Operation Saving Daniel (Entangled Covet) by Nina Croft Page A

around it, because by that time Lissa’s feet were killing her. She wanted her flip-flops back.
    As she expected, Daniel and Sophia took to the floor for the first dance. Slow, seductive music filled the air; he pulled her close, and they swayed together. Sophia’s head rested on his chest, her arms around his waist beneath the suit jacket.
    Pain hit her hard in the heart as she watched them together.
    She’d lost him, and it was her own stupid fault. She’d run away because she was a coward and scared to love in case Daniel hadn’t been able to love her back. But it had already been too late, even ten years ago.
    Now he belonged to another woman.
    “Don’t give up,” Julia said squeezing her hand. “For Daniel’s sake.”
    …
    As he shuffled around the small dance floor, Daniel was totally aware of Lissa scrutinizing his every move and tried to keep that fact from Sophia, who was in a strange mood.
    They’d argued when they got back from lunch that afternoon. She’d stripped in front of him and expected him to service her as if he were some kind of rent boy.
    It was just another power play. She thought the ring made a difference. But they would never be together that way. He’d seen Sophia do things that made him vomit. Ethan often allowed her to punish other pack members because she enjoyed inflicting torture. She’d also stood by as they killed Barbara. Had laughed at his pain, and now she expected him to fuck her.
    He’d die first.
    Or maybe he’d kill her first. Certainly before he’d allow her to touch Lissa.
    Life would have been so much easier if Lissa had never come back. Before her reappearance, he’d been doing a great job of overcoming his squeamishness and convincing himself to push the experiments—take more and more of the drug—until he was strong enough to kill Ethan. And Sophia if he had to.
    Now, he hated that he could think about killing so calmly. Hell, he was still deluding himself. If he was honest, he was eager to kill. Another side effect of his inner beast growing stronger. But Lissa was such a good person. She could never love a killer.
    So if he followed his present course, he would defeat Ethan, save his family, and lose Lissa forever.
    Deep inside him, his wolf stirred sleepily and whined. Wolf wanted Lissa. Wolf recognized his mate and wanted to make her his. Wolf wasn’t happy that Daniel held another woman in his arms and a slow growl trickled from his throat.
    In his arms, Sophia stiffened. She raised her head and stared at him through narrowed eyes. “Have you been holding out on us, Danny-boy?”
    “Don’t call me that,” he snarled. Then he forced himself to relax each tense muscle and made his face go expressionless. “What do you mean?”
    She sniffed the air. “I can smell wolf. Alpha wolf. What have you been hiding?”
    He cursed inwardly. “You’re imagining things.”
    “Am I?” She sniffed again. “Gone.”
    “It was never there. Now dance—you wouldn’t want the nice human beings to think we’re not in love would you?” He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close.
    Finally, the music ended. God, he wished he could go to bed, sleep, forget everything for a little while. But no, he had to stay here make a spectacle of himself, act the man in love.
    His father approached and tapped him on the arm. “Could I have the next dance with my future daughter-in-law?”
    “Of course, Dad.” He released his hold and handed her to his father, almost smiled at the expression of annoyance that flashed briefly in her eyes.
    The waiter circled with champagne, but he needed something stronger, and he headed into the house. Inside, it was quiet, all the guests making the most of the beautiful evening. He made for his father’s study where there was always a decent bottle of scotch. The first measure went down in one gulp. He refilled the glass and sank down into the huge leather armchair behind the desk. Resting his head back, he closed