Free Eve Vaughn by Resurrection

Sydney.
    They’re like my sisters.”
    Chase bent and touched his forehead to hers. “You have me.” Holly wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I’m glad to have you in my life.” She kissed him long and deep, pushing her tongue forward to sample the addicting taste of him.
    “Mmm,” he groaned, pulling away. “It’s no fair to tease me like this when neither one of us are in a position to do anything about it.” She grinned. “Who said I was teasing you?” She ran her hand down the center of his chest, allowing it to descend until it cupped the bulge between his thighs. He was hard. “Can’t we sneak away for a little… you know?” Chase clasped her hand and raised it. He brushed his lips over her knuckles. “As much as I’d like for us to, we have no time. There are a number of people fleeing the city and coming to our camp to seek refuge. We’ve sent teams to scout the outskirts of
     
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    the city to guide any refugees out. Uploading those pictures was a brilliant idea.
    Because of you, people who’ve had doubts about the Cyrellians, but didn’t have the courage to act against them, are beginning to talk. More people realize what we’ve been fighting for all this time, and they’re willing to join us. This will make the attack against the Cyrellians much easier.”
    “There will be those who are still in denial about what they’re doing.”
    “Unfortunately. And lives may be lost because of it, but it’s a price we’ll have to pay.”
    “But can’t we avoid human casualties?” This was one of Holly’s biggest concerns. “There are people who are so brainwashed, nothing we say will change their minds, but they’re victims of the Cyrellian propaganda just like us.”
    “Sometimes you can’t save everyone,” Chase said gently.
    “It doesn’t seem fair.”
    “I know, baby, but if it comes to a choice between us or them, we’ll have to take them down as well.”
    She knew he was right, but she didn’t have to like it. “I feel a little better now.
    We should probably go back in there. I think I need to apologize to Anna.”
    “Don’t worry about her. You probably said what a lot of us have been thinking lately. Normally she isn’t like this. She’s going through a lot right now. We’re coming up on the anniversary of her family’s death. Around this time of year she usually keeps to herself and doesn’t say much, but this time her behavior is out of the norm.”
    “Why do you think she’s being more difficult this time around?” Chase shrugged. “I’d say it’s because Jack is otherwise occupied.”
    “With Sydney?”
    He nodded. “The past couple years, he’d spend time with Anna and get her through this difficult time. They’ve always had a close friendship, although she made no secret of her desire for there to be more between them.”
    “Obviously something happened or she wouldn’t be acting the way she is.
    Unless she’s simply psychotic.”
     
     
     
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    “No. That’s not it. Not too long before Sydney came on the scene, they slept together. Jack knows he messed up and feels bad about it, but it seems Anna’s not able to let go.”
    “That’s sad, but she can’t blame the rest of us because she can’t get what she wants.”
    “I know. I tell you all this because I want you to be patient with her. You have a generous heart and I know you have it in you to extend some of that generosity to her.” When he put it like that, Holly felt a little sorry for the other woman. Chase was right. It wouldn’t take much to be kind to someone who probably needed a friend more than anything else. “Okay. The next time she says something nasty, I’ll turn the other cheek.”
    Chase pressed a kiss against her forehead. “That’s all I ask. Thank you.”
    “No. Thank you.”
    He raised a brow. “For what?”
    “For loving me.”
     

Chapter Seven
    Jack woke with a throbbing ache in the back of his shoulder. His bed seemed harder than usual. Slowly his