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“Uh, Trevor?”

He glanced in her direction only to see her watching Deni.

“She’s about to make a move.”

He frowned.“She’stied. How can you tell?”

“Her bonds are a glamour, to hide that she’s free, but I can feel the energy shift.”

“Keep an eye on her, Dalli.”

Dismissing the problem of Deni for the moment, Trevor shot Captain Ellis a practiced smile.“You have a problem, Brooke. May I call you Brooke?”At her cold stare, he continued.“My father, you may know him as Benjamin Blane, isn’t likely to be taken alive. He doesn’t play well with others. Also, my brother, Simon, the other person dear Agnes had abducted, is FBI.Thiswon't end well if he’s not returned home immediately.”

“The FBI knows better than to involve themselves in Authority affairs,”she stated briskly.

“No. I mean, it’s not going to end well when I lose my shit becausehe’snot returned home immediately,”Trev said in a patently false pleasant tone. As she watched him, he let his friendly persona drop and showed her the ruthless Death Dealer people feared.“Simon’s recruitment into the Authority is, and has always been, off the table, Captain Ellis.”

Ben approached her, and Trevor had to credit the woman for not backing down in the face of a man who could explode another’s brain without breaking a sweat.

“If the Authority wants a reminder about why my son is off limits, they need only ask me,”Ben said, raspy and rude.

At least he was sticking up for Simon, whereas he’d never stuck up for Trevor.

Brooke stared the entire room of people down as she cocked her head and listened to whatever her supervisors were feeding through her communications earpiece. She gestured to him.“Trevor Blane, you’ve been recalled. You have exactly one hour to show yourself in committee chambers.”To Ben, she said,“Your presence is requested, sir. As a show of faith, they’ll let Simon go.”

“I’ll be there,”his dad replied with a side look at Trev.“We both will.”

Trevor wanted to rush and check that Simon was all right, but his brother was a grown man, and if hewashurtin the abduction process, he’d have said. MainlyTrevsuspected he wanted to hurry home to check on Evelyn because, despite Fintan’s assurances, Simon wouldn’t have peace of mind without knowing she was doing well and had suffered no side effects from the intrusion.

“You have this under control, Trev?”

“I do,” he lied, praying itturned out to betrue.

With a nod for him, Simon teleported away.

Next, the guards filed out, led by Brooke, who guided Councilwoman Vector toward the exit. Agnes didn’t spare a glance for Deni as they left. What did it say about her parenting skills when she couldn’t be bothered to check on her daughter’s welfare? More telling, Deni didn’t seem to notice.Her gaze was focusedon Trevor, and when she saw him watching her, she flashed a come-hither smile. His mind recoiled, but he didn’t allow his distaste to show. Instead, he smiledtenderlyas if she held the moon and stars.

Walking to her first, he gazed down at her in wonder. How had he ever fallen for her lies? He was a fool for not researching her past and uncovering the connection between Agnes and her. Having heardthe bulkof her conversation with her mother, he felt like a dupe. Seven monthsshe’dplayed him, nurturing his feelings until hewas preparedto propose and then crushing his hopes by disappearing without a word, leaving only the boxed ring as a rejection.

She was a consummate actress, and heneeded to keep that knowledge alive so hewasn’t swayedwhen she tried to worm her way into his good graces.And she would. If only to know she could.

“I see you were able to untie yourself. Clever,”hesaid, givinghera warm smile.“But then you always were.”

Deni preened under his supposed praise and cast a gloating look toward Soleil.Never had Trevorwanted to strike someone weaker than him, but he did now.

“I’ll do it for you,”Soleil offered, causing him to bite his lip to stem a bark of laughter.

“You’ll get your chance, Dalli,”he assured her.

Fintan untied Soleil as Trevor pretended to ignore her. Inside, the desire to kiss away the pain of her chaffed wrists was strong.

“I’m fine, Trevor,”she informed him.

“Even one scratch on your delicate skin bothers me. Let me bask in my anger overtheirtreatment of you a little longer, okay?”

“Bask away.”

Again, he fought another laugh.