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I really need to lay off the Velowake and get some sleep.

Maybe it can happen again—no nightmares, just resting. It happened in Valencia at Las Fallas, didn’t it? Six blissful hours of darkness—no light, no sound, no images.

But it was with Olivia. Something about holding her in my arms that night gave me bone-deep peace.

It didn’t happen again.

Olivia told me she thought she was a shadow compared to her twin.

But she doesn’t know shadows can’t chase away darkness—shadows amplify the dark.

She chased away my nightmares, my memories. She gave me peace.

She burns brightest in my eyes.

My earlier idea echoes in my mind.Yes. That’s the answer.Enjoy this trip with her. Delay the decision about the future. I don’t have to give her up right now.

Maybe after the mission, I’d feel better. I’d stop having blackouts, I could sleep again, and I’d finally move on.

I’ll tell her everything then—all my secrets.

Then we can decide.

Lots of maybes, but fuck that for now.

She’smine.

“First, you take the flour and you do this,” Valenti murmurs as he stands next to Olivia, clearly ready to be her partner.

Not on my watch.

I stalk toward her.

Chapter Thirty-Six

“I got this,” Isnarl, pretty damn proud I’m not strangling Valenti with the red bandanna around his neck.

Because he’s flirting withmywoman.

Only for the rest of the trip.

The warning doesn’t stick, and I shove it away. God, if Casey were here, he’d have a field day.

Valenti’s eyes widen before bouncing between Olivia and me.

“Mr. Anderson, go be an overbearing caveman somewhere else. Find your own partner,” Olivia hisses under her breath, her head dipped down, hands punching the dough.

Smack. Smack. Smack.

A different thrill sweeps through me. My Olive’s fiery temper.

Fuck, that makes my cock hard.

I shift and hide my stiffening lower half behind the counter.

Then I lean down and rasp, “I. Just. Did.”

My gaze snaps to the offending man.Back off.He shakes his head and walks away.