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I let him take my hand, and we join the others. They’re all laughing and talking about the games they play with the kids they protect, but I can’t focus on any of it. All I can think about is how Scar’s lips felt against mine. Every time he touches me, little sparks of pleasure rush through me. I can’t get enough of him, and it worries me. I can’t fall for this guy. He’s too intense. I don’t know much about him or his club. Until I find out more, I can’t let my heart get caught up in the magnetic pull between us.

As I scoop various salads onto my plate, Scar selects pieces of meat from a huge, steaming pile on a platter in the center of the table. Once his plate is covered with food, he turns to me.

“What can I get you?”

“Chicken and maybe a small piece of steak. Not too much.”

“That won’t be enough.” He forks several pieces onto my plate. “You need to keep your energy up.” His mesmerizing steel gray eyes sparkle mischievously.

“Okay,” I murmur, entranced.

I swear he’s looking into my soul, but maybe I’m just horny as hell. I haven’t been with anyone in a long time. Usually, I’m cautious about who I share myself with, but there’s just something about him … I want him constantly. It’s distracting as hell. I can hardly focus on anything else when he’s around. Maybe if I give into the pull, all this yearning will go away.

“So, Julia, Scar tells us you’re a nurse at Max’s school. What made you decide to become one?” Talon asks.

“I’ve always liked helping people. I like taking care of people who are in pain. If I can give them a little relief and put them back together again, then it makes me happy. I love my job.”

“We could use a nurse around here,” Matrix says.

Scar glances at him before turning his attention to me. “How long have you been a nurse?”

“Five years.”

“You must be good at it,” Reaper says. Everyone goes silent and looks at him. I forgot he was even at the table.

“I am,” I respond softly.

“Matrix’s right. We could use you,” Reaper says.

“That may be true, but after this is over, I’m returning to my job.” I bite into a piece of chicken to keep from having to talk about myself anymore. I don’t know where they’re going with this line of questioning, but I’m not going to give up my job unless absolutely necessary. Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve wanted to be a nurse. No one gets to take that away from me. I don’t care how desirable Scar makes me feel. I’ll never give up my job for a man.

Max polishes off all the food on his plate. “Can I have more?”

“You’ve already had a lot, big guy. Don’t forget to save room for dessert,” Nitro says.

“Dessert? Oh, wow. I never get dessert at home unless it’s Christmas or my birthday.” Max’s grin threatens to split his face. I’ve never seen him so excited.

“We’re making s’mores in the fire pit,” Talon says. “Nitro, want to get that started?”

“You know it.”

“He’s the resident pyro,” Talon says to me.

“I don’t want Max too close to the fire,” I say.

“We’ll keep a close eye on him. Don’t worry. We do this with other kids all the time. Nina did it the first night we stayed here, and it’s been a tradition ever since.” Talon smiles at Nina. She returns his smile before patting his hand, and there’s a motherly tenderness to the moment. I don’t know his story either, but it’s clear he loves Nina like a mother. They all do, which makes me trust her with Max.

“Come on, sweetie.” Nina gets up and gestures for Max to go with her. “Let’s help Nitro get the firepit going while these guys talk.”

As soon as they’re out of sight, Matrix leans in. “I’ve got an update on Max’s mom. Here’s what I found out so far. She got custody of the kid during the divorce, but dad gets vacation custody, which includes the entire summer. She was scheduled to attend the Paris Fashion Summer Showcase this week, so I called the conference organizers to see if they could locate her. They told me she never picked up her badge.”

“That’s strange,” Scar says.

“Now, here’s the weird part, I checked flight records, and she never got on the plane. As far as I can tell, she’s still here in Montana.”

“If she didn’t leave, then where the hell is she?” Scar demands.

“I don’t know yet. I’m trying to figure that out,” Matrix says. “I’ve got a few irons in the fire, but it’ll take some time.”