Shaking her wouldn’t do a bit of good. Convincing or conniving would be big failures, as well.

Instead, he closed the space between them, pulling her tighter, needing to feel the touch of her skin, needing… just needing her.

Do you want more? How could that still be a question? “Fuck yes, I do. I’m not gonna love someone, and—”

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Jared’s eyes popped. The vein at his temple pulsed, and his fingers flexed against her, willing his phone to stop ringing. It didn’t, and there was too much happening in their world to throw the thing out the window.

“This conversation isn’t done.” He leaned back, grabbed it off his nightstand, and checked the caller ID. Nope, couldn’t be ignored. “Better be good, Rocco.”

Rocco wouldn’t have called unless it was important, not after Jared had put out the do-not-disturb command. He had told his team that unless life or limb was on the line, they needed to give him a day to recoup with Sugar.

Their conversation was brief. As he hung up the phone, Jared again gathered Sugar into his arms. He pressed the phone into her hand. “Jenny is fine, but give her a phone call.”

Her mouth gaped, and she pressed her palm against his chest, her fingernails biting his flesh as she flexed her fingers. “My sister? What…” Tense and furious, she gathered the sheet around her breasts. “Why?”

Jared chose his words carefully. “She’s fine. Tell her you’re okay. We had to get her out of GUNS, and she wasn’t—”

“What’s going on?” Sugar spit her question, and he could almost see how hard it was for her to swallow the anxiety.

He dropped his voice an octave and willed her to listen. “She’s fine, baby. Roman’s taking her someplace safe.”

Her fear disappeared from her face. “What is going on?”

“The guys saw something out of place, and Roc’s checking it out.”

“There’s a Titan team at GUNS?” She pressed the phone to her ear.

He nodded. “Yes, I put a team on your sister.”

“Phone’s still ringing.” She pinched her brow and moved restlessly under the covers.

He very much wanted to take away all of her problems. “Give her a second.”

She grimaced, closing in on herself. “She’s in danger because of me?”

“Baer’s a vengeful ass. Not sure if he wants you more because you’re mine or because of the threat you pose. We don’t know how he’ll find you. I’ve tried to cover a few bases, and I had figured your sister and GUNS were high priority.”

“No answer. Voicemail.” Sugar chewed her lip before leaving a message.

“Sugar—”

She struggled with the sheets. “Why wouldn’t she answer her phone?”

“Sug—”

“She always answers that damn phone.” Her fingers danced against the phone’s SEND button, as though she were scared to redial.

Jared cupped her chin. Sugar was drowning in an internal battle. He knew her well enough to know both sides: wanting to be tough versus shying away from the gut-twisting, scared-shitless routine that came along with a loved one being in danger.