Marked by the Jaguar by Zoey Indiana

Author:Zoey Indiana [Indiana, Zoey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zoey Indiana

CHAPTER 12

PLEASE, DON'T MAKE ME DO SOMETHING DESPERATE TO KEEP YOU HERE.

I stood there, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and hurt. Nile had just confessed his love for me, telling me he didn't want to control me or force his will on me. But now, here he was, trying to prevent me from going to work. I was beyond tempted to shake some reason into the beast.

"Riley, please, you don't understand—" Nile began, but I cut him off with a glare.

"You're right, I don't understand." I spat, feeling my emotions roil like storm clouds. "You just said you didn't want to control me. So what is this? What could possibly be so important that you need to keep me from doing my job?"

Nile's eyes flashed with frustration, his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked as if he was biting back words he wanted to say but knew better than to let escape. The conflict within him was palpable, and my own anger wavered for a moment, replaced by concern.

"Riley, I..." He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. "I just can't stand the thought of something happening to you."

"Something happening to me?" I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest. "I'm a crisis negotiator, Nile. It's my job to handle dangerous situations and people."

My voice cracked, betraying my frustration. "And I've been doing it long before I ever met you."

"This has nothing to do with your skills." Nile exclaimed, stepping closer to me. "I'm sure you're good at your job, but whoever is coming for us won't care. They'll take you from anywhere and if you're unprotected, you won't be able to do anything to stop them. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

My breath hitched as I stared into his eyes, seeing the sincerity in them. But I couldn't let him overprotect me at the expense of my career and the lives of others. I needed to make him understand that.

"Listen, Nile," I kept my voice calm. "I appreciate your concern, but we can't put our lives on hold. You have to let me do my job."

"Riley," he whispered, the desperation in his voice breaking my heart. "Please, don't make me do something desperate to keep you here."

"You promised." I snapped, my anger flaring once more. "Let me do my job without interference."

We stood there for a moment, our gazes locked, the tension between us heavier than iron chains. I could see the battle raging within him as he tried to reconcile his desire to protect me with the need to respect my independence.

"But," he continued, raising a finger to emphasize his point when I started to speak, "I've got this nagging feeling that it's a trap. It could be someone else luring you out instead of an actual situation. So, please, reconsider."

"No." I shook my head to emphasize my answer. I doubted this was a trick. Seemed like a lot of effort on their part.

"There has to be others who can take this situation right now?" Nile sighed, running a hand through his hair.

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