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saying about a jewel? Who’s Don? Why did he want me to go into the church?” Once the dam broke, every question she’d been holding back came flooding out of her mouth. “Is he coming back? What does he want with me? And where did you even come from?”
    After a long, uncomfortable silence where he simply stared at her, Vane shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe me.”
    “Try me.” Nothing could be worse than the nightmare scenarios she’d been concocting in her head. “He disintegrated those doors, just by touching them. Then he disappeared in a cloud of freakin’ smoke, and you!” She jabbed a finger at him. “You appeared out of nowhere with your talk of jewels and other nonsense.” Charli stopped and tilted her head to the left. “What’s a Morph?”
    Vane’s nostrils flared, and his eyes tightened at the corners. “You ask too many questions, female.”
    “That right there!” In her irritation, she slammed her hand down on the tabletop, causing coffee to splash over the edge of her cup. She paid little attention to the mess. “Who even talks like that?”
    “Quiet.”
    Irritation dissolved into self-righteous anger. “I think I deserve some answers.”
    Ignoring her, Vane rose from his chair in a movement so swift and predatory, Charli felt a chill race down her spine. She didn’t fear him, but she did worry for whoever or whatever had put that look on his face.
    “What is it?” She stood but didn’t move away from the table. “Vane, what’s going on?”
    “For the love of everything holy in the universe, can you please stop talking?”
    “Sorry, I talk a lot when I’m nervous.”
    Turning back to look at her, Vane arched an eyebrow and snorted. “Either you’re always nervous, or that’s a misrepresentation of the facts.”
    “I…don’t…did you just call me a liar?” She didn’t know how she felt about that. On one hand, he was probably right. She did seem to maintain a constant litany of words and random sounds. On the other hand…screw him. “Are you always such a jerk?”
    “Yes.” Then he went right back to ignoring her as he crept closer to the rear exit of the kitchen.
    Torn between wanting to kick him in his perfectly shaped ass and fearing for his safety, Charli bit down on her bottom lip and rocked up on her toes. “Be careful.”
    “Woman!”
    “I know!” Linking her fingers together, she pressed her knuckles to her mouth while she continued to bounce on the balls of her feet.
    Vane positioned himself to the side of the door and peeked through the slit in the floral curtains. Pressing his right index finger to his lips, he looked her in the eyes and jerked his head to the side.
    With her knuckles still pressed against her lips, Charli nodded her understanding and hurried behind the small island. Her heart hammered against her breastbone, and her lungs burned from trying to control her breathing, but she remained silent as she crouched down behind the prep counter.
    Flattening himself against the wall, Vane reached out for the tarnished, brass doorknob. His thigh muscles flexed through his leather pants, and his shoulders tensed as he turned the handle in slow, controlled increments. 
    Charli gripped the edge of the island countertop until her fingers ached and her joints cracked. Then, just as Vane pulled the door open with a creak of the hinges…a loud, electrical buzz rent through the room at a startling volume.
    Popping her head up over the counter, Charli winced when Vane turned to glare at her. “Shit, sorry.”
    “Charlotte…” Vane straightened, pressed his fingertips to the center of his forehead, and groaned. “It’s a wonder you’ve stayed alive this long.”
    “So, false alarm? Or are we under attack?”
    “There appears to be a large rodent in your trash bin.”
    “Probably a feral cat from the park.” Her hands shook and her pulse race as she hurried to turn off the timer and remove the pan of cinnamon buns from the oven. “Thank