Page 21 of Forbidden Access

Thorn didn’t know what to say. She’d been so focused on his past crimes that she’d missed the bigger picture.

“After eleven months of fighting, things started to settle down. The government pulled me out and put me to work repairing the phone network.”

“I had no idea,” she murmured, still reeling from the revelation.

“It wasn’t in my file because I’d disappeared after Rebecca left. No one knew where I was. I didn’t use my passport, didn’t take anything that could trace me back here.”

Thorn was impressed despite herself. If anyone could disappear, it was him. “And you stayed? Why?”

Damian looked at her, his gaze intense. “Once I saw what they were fighting for, I couldn’t leave. The fight for democracy is still going on in Syria, and the good guys are finally winning. I keep in touch with my friends there. They’re building something new, something better. How can I regret being part of that?”

Thorn felt a pang of guilt. She’d been so quick to judge him, to label him as the bad guy, when in reality, he was far more complex than she’d given him credit for.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“For what?”

“For misjudging you. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

Damian stepped closer, his voice a low rumble. “Maybe we can work together now, instead of against each other.”

Her mouth went dry. The way he was looking at her made it hard to think, hard to breathe. She’d been so intent on disliking him, but now… now she wasn’t so sure. Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded.

He leaned in, dipping his head as if to kiss her. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to move, to step back, but she couldn’t. She just stood there, heart pounding, waiting.

“Come in, Thorn.”

The voice in her earpiece jolted her back to reality. She jumped away from Damian as if she’d been burned. What the hell was she thinking? This insane attraction to him was dangerous, irrational. He was her principal, the man she was supposed to protect, not someone she should be fantasizing about.

“Yeah, I’m here,” she replied, trying to steady her voice. “Go ahead, Anna.”

Damian’s gaze remained locked on her, his expression unreadable.

“We’ve neutralized the threat. You can come out now.”

“Okay, great.” She nodded at Damian, who moved to open the heavy door. “Thanks, we’ll be out in five.”

As Damian held the door open for her, he caught her arm, his grip gentle but firm. “I’ve never told anyone that before. Please don’t repeat it. I don’t need the added complication.”

“I won’t.” She hesitated, meeting his gaze. “I’m glad you told me.”

His voice was a deep rumble. “So am I.”

CHAPTER 8

“It was loaded with explosives?” Damian stared at Hawk. They stood under the cover of the open garage, a space filled with Damian’s collection of high-end toys and vehicles. The reality of the threat hadn’t fully hit him until now.

“Yeah. We shot it down over your field, and it detonated in the air.”

“Holy shit.”

“They’re getting desperate,” Thorn murmured.

Hawk nodded grimly. “We’ve boosted security around the property and have shooters poised to take down any more drones that might come our way.”

Damian ran a hand through his hair, trying to process the situation. “I can’t believe this. Alek actually tried to kill me.”

“Aleksandar Markov?” Hawk asked, his voice tense. “The arms dealer?”

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