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she glared at him with a prideful tilt to her chin. As wrong as she might have been, she hadn't deserved the way he'd publicly humiliated her. And the issue was nowhere near resolved. How Kosmas handled the next several minutes could very well set the pace for the rest of their lives. Good or bad.
    She almost sobbed at the thought of potentially losing him, but she somehow held it back. Instead she focused on her next words. “Regardless, having her here is unacceptable. How safe is Legionnaire for her, when there are a slew of single male vampires that are desperate for females with the v factor? And even if you intend to wait until she's grown, how could she ever have any peace with something like that hanging over her head? It's not anyway for anyone to live, especially for a child. Just know this Kosmas. I won't tolerate her being placed in the market. Not now. Not ever .”
    “You won't tolerate?” Kosmas repeated coolly, his head tilting as he surveyed her. Keely realized her mistake, but it was too late. She'd insulted his pride, not only as her mate, but as the leader of his people. Their people. “So not only do you lack faith in me to make honorable choices, but you think to take over the position of decision maker to the people of Golden Harbor?”
    “You've left me little choice,” Keely replied, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she struggled for control. “I haven't found one thing you've said since her arrival to be reassuring. Where is your indignation? What is your solution? It's hard to have faith in someone that seems to be struggling when it comes to the fate of this girl.”
    “You still don't get it, do you?” Kosmas ground out, staring at her coldly. “She can't go back. I won't allow her to return to a group of people so lacking in compassion that they'd doom a child in the manner that they did. That alone should reassure you, but it doesn't. And suddenly I wonder if pleasing you is even possible? In your current mindset, it doesn't seem likely. Sending her back is out of the question. Here on Legionnaire is where she will remain, regardless of whether or not I've worked out the details. You'll just have to trust me when I say she will be safe and protected. If you're able to.” He added on the last part bitterly. Sarcastically. Clearly, her words had stung him deeply.
    Zander and the guard watched her with disapproving expressions on their faces. The girl sobbed quietly, no doubt terrified beyond belief. With the blindfold shielding her face, Keely found it even impossible to guess at her age, but judging from her height, she looked to be around ten. And finally, Keely forced herself to look at her mate again. The sweet and caring lover she knew was gone. In his place stood a cold, harsh vampire, a stranger with her mate's face. And in that moment, Keely knew she'd had enough.
    “Let me know when you figure it out,” she retorted, refusing to reveal her pain in front of an audience. “In the meantime, though, make sure to find other accommodations. My door is locked to you until this is satisfactorily resolved.” She looked at the girl again, grimacing inside, before adding, “And maybe not even then.”
    With that Keely spun around and walked out, ignoring the devastation she felt when he let her do it.

Chapter 3
    Kosmas watched her leave, his frustration building by the moment. With Christmas looming over his head, he'd wanted to make everything perfect for his mate. Instead, his carefully laid plans were falling down around his ears, and he had no idea how to stop it.
    She'd even had the audacity to throw him out of his own bedroom, something that didn't sit well with Kosmas, especially with her ex-lover watching it all. His eyes narrowed at the empty doorway, the one she'd just disappeared through. His jaw ticked as he ground his teeth together, remaining still for all of a second. If his mate thought he'd allow her to have the last word, she had another thought