Jack gritted his teeth for a moment and stared past Thomas, narrowing his eyes. "The magickical affinity did find a balance, but the sexual attraction didn't fade. Not for either of us. If anything, it was stronger by then.”

Thomas's face grew stormier. "Let's lay all the cards on the table. You never told her who you are, did you? You never told her the truth.”

Sickening dread and guilt rose up from the depths of him. Jack hesitated before answering. "No.”

"Then you should be sorry," Thomas answered in a low, dangerous voice.

"I thought you wanted me to keep that a secret," Jack growled, trying very hard not to completely lose his temper. "You told me you didn't want me to tell her anything about that until she was out of danger.”

"I did.. I do want you to keep that from her for now. You're the best we have to protect her, and I don't want her hating her bodyguard." Thomas cursed and turned away from him. "I just never thought you'd sleep with her. I never thought we'd have this problem.”

Hating her bodyguard. The words rang through his head. "I am aware of the complication." He paused. "I'm aware of what I did. Hurting Mira is last thing I want—”

Thomas whirled to face him. "I thought I could trust you with her because of your past and the way it ties into Mira's future. I thought by having you take this job it would provide you some measure of healing. Instead you just used her.”

Sudden anger stiffened his body. He felt his magick flare hot and fast in the center of his chest in response. He flexed his hands against the tickle of fire in his fingers. "I didn't use her," he snarled.

Thomas gave a short, sharp laugh of derision. "I'm counting all your women in my head right now, Jack, all your affairs.”

Jack wanted to bellow at him, tell him that it was different with Mira, that he cared about her and wanted more than he'd ever be able to have from her. He wanted to yell out his frustration at the situation at the top of his lungs, but that wouldn't make anything better.

The raw truth was that he could never have Mira. She'd find out soon enough who he was, and then she'd hate him. Thomas was right. That would be the end.

"I know I have to let her go," Jack replied.

"Yeah, you gotta let her go. You shouldn't have touched her in the first place. What were you thinking?" Thomas laughed. "Oh, that's right, you weren't.”

"Thomas, have you ever been with a woman you simply couldn't resist? Have you ever met a woman that, no matter how hard you tried, you simply couldn't stop yourself from touching?”

Thomas sobered, the cold smile dying on his lips. A muscle in his jaw tightened. He didn't answer.