Lucas dropped into a chair, his eyes never leaving Zoe. "Why are you telling us this now?" he asked.
Zoe didn't answer him immediately. Instead, she turned to Dennis. "Because of you," she said quietly. "Believe me, I've thought this over a million times since the moment I set eyes on you and felt the bond." Her fingers twisted together in her lap. "If I don't complete the mission, someone else will come in my place. And that person won't hesitate. And me?" She gave a bitter smile. "I'll be locked in a dungeon and probably tortured until I forget my own name."
Ava's eyes darted between them. The vulnerability in Zoe's tone surprised her. For a woman who'd just threatened to knock Lucas out, she looked suddenly small and terribly human.
Zoe continued, "But if I stay here—if I try to be with you—I put all of you in danger. Not just Ava. You. Your brother. This entire rogue camp." She swallowed hard. "That's why I told you."
