Page 89 of Bound

And then shame follows immediately because relief means I am glad another woman is in danger instead of me.

“No.” I shake my head. “No, that isn’t better.”

Lucian finally lowers the gun.

His face does not soften.

If anything, it gets worse.

“They want Isobel,” he says.

Rafe nods. “Carlos’s message was deliberately vague. He knew you would assume Erin. He knew fear would do the rest.”

Lucian looks at me.

I see the exact moment he understands what Carlos managed to do after death.

He put me back in Lucian’s cage without laying one finger on either of us.

“That bastard,” I whisper.

Lucian’s hand flexes around the gun.

“Dead bastard,” I correct.

“Not dead enough.”

“Pretty sure there is only one level of dead.”

His eyes flick to mine.

For one second, the monster retreats.

Then Rafe says, “There’s more.”

Of course there is.

There is always more.

Lucian immediately reaches for me.

“I can stand.”

“I know.”

His hand stays at my waist.

I let it.

Partnership does not mean pretending I do not like when his physical touch holds me together.

Rafe expands the message. “The Morettis believe Marina copied records that tied them to the Hoax, that put their old Glasgow operation, locations where they operate. I think somehow they know Marina gave all her files to Isobel before she died.”

“The microfilm proves more than Carlos,” I say.

“It proves enough to hurt several organizations,” Rafe answers. “Including men who are still alive.”

Lucian’s voice drops. “So, they want the archive.”