Saved by the Sinner

have been Damien's twin stride

igned in a boardroom i

rate armor, his movements precise

e the same-intense, wat

rt skip. She'd grown too aware of Damien's presen

were two

th Aria hadn't expected. "Looks like you

oulders eased a fraction-a change so slight she wouldn't have no

as natural to be obse

out how she'd memorized t

's usual gruff tone soft

ged a look that hel

intruder witnessin

essed carefully today, telling herself it wasn't

ounded by screens, her fingers never pausing o

essing. Today she wore a fitted blaze

aze traced Maya's profile

pers on penetration testing

n colored his voice. "And I'd love to hear

ween them seemed to

ned professional mask sl

closer to Maya's workstation, as

d fractionally, her usual

play," Damien interrupted, but Aria cau

ir, close enough that his warmth

er and gunmetal and something uni

est threat assessmen

-surveillance shots of her at charity events,

ien. He caught it, his calloused finger

electricity rac

studying the angles. "High-end equipment, op

tes with my prison term

still warm

ped up. This was

after my release," Damien continued. "

l circle on her wrist,

ow that simple touch

through the tension. "The digital trail's too clea

ind Maya's chair, mirroring

aya hyperaware, her usually p

in the way." Damien's jaw tighten

a's hand tighte

one held steel. "I'm not losi

Damien's face-pain or gra

is carefully mainta

s hand, offerin

et hers, intens

how she leaned back slightly into Liam's presence. "Someone's been accessi

alerts flashed ac

ement. East pe

eluctantly, positioning himse

r's shoulder as he passed-a gest

" Liam asked, dr

e ghost of a smile t

n perfect sync, years of

hem apart hadn't brok

keyboard, security protocols en

s punctuated by quick glance

ding. But this feels wrong-

, eyes scanning the feeds. "The real

ll crawled up

target, of watching others r

amien put him

together, saw the subtle ways they anticipated each

just about h

the ones we're born to

natural it felt to include

ving on the west cameras. "Secondary

couldn't quite hide

int," Damien o

Her eyes met Liam's for a charged mom

ashed a quick grin that made

, watching the brothers move with let

eautiful together,

er eyes from Damien

ng her thoughts. "The Kane brothers are legendar

same barely-hidde

ted on the g

heart s

through the comms: "West tea

flooded her wa

r recruitment standards, brother. These gu

w the weight of that revelat

family's organizati

w the fierce protectiveness in his eyes, she re

w-not just Damien, b

hreatened what the Kane b

hought should ha

warmth spreading

. "Another encrypted m

on was just the beginning. How many more

en's eyes acr

one wanted to tear apart e

rk and intense and ful

ea what they w