Page 338 of Sins of the Heart

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around his thighs, holding as tightly as her little muscles would allow.

She was here, and he wanted her to be anywhere but

here.

“I don’t want her to watch. She’s to know nothing,”

he said.

“Of course.”

Frustration surged. He should know that voice. He

didknow that voice. It was—

Hands were prying her from him, and she cried out,

her face a mask of fear and uncertainty. He reached

down. Ruffled her hair. Soft. Precious. Every hair on

her mortal head, precious.

He would die for her.

He wasgoingto die for her.

“You will make certain she is safe, that she’s returned to her mother?” He spoke to the one directly

behind him. He didn’t turn to look over his shoulder,

because he hadn’t then, so he couldn’t now. He understood in that second that he was living a memory.

“I will make certain.”

He believed the promise. His betrayer made this

promise, and he knew he would keep it. But he

needed insurance.

“I need one phone call,” he said. “In private.”

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“Yes.”

The child was crying, great, fat tears that rolled

down her cheeks and dripped off her chin.

“Daddy loves you,” he said. “Ilove you.”

Love. Could his kind feel love? He hadn’t thought

they could. Of course, he had never thought his kind

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