Protected by Shadows by Aliyah Burke

low and pacing back and forth before her brother’s bed. When the tall Italian stared at her, her breath caught in her throat.
    The charcoal-gray suit fit him like it had been custom made for him and him alone. Probably had. The vest only added to his hotness and she wanted nothing more than to explore the hard planes of his body before removing that damn suit, one article at a time. She spent her time focused on him and was glad when her pulse and breathing calmed. He had that effect on her—sure he could turn her on in the space of a heartbeat, but if she needed to be calmer, she could just watch Valentino. He always came across as so sure, so confident that he could handle anything, she didn’t have to worry. And she’d never tell him how much it helped her to know his arrogant attitude went a long way in making it easier for her to pull herself back under control. One more thing she was grateful to him for.
    He was off the phone by the time the nurse entered the room. Lexy made quick introductions then they left after she’d kissed her brother. In the elevator, when she began to say something, Valentino shook his head sharply and she snapped her mouth shut. At her car, he showed her a written note on a piece of paper. She arched her eyebrow at him but all he did was shake the note twice.
    After they left the hospital’s parking lot, she made her way to a Panera. He made sure to leave her phone in the car as they got out. They placed an order and waited for it, before he carried it to the table and she sat across from him.
    “What is going on?”
    “Your car is bugged.”
    A feeling of violation swept her and she put down her bagel with a shaking hand. “What?”
    “Quite possibly your phone as well. I’ll have Ethan check it when we get back.”
    “What the hell do they want with me?” Her voice had gone up an octave as she asked her question.
    “Right now it seems like they are playing games with you.”
    “Games. This is all a game to them?” Fury unfurled in her belly as the man across from her nodded.
    “Looks that way.”
    They will rue the day they ever thought to cross a Camden.

Chapter Seven
    Valentino swore over and over to himself as he pounded along the asphalt. The afternoon was cool as clouds had overtaken the sun, bringing with them the promise of rain. Still humid though . He shook his head, unsure how people could and did, willingly, live in these conditions.
    None of this was making sense. The Watchers hadn’t been known for playing around before. Trevor Mansfield was a serious sort.
    Ethan had found the bug on Lexy’s car when he’d changed the oil in it, and had found one in her phone. Thankfully it hadn’t allowed them to see his stuff or hear his conversations when he’d done the force pairing. At least that was good news.
    Lexy was at work right now and Anabelle Lee had gone in with her. He ran over the discussion Lexy had had with the voice on the other end of the line. Odd. That was all he could come up with. It was just odd.
    Glancing down at his watch, he figured out how much farther he would run. It was an activity that normally allowed him to think things through and come to decisions. Right now, all it did was get him more and more irritated at how this was playing out.
    Playing out. That was it—there had to be another player involved in this. Someone personally connected to Lexy. They really needed to talk. Shoving it to the back of his mind, he continued on his run, needing the workout to bring him back to center. Lexy had a way of knocking him off kilter and he had to be on his best game or there was a possibility that this would end very poorly for her.
    Even as he progressed along, his brain wouldn’t give him a rest. He constantly played her words from last night in his mind. She was setting out to push him away, get him to leave and divorce her.
    “Not going to happen, Lexy.” He slowed to a walk and began his cool down. “You can be as bitchy as you want,