Page 94 of Bound

She smiles up at me in a way that makes me want to command everyone to leave us alone in this room.

Immediately.

Behind us, Blaze clears his throat.

It is the most helpful sound I have ever heard from him.

“Yo. Romeo. We still have some nasty Italians trying to kidnap Ice Queen.”

Isobel gives a tight smile. “Thank you, Blaze. I thought you’d rather see me dead.”

“You’re welcome.” Blaze gives that roguish, half-devil, half-danger shit-eating grin of his. “It’s not you, Elsa. I just can’t do this feelings crap. Let’s get ready to blow up some shit.”

“Blaze,” Rafe sighs. “We will not be ‘blowing shit up.’ We’re doing the opposite. Locking it down.”

“So that later, we can blow their shit up.”

Rafe gives Blaze an exasperated look.

Blaze holds out a hand in surrender. “Only if we need to.”

Erin laughs.

I stare at her, so beautiful when she smiles. When she doesn’t. When she’s angry with me.

When she wants me.

When she wants me to show her how much I want her.

I stand there, dazed. Worried.

And head over heels in a love so deep my chest is so full it aches simply when I look at her.

Rafe picks up the tablet. “Gregory, duplicate everything. Three encrypted vaults minimum. One with Bayne and the Kings in Scotland. One with the Russos in Italy. And ours.”

Gregory nods.

Rafe barks more orders. “Blaze, call Cleo and tell her we need her in Norway a few more days.”

Blaze looks personally betrayed. “Why would you do this to my marriage?”

“Because I need you.”

“I need to be in my wife’s bed.”

“Blaze.”

“Fine.”

Rafe turns to Isobel. “You’re not going to the Morettis.”

She blinks.

“You are not going to be traded for peace. You are not bait. You are not leverage. We are ending that part of your life.”

For the first time since I met her, Isobel looks surprised by kindness.

Jesus. He does have a crush.