[ Clea understood his motivations. She felt it too, that white-hot rage, a blind madness that so easily seized her lungs and made a home behind her ribs. But she needed to keep her head. They needed to. Or their own family drama would be the least of their problems, and Alicia would once again be caught in the middle.

With her hand shifting to grip his neck as though this were a perfectly normal thing to do to your brother, she dug her thumb into his jaw, shooting him a less than impressed look. ] Oh, weren't you? [ Clea narrowed her eyes. ] I'm not saying you can't. I'm saying not now.

[ This time, her focus is firmly on him. ] We watch them and strike at the appropriate time. Agreed?