Pulling me into his lap, Jared shrugged his arms around me. “Nina, I’m going to take care of this. Claire will stay here with you. I promise you’ll be safe.”

I pressed my cheek against his and closed my eyes. “What about you? Isn’t that like walking behind enemy lines?”

“I have something he wants. As long as you’re here, safe, I’ll be fine. Trust me?” he said, holding me at arm’s length to search my eyes.

“I do. Just…be careful.”

“Oh, I’ll be careful. I’ve got plans for you.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “Your eggs are getting cold. I’m going to call Claire…get this over with.”

Claire walked through the door less than an hour later, her casual expression matching Jared’s. She also seemed significantly more relaxed around me, even smacking me on the backside when she walked by.

“We’re going to have fun, Nina. I brought movies.”

My face slowly morphed to disgust. “Movies? You think I’m going to be able to watch a movie while Jared is in a room full of demons?”

Claire rolled her eyes and a smirk sharpened her features. “Don’t you know what Jared is capable of? I’m not worried. You shouldn’t be, either.”

Jared’s mouth turned up a bit, shoving a handgun in the back of his jeans. “You’re overdoing it, Claire.”

Claire shot an expression of chagrin at her brother, and they traded glances.

“She doesn’t want me to freak out and leave again,” I said. I looked at the floor and then back at her. “You’re stuck with me, Claire.”

She pulled one side of her mouth into an appreciative smile. “Good. Because I’d just track you down and bring your butt back here.”

Jared walked toward me and kissed my forehead first, and then my lips. “You ready?”

My fingers involuntarily gripped his jacket. “What if they’re waiting for us at the bank?”

“Then I’ll protect you. Claire is coming with us…if anyone should be afraid it’s Grahm and his men.”

My body felt rigid from the moment we stepped out of the door into the alley. Jared kept my hand in his until we pulled up to the front entrance of the bank. Claire on one side of me, Jared on the other, we walked inside and across the lobby. An older gentleman in a dark suit and tie approached us.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, we will be retrieving our effects from the vault downstairs,” Jared said.

“Er…c-can I have your name, sir?” he stuttered, anxiously tapping the ends of his fingers against each other.

“Jared Ryel. Is there a problem?”

“No…no sir, there’s no problem. I’d be glad to help you.”