exit doors, one arm over Beth’s shoulders. I really didn’t know what to say to him. Good-bye was wrong, too unforgiving. So I stopped and just stared at the two, hoping that even if we failed in the worst kind of way, my brother and his girl would go on. They’d be safe. They’d be okay.

Kat approached them first. She gave Dawson a hug and then Beth. The girl said something to her and Kat smiled in return.

I had to take a deep breath when I walked over to Dawson and clapped my hand down on his shoulder. “You’re going to be okay here.”

He leaned in until his forehead pressed against mine. “So are you.”

“You know it.”

Dawson grinned, and then he hugged me. We both knew the risks and how this could all play out. But we didn’t voice it to each other as we said good-bye. Walking away from Dawson, leaving him in the same building with the woman who’d messed up his life so badly, went against everything I knew.

But I had to do it.

I had to let Dawson take care of himself, Beth, and his child. That was his job now.

My skin itched with the need to go back when I walked out those damn doors, but I ignored it and focused ahead. General Eaton was waiting for us beside a black Explorer, the kind of car Daedalus used to roll around in.

I sort of wanted to blow that bitch up, but that wouldn’t go over well. Impulse control. I was proud of myself.

“We’ll be waiting to hear from you,” he said, meeting our gazes. “I don’t think I need to remind you guys of how important this is and what is riding on you, but if you manage to pull this off, you’ll spend the rest of your lives not worrying about any of us. I will make sure that no matter what precautions are taken in the future, you will have immunity to all laws and sanctions. You’ll be free from all of this.”

It took me a moment to process what he was saying as I met Kat’s surprised stare. Once my brain kicked back into gear, I knew what she was thinking. “Not just for us.”

The general eyed me.

“I want my family and friends to fall under that,” I told him, glancing at Archer. I didn’t know what he had planned when this was all said and done, but I didn’t care. “And I also want Kat’s family—her mom—safe from ever having to deal with any of this crap because of what we are.”

Kat’s lips trembled as she pressed them together. A fine mist covered her eyes.

“You get what I’m saying?” I asked.

“I do.” He gave me a curt nod. “I can do that for you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

There was another quick nod, and then there was no more time to hang out. I walked around the general and opened the passenger door for Kat. Whether or not Archer liked it, he was gonna be a backseat rider.

“What did Beth say to you?” I asked as I gripped the car door.

Kat smiled slightly as her gaze met mine. “She said the same thing I want to say to you.”

“That I’m awesome?”

She laughed, and that sound brought a smile to my face. “No. She said thank you.”

15

{ Katy }

“Did you know . . .” started Archer, and I closed my eyes, biting back a sigh. Here they go. Ten hours into the drive, my butt was starting to hurt and they bickered like an old married couple. “That typically there’s a speed limit on these roads?” he finished.

“Yep,” came Daemon’s reply.

“I’m just curious.” Archer was currently sitting behind us, but he might as well be in our laps. He’d positioned himself so he was right between our seats, his arms hanging off the back of them. “Because I’m pretty sure that sign over there reads fifty-five. Not eighty-five.”