The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) by Carmen Caine, Madison Adler

believe I thought that.
    Annoyed at myself, I scowled and said, “And why are you running from your buddies?”
    Anger made his jaw lock even tighter.
    I mentally kicked myself. That was hardly the way to convince him that I was on his side.
    “I’m not your enemy,” he said, glaring at me a little.
    “Really?” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could clamp my lips together. “So, letting Blondie almost kill Betty means we’re still friends?” I bit my tongue. I would have to maintain control if I was going to make real progress in spying.
    “She’s fine now, isn’t she? No lasting harm was done,” he said coolly, but I could hear the undercurrent of silent anger running through his words.
    “Thanks to Jareth!” I couldn’t resist pointing out.
    With a dramatic lift of an eyebrow, he said, “Ah yes, Jareth saved the day.” The note of sarcasm was heavy in his voice.
    In an instant, hot anger bubbled, and I just threw caution to the wind. “So, you with the Mesmers and the Inner Circle is just a misunderstanding? Some kind of joke?” I asked outraged. “I’m laughing really hard inside.”
    “I’m very pleased to have amused you,” he answered in such a calm tone that I immediately wanted to slap him.
    “Stop the car,” I demanded.
    After a hard stare, he relented and pulling into a gas station parking lot, turned off the ignition.
    “What happened to Betty wasn’t funny,” I snapped. I knew my temper had gotten the better of me, but I was too emotional to care.
    My hand flew to the door handle, but Rafael jerked me back.
    “It’s not safe out there for you right now,” he said, raising his chin as if daring me to challenge him.
    Of course, I did. “And what’s the problem? Can’t you just tell your Mesmer minions to leave me alone?”
    Emotion flashed across his face as he held onto my wrist in a viselike grip. “I’d rather not have to keep rescuing you. They want you, you know.”
    I knew I should play my cards right. Here was a chance to get real information. But at the moment, I just stared hotly into his angry but handsome face and focused solely on my feelings of betrayal.
    “I thought you were nice,” I said, my voice raw with emotion.
    Rafael let go of my wrist at once. “Maybe you aren’t seeing what you should, Sydney,” he replied softly.
    The tone of his voice alone threatened to melt my resistance, and I could see secrets hidden in the depths of his gray eyes. But I wasn’t sure I could really trust my judgment at the moment.
    “And how do I know that what I should see isn’t just what I want to see?” I asked, locking gazes with him.
    “What is it that you want to see?” he asked me then.
    Suddenly, the conversation took an entirely different turn. Or I should say, situation. We quit talking altogether and just stared into each other’s eyes.
    How could he be bad? I just couldn’t believe it. His actions just now were anything but bad. And as leader of the Inner Circle, he may have said some things, but he’d saved me twice so far. And no one had seriously been hurt. Not yet, anyway.
    His face was only several inches away from mine, and I could feel his breath on my lips.
    "I should remain as I am, neither friend nor foe,” Rafael whispered. There was a deep, enduring sadness in his face.
    “Why?” I asked desperately. “Why can’t you be my friend?”
    He moved even closer. “Is that what you want? For me to be your … friend?”
    His lips touched mine. Lightly, at first. But at the first touch, I forgot everything else.
    Cupping the back of my head with his hand, he gently kissed my bottom lip. Instinctively, my mouth parted, and our tongues touched. It was so intimate. Tender.
    I held still, enthralled, and savoring each moment.
    And as his kiss deepened, a tremor of excitement rippled through me. It was the kind of excitement that I knew could quickly spin out of control. The kind of excitement that could turn into a passionate hunger.
    The