Read Shadow of Temptation (Asylums for Magical Threats #2.5) for Free Online

my drug-haze—they had Alejandra.”
    His sister had already told him she forgave him in the brief video he’d seen of her after she’d been rescued by DEFEND, and that she still loved him. But he had no idea how he was going to face her. Not just because of what had happened to her, but also because of what he’d had to do to stop her torture.
    “Jorge.” He looked up and wished he hadn’t. Sabrina’s face was soft, her eyes kind. He released her wrists and tried to step back, but Sabrina grabbed the front of his shirt and said, “I’m sorry for what happened to your sister.”
    He succeeded in breaking her grip and took a few steps away from her. “Don’t you see? If you had just talked to me instead of going behind my back, none of that would’ve happened.”
     
     
     
    While working for the Feiru Liaison office, Sabrina’s actions had caused pain, torture, and even death in the past. Somehow she’d found a way to carry on and do her job. But this time, with a man she’d once called friend, she wasn’t able to push away her guilt.
    “I—” She took a deep breath. She needed to make him understand her actions, too. “I did it because I wanted you to move on to better things. You always talked about bigger and better plans to help the first-borns, but I knew you wouldn’t leave unless I did. And I couldn’t leave.”
    Jorge looked skeptical. “Your vague statements aren’t helping your case. If you want me to even remotely start to believe you, I need a hell of a lot more information than that.”
    In that instant, she wanted to tell him everything. About her secret identities and her training. About her true reasons for joining the Fed League. About how close she was to cracking because of the strain of living a lie for too long.
    Her life didn’t lend itself to many friends, but despite whatever had happened between her and Jorge, he had been her friend once. Could she trust him?
    He was the key to finishing this assignment quickly. His abilities would lessen the risk of exposure or danger to herself or others. She couldn’t tell him the full truth, but half-truths might just work.
    Of course, he’d get suspicious if she made it too easy for him. She folded her arms over her chest. “I’ll spill some details if you promise me that you won’t maliciously use them against me.” He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “I know, I turned you in, but my reasons were to do what was best for you, not to cause you harm.”
    He stared at her, and she stared back. Finally, he said, “As long as you hold up a promise to keep my shadow-shifting abilities secret and not tell anyone you’ve seen me, then I’ll consider it.”
    “Just like that, you’re going to believe me?”
    He shook his head. “I didn’t say I was going to believe you, but the sooner I get this damn mission done, the sooner I can leave and never have to deal with you again. I’ll agree to most anything to make that happen.”
    His words shouldn’t hurt—after all, she had wanted him to forget about her—but they did. Seeing Jorge had given her a small glimpse of her past, and had reminded her that she was not just an undercover agent, but also a person with her own likes and dislikes. More than anything, she wanted to have friends again.
    She barely prevented herself from starting at that dangerous line of thinking. Sabrina ‘the person’ didn’t matter during an undercover mission. Only success mattered.
    Still, she hoped that something of the old Jorge was still around and he wouldn’t betray her at the first opportunity. Torture made people unpredictable, and while Jorge had only mentioned being restrained and drugged, she had a feeling there was more to it.
    Her best bet was to keep her concerns and hurt to herself, so she said, “Then we both agree finishing this ASAP is all that matters.” He nodded and she added, “Then I’ll start being clearer. At the time I turned you in, I knew how you felt about me,