Bound by Danger (The Alliance #6) - Brenda K. Davies Page 0,36

know and who might not exist? She tensed beneath his touch, and when she spoke again, an edge of steel had entered her voice.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Something about the way she said it and the way she reacted to his question made him question if there was more to the story, but he didn’t ask any more about it. They’d already discussed enough depressing things tonight, and he didn’t want to know if he had competition for her.

Competition? The word baffled him. He didn’t compete for women. They either wanted him or they didn’t, but he wasn’t about to jump through hoops to get them. However, he found himself wanting to be the only man in her life, and he had no idea why.

“I’m going to rest again,” Callie murmured.

Before Lucien could reply, she pulled away from him; he listened as she moved about the mattress before settling onto it again. He longed to curl up beside her and hold her once more, but he stared into the darkness as he tried to sort out his strange feelings for this woman.

But though he’d fed and rested, he still wasn’t up to full strength, and his thoughts, when it came to her, were muddled. When he had some sleep and was more nourished, he’d be able to think better, and he might not have any interest in her.

Callie placed her hands under her head. She wasn’t tired; she just preferred not to talk anymore. She especially didn’t want to talk about Carter. That nightmarish chapter of her life was over.

She lay awake for a long time, part of her wishing Lucien would lie beside her again, and the other part wishing he would go away. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before he lay down beside her and draped his arm around her.

Though she tried to resist, her body betrayed her by relaxing into him. Her nose wrinkled at his scent, but she’d grown accustomed to it, and she felt better the second he touched her.

Closing her eyes, Callie fell asleep.

Chapter Sixteen

When the sun was high in the sky, Lucien lifted the door of the storage unit and ushered Callie out. She stood in the sunshine, blinking against its dazzling radiance and waiting until her eyes adjusted so she could see again.

“I need you to stay here,” Lucien said.

“Where are you going?”

“If the guard changed during the night, I have to get to them before they see us on camera and call the police. I’ll be right back.”

Before she could reply, he was gone in a blur of motion. Her hand went to her heart as she took a step back and gawked at the place where she last saw him. He was definitely doing a lot better than yesterday.

Shaking off her amazement over his speed, Callie returned to the storage unit and peered into the clear boxes labeled bedroom. When she spotted some clothing inside, she pulled down a couple of the boxes until reaching the ones she sought. She removed the lid and sifted through the clothes inside. She’d hoped to find something to wear, but it was all children’s clothes.

She put the lid back on the box and turned to examine the rest of them, but it was all sheets and blankets. She returned the boxed and retreated to the open doorway again.

She arrived there as Lucien returned. “Is everything okay?” she inquired.

“Yes. It was the same guard as last night. Apparently, he’s already left and come back, but his shift ends again soon.”

Callie nodded before gesturing to the unit behind her. “There’s nothing we can use for clothes.”

“We’ll go through some of the other units.”

“The poor guard is going to lose his job if we keep breaking into them.”

Lucien tilted his head to study her. “We’re running for our lives, and you’re concerned about his job?”

“Yes,” Callie replied more defensively than she intended. “He probably depends on this income to survive. Without it, he could lose his home or starve.”

Without thinking, Lucien ran his fingers down her cheek. Her eyes widened, but he couldn’t stop himself from touching her as he caressed the striking contours of her face before gripping her nape. He knew many kindhearted women, but for some reason, her kindness struck him as good instead of annoying.

“He won’t lose his job,” he assured her.

“You can’t know that.”

“No, I can’t, but I’m going to make sure you survive.”

Callie blinked at his words and the fervent tone accompanying them that made her almost believe