Page 31 of Forbidden Access

Christine’s lip quivered on cue, and she clutched at Damian.

Give me a freakin’ break.

Damian held her at arm’s length. “It’s only until the conference.”

“What about my things?” Christine asked, her voice trembling.

“We’ll send someone to your apartment to get them,” Hawk added.

Damian let her go. “I’m sorry, but it’s for the best, Christine.”

Thorn watched her face crumple. They couldn’t risk Christine talking to the media—or anyone else—about his fake marriage. Not only would it put her in the firing line, but it would compromise Damian too. He had to be kept safe at all costs. The FBI was counting on them to deliver him in Miami, next Tuesday. A week to go, then this would all be over.

“Let’s get her out of here,” Thorn said, when Christine looked like she might dissolve into tears again. “We can’t afford any more distractions.”

Even now, Hawk was away from his post, and the two men patrolling the perimeter had split up, one covering the front gate, the other watching the security cameras positioned around the property.

Hawk took a frightened Christine by the arm.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, turning her doe-eyes toward Damian.

He gave a tight nod. “I know. Take care, Christine.”

Thorn watched as Damian’s assistant was led from the house. Once she was gone, Thorn closed and locked the patio doors, before resetting the alarm.

“Are you okay?” Damian asked, his gaze dropping to her neck.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“She scratched you pretty bad.”

Shit, she’d forgotten about that. “I’ll go and see to it,” she said, turning to walk out of the room.

“This is my fault.” Damian’s low growl caused her to pause. “If I hadn’t led her on?—”

Thorn didn’t turn around. “Yeah, well, it’s done now. Nothing we can do about it. At least we got her before she jeopardized the entire operation.”

He didn’t respond, so she kept going toward the guest bathroom.

What a mess.

Thorn inspected the nail marks on her neck and flinched. The stupid woman had drawn blood. Hopefully, it wouldn’t scar. She cleaned the wounds thoroughly, then applied some disinfectant spray she’d brought with her, just in case.

Damian was right. This was his fault—but it was also theirs.

Christine had been impulsive and acted irrationally, but Thorn totally understood why. The poor woman had been left in the dark, not knowing how Damian felt about her. Then, when he’d suddenly gotten married, she’d fallen apart. Under the circumstances, Thorn could sympathize with her desire to find out the truth.

When she’d asked Damian if he had a significant other, he’d said nobody serious. Well, he’d forgotten to mention that “nobody” didn’t view their relationship quite the same way he did.

For Christine, it had been serious.

She’d developed feelings for Damian, and even though Thorn had suspected as much, she hadn’t realized how deep those feelings ran.

Bat-shit crazy deep.

Thorn glanced at her reflection in the mirror, feeling a pang of guilt. Her lips could still taste him; her skin felt scorched where he’d touched her.

Another line she’d crossed.

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