Chapter 442

• Leila suddenly yelps and Jake looks up and over my head, his body instantly tensing. The look in his eyes goes from light-hearted and relaxed to a sudden death glare. Dark and dangerous, his whole demeanor changes immediately to solid stone.
• “What is it?” I ask, straining to look around, but he’s holding me against him so tightly I can’t move more than a couple of inches. His jaw moves, eyes darkening, teeth clenching—it can’t be good. I get a deep surge of anxiety and small ripples of apprehension in my stomach. I wonder what he sees that has fighter mode Carrero lifting his aggressive head from the fiery depths.
• “Ummm, so, Emma …” Leila’s voice drifts over, sounding nervous. Jake doesn’t release his hold on me or even let me turn to see what she’s doing. “This is Ben, my older brother.”