Kara told herself to do as he said, to play her role, but her feet didn’t seem to move. The truth was, she wanted to smack him for talking to her like she was his property. She shouldn’t, though—not when they were undercover—but beneath the facade of his being master and her his damnable puppy dog slave, was true anger. Both his and hers. He’d tried to shut her down tonight, to leave her behind when her sister was in trouble. He was pissed it didn’t work. She was pissed he’d pull such a thing.

“Kara,” he said softly, his tone a low command, a warning telling her to stay professional.

He wanted her to come to him. Fine. She’d be right there. Kara stalked toward him as he had her, and took pleasure in the flash of surprise in his face at her determined approach. She halted in front of him, this time her hands settled on his shoulders, and did her best to ignore the instant zip of heat through her body when she did.

Leaning closer, she pressed her lips to his ear, the spicy male scent of him teasing her nostrils and stirring a cluster of butterflies in her stomach. “You’ll survive this night because I won’t let anyone hurt you but me. That’s my privilege.”

His fingers laced into her hair and he gently, but insistently, tugged—forcing her to look at him. “And this is mine,” he declared a moment before his mouth covered hers, his tongue pressing past her lips, hot with demand, and he tasted hunger, passion, and possession. He was claiming her, and it wasn’t for the camera. She could feel the raw need in him, the near desperation in each lush stroke of his tongue. Kara had no clue if that need was really for her or for an escape from the emotions this trip to meet Alvarez had stirred in him. It didn’t seem to matter. A mix of desire and attachment to this man rushed over her, through her. Whatever he needed, she wanted to give it to him.

Kara sank into the kiss, clinging to him, holding him close, silently telling him she wanted him, she needed him, and in that moment she admitted to herself what that truly meant. Needing him reached beyond this kiss, this trip. In such a short window of time, he’d climbed into her soul and become a part of her. She couldn’t lose him and her sister. She couldn’t lose either of them.