Sweet Temptation

“Shit—I think you have hypothermia.” I rub A

Hurry, hurry, hurry.

The boat finally docks and Kope jumps off. Together we rush the girls down into the cabin. My first instinct is to put them on the bed, but they’re soaked. I set A

“Can we get the heat on down here?” I call up to Blake. “We need to get them out of these wet clothes.”

“I’m trying to figure it out!” he yells back. “I might need some help up here. Can one of you guys find the extra blankets?”

I squeeze A

I take a ru

What I see stops me in my tracks. Kopano is taking off A

I can barely get the words out. “Get. Your. Bloody hands. Off her.”

He freezes, caught. I am shaking all over now. It is my job to care for A

He always knew how I felt for her, and yet he still pursued. Even now he thinks he has the right to touch her.

Kopano moves away and stands to face me. The girls, like ma

“She is in the worst condition.” Kope points to A

“Not by you! I can’t believe you’d take advantage of this situation.”

Deep down, I know the truth. I know he was not making any kind of advance, but the familiarity and ope

Kope’s eyes slant at me, seething. “You go too far, brother!”

Seeing his wrath ignited thrills me. I move forward, and so does he. It would feel bloody good to throw a wobbler right now—to pummel each other until we’re too tired and sore to be angry anymore. I owe Kope an arse-kicking, plain and simple, for kissing my girl when I couldn’t be in the picture.

“You will never touch her again.”

Kope’s badge is pulsing dangerously. I’m ready, fists clenched, blood and adrenaline rushing through me at a dizzying speed. We are face-to-face, anger growing, until we’re suddenly shoved apart and Blake is looking back and forth between us. His intervention causes my hearing to clear a bit, enough that I hear him say, “Go. Take care of A

With sudden clarity I remember the reason for all this. A

I wonder why no one else is moving into action, and when I turn, I see exactly why. My anger has been diffused and diverted, but Kopano is still standing there, battling his wrath within. His eyes are closed and his hands are curled tight. His breaths are labored. A pang of guilt stabs me. I did this.

Like the others, I stay very still, thinking of a way to make this better. I feebly consider apologizing, but I’m not even certain Kope can hear through the beast right now. I meet eyes with Blake beside me, and he gives a small nod, showing we’re on the same page—the two of us might need to take him down if he doesn’t calm on his own.

“Brother Kopano,” comes a smooth, sultry voice. His stormy eyes open heavily. My head snaps to Zania in the chair across the room. She no longer looks frail as she sits slightly forward, chin up, gripping the edge, though she’s trembling when she says, “Warm me?”

Kopano and Zania stare at each other, and for a moment I’m worried his beast will change from wrath to lust. His attention has narrowed singularly to Zania, and he seems to fight for control as he prowls across the small room to her. Kopano takes off his shirt to show his broad shoulders, and Z starts to take off her own. I shoot a look at Blake, but Kope manages to stay in control as he approaches her. He grabs a sheet to shield her as she removes her wet clothing. Then he carries her to the bed and he lies behind her, spooning against her back. He is still rigid. Still fighting for control.

He glares at me for good measure, and I hardly blame him. Then he snuggles Z and closes his eyes. The girls, side by side, give each other little smiles. A

A tremble of deep cold shakes me as I try to relax. I lift the covers and mold myself to A

The bed shakes with the tremors of five people. A

I close my eyes, letting myself remember the one good thing that came of today’s dreadful events. I finally told A

I’m happy when A

Kopano also rises, and sits on the edge of the bed with his back to us. Blake puts his wet clothes back on with a grimace.

“I’m go

I pull my disgusting clothes back on, though they’re bearable now that I’m back to normal temperature. Then I open another blanket and lay it across the girls for good measure. Kope dresses, too, and when he turns to leave the cabin, I grab his arm. His jaw clenches as we meet eyes. I drop my hand.

“I’m . . . sorry,” I say lamely. I can’t bring myself to say more. I just remember how he was in Syria, how I admired him as a friend, and I want to put this behind us—to get back to that place.

He stares at me, lips pursed, and slowly nods. “As am I.”

We say nothing more. We both glance down at the sleeping girls and leave them to rest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

No Good-Byes

“Sunshine upon my face, a new song for me to sing,

Tell the world how I feel inside, even though it might cost me everything.”

—“Alive” by P.O.D.

When we made it back to L.A., we brought Z to the convent where A