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“Why ask if you won’t take my word for it?” His tone was waspish.

She cast him a sharp glance in the vanity mirror.When he met her gaze with a challenging one, she knew he was spoiling for a fight.

Well, let him! Engaging in battle was entirely up to her, and she had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of a knock-down-drag-out.With a careless shrug,she lifted the cleansing wipe and scrubbed the makeup off her skin.

Another glance in his direction showed his expression softening.

“It was a long time ago, Dalli.”

“I heard. But two years is a mere drop in a bucket of time for a Death Dealer, isn’t it?”

In the mirror, she saw Trevor’s approach. He stopped shy of touching her, but Soleil could feel the heat of him at her back. His energy was dynamic and far-reaching.

“You shouldn’t lead Stockton on.”

She snorted. “Please don’t talk about leading people on. Not you.”

“I haven’t. We discussed it before you stepped into the shower with me.”

“True. But then don’t behave like you care at other times. Rein in the pretended jealousy act.”

“It’s not pretend,” he said as he eased her hair from its mooring and spread it over her shoulders. Threading his fingers through the strands, he massaged her tender scalp. She closed her lids in bliss. “Iamjealous. Of every look, every innocent touch, every smile you send his way. I want to use my ability to murder him slowly. Feel his soul disintegrate under my hands.”

Her eyes flew wide, and with her heart pounding out of her chest, she met his intent gaze in the mirror.

“I won’t. Not unlesshehurts you or breaks your heart, Dalli. So if you”—his jaw clenched, but he powered on—“if you decide to be with him, let him know he needs to treasure what he has.”

Trevor’s image grew blurry, and Soleil blinked away the forming tears. Clearing her throat, she shifted forward and dislodged his hands.

“Sure. I can do that,”shesaid, rummaging for another face wipe.

“I wish it could be me,” he said in a low, aching voice.

“If you wished it, you could make it so, Trevor.” She hardened her tone and her heart. “You’re your own worst enemy in the love department. Not your supposed family curse.”

He dropped his arms and stepped back, his face a cool mask. “Believe what you want, but I know the truth.”

“Sure you do. Men always know what’s best for women, don’t they?” Soleil didn’t try to disguise her mocking tone.

“What do you want from me?” he snapped. “A white picket fence and a dozen babies?”

“Yes, all women are looking for a man to impregnate them.” She rolled her eyes and shot him a look filled with disgust.“What’s wrong with a normal relationship? Someone to love you and who you love in return?”

“Do you think I can wipe all the blood of the past from my hands with a few pretty words? Killers like me don’t settle down to a normal life, Dalli. The Authority won’t let us. And when we try, someone else pays the price. Those welove.”

She faced him and gripped his hands.

“You’re not the killer you think you are, Trevor Blane.” He tried to draw away, but she held on tight. “I’ve spoken to Damian. I know?—”

“When?”

“When what?”

“When did you speak to Damian? Not while you’ve been here. You haven’t had time.”

“Well, no. It was before. When I first… when we…” She pressed her lips together and inhaled, digging up the courage to confess she’d been fascinated with him from day one. “I asked him after you dispatched Morcant. When things settled after Sabrina’s abduction and tribunal.”

Trevor frowned. His darkening expression fed her nervousness.