Demon's Embrace by Abby Blake Page A

read more paranormal or science fiction stories, but almost everything that Alex had just said seemed to be in a foreign language.
    “Think of it as moving to another country with a different culture.”
    “Can’t I just stay here?” Yes, as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she knew how stupid the request was. She was vulnerable here, that much was a given, but her life had changed so quickly there was a part of her that didn’t want to let go. “I mean, what will I do? How will I survive? I can’t live off you two for the rest of my life.”
    “Why not?” Ronan asked with genuine confusion. Hell, didn’t he understand anything about her?
    And then the most frightening thought of all finally sat up and smacked her in the face. No, he didn’t know her. Neither did Alex. Hell, her life had been so far away from normal the past few days that she wasn’t sure she even knew who she was. Fuck!
    “I just can’t. I need…my independence…my…my space.” She stumbled over the words, regretting them the moment she glanced at Ronan’s face. His expression didn’t change, but he paled considerably. Alex looked ready to say something, but Ronan went into professional-soldier mode, and it suddenly felt like nothing they’d shared had been real.
    “Okay, pack what you’ll need. We move out in twenty minutes. I’ll get the guys to set up a secure Internet link at the safe house in Texas. We’ll make sure you’re able to work while you’re protected.”
    He left the room without looking at her once, his manner completely professional, but it was obvious that she’d hurt him deeply.
    “I…I didn’t…” She turned to Alex, unsure what expression she would find on his face. She’d likely hurt him with her poorly chosen words as well. What she found was the man with a wide grin, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Confused and maybe a little angry with his reaction, Kali crossed her arms and waited for him to say something.
    “It’s a complete mystery to me how you two even made it into the same car on your first date. I think it’s quite a lucky thing you’ll have me around to sort out the misunderstandings. Hell, once the children come along, it’s liable to get worse.”
    “What?” Kali asked, shaking her head, utterly confused. “What children?”
    “Yours and Ronan’s of course. You know you’re perfect for each other. He knows it, too, but somehow you two keep going all human and messing things up. At least with me around you’ll be able to sort through the issues before they become insurmountable.” She shook her head as the tears fell down her cheeks even as she cursed herself for letting her ragged emotions show. Alex pulled her into his embrace, hugging her tight as he became very serious. “Kali, you love him. You know you do.”
    “I know,” she whispered, “but I love you, too.”
    “Good to know,” he said with a quick squeeze. “So now all we have to do is convince the stubborn soldier that we can be a family.”
    “I need to go talk to him, don’t I?”
    “I’ve always found talking a very effective way of communicating,” he said with a smile in his voice.
    She sighed, hugged Alex closer, and whispered, “I didn’t mean it the way it came out.”
    “I know, beautiful, but Ronan hates being vulnerable.” She leaned back to see Alex’s face. Ronan was a bossy, confident, well-trained soldier. Everything in his life was about maximizing his client’s safety and minimizing vulnerability. But love wasn’t a job. It wasn’t even predictable. It was raw and messy and, in Kali and Ronan’s case, filled with misunderstandings and hurt feelings.
    Kali was still wondering how to deal with Ronan’s reaction—and, yes, maybe even wondering how to protect herself from being vulnerable to him—when he came back into the room. His expression was quickly hidden, but the hurt in his eyes had been unmistakable.
    “Ronan,” Kali said, trying to shore up her courage