Page 31 of Crimson Bond

The truth was, hedidn’tneed me to help him obtain an audience with Sadie—especially now that the VHC had been attacked and she was more likely than ever to want to connect with potential allies. He had to realize that.

Which left only one explanation for why Reece had stuck his neck out for me. He’d wanted to protect me from Imogen. He’d wanted me withhim.

I sat on the edge of my bed, watching him move around the room. He’d brushed his teeth and showered, but he’d put his clothes back on instead of emerging from the bathroom in only his boxers as he had last night.

Too bad.I couldn’t touch but looking never hurt anyone, did it?

When he’d put his shirt back on, he hadn’t buttoned it up all the way. My eyes kept straying to the open neckline and the glimpses of chest muscle it afforded.

Wow.Was it hot in this room?

Reece glanced up, and our eyes met and held for a moment. I swore sometimes he could hear my thoughts.

“Are you about ready for bed?” he asked. “I’ll turn out the light.”

“Yeah. Okay,” I wheezed, feeling breathless.

After another long moment of searing eye contact, Reece moved to the light switch and the room went dark.

I heard the sounds of him removing his clothing and sliding under the bed covers. Not helping the breathing at all.

He was only a few feet from me, but after last night’s closeness and the tight quarters of the car for the past few days, it felt too far away. I lay there in my much-too-roomy bed and pictured him lying in his bed. In his boxers.

Apparently sleeping wasn’t going to be any easier this time than it had been last time.

His voice came out of the darkness, deep and rough and absolutely toe-curling in its appeal.

“Abbi? You awake?”

“Yes.”

“Therewasanother reason for my request to bring you along... I mean, besides just needing an in with Sadie.”

My pulse shot up to the ceiling. “There was?”

“I couldn’t leave you there at her mercy. I’m not sure you fully understand how angry she was with you for leaving.”

“I guess leaving her for her sister was pretty insulting,” I said.

“Yes, but more than that, she was worried about you forming a rival ‘hive’ of vampires.”

“She thought I was going to compete with her?” The idea was ludicrous.

“She talked about how powerful you were—about the strength of your allure.” After a beat, he added, “She wasn’t wrong.”

A tingly feeling circulated through my body. During the trip, Reece had made a few provocative remarks, but he hadn’t come right out and called me “alluring” before. Did he mean as a potential queen... or as a woman?

“I certainly don’t feel powerful,” I said honestly. “And she above all people should know I have no interest in ever becoming a queen.”

“She knows you don’t want it—now. But the potential is there. And then of course there’s the chance you could someday produce biological offspring. If you did, that would set up a dynasty in the vampire world that could never be challenged by anyone—including her.”

“Wow.” My head spun with this new information. “So then, you got me out of there because you thought she was going to kill me.”

“Yes.”

For a few minutes, I was quiet, trying to work up the nerve to ask the real question on my mind.

“Was there any other reason?”

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