Kathleen goes through quite a bit in this story. Not only does she have the target of some madman on her back, she's thrust further into Blane's world as their relationship grows. For Kathleen, the death threats are easier to take than finding out that your boyfriend is on the short list for governor and his uncle is a powerful senator. She's insecure in Blane's world and positive the relationship is a short lived one. But when she stops looking at the ticking clock, the two of them are absolutely smoking hot.
Blane, being raise in the very upper class, becomes a much looser, normal guy when he's with Kathleen. You get the feeling he didn't laugh much until she came into the picture. She also brings out the caveman alpha male in him too. When he needs to put his mark on her, his sanity pretty much goes out the window. Case in point:
“Undo my pants,” he said, breaking off the kiss. I drew back, trying to keep a coherent thought in my head.
“N…no, we can’t,” I said breathlessly. His hand moved a certain way and I lost my train of thought. I struggled to remember why we should stop. “It would be rude…” I managed to say, “and…tacky.”
“Ask me if I care,” he growled. “Undo them.”
Unfortunately, the steps Blane takes to try and ensure Kathleen's safety play into her insecurities even more and devastate her. He has a lot to make up for.
But it's not just her relationship with Blane that has Kathleen in an emotional upheaval, it's also the one she has with Blane's half-brother Kade. With Kade she feels a kindred spirit. They understand each other on a much more basic level and while he drives her insane with anger at times, she knows he'll never leave her alone. Then there is the sexual tension between them. It's hot, but in a much different way than what she has with Blane. It's hard to describe. It's one of those things where you know the sex would be spectacular, but their relationship wasn't meant for that. He's the best friend she doesn't have.
The who, what, why's around the Navy SEAL trial kept you at the edge of your seat. The person responsible for the immediate carnage was a total surprise, but I have a feeling the details Kade uncovered are going to be even more spectacular (hopefully book 3). I think Blane and Kathleen are in for quite a bumpy road ahead.
Tiffany Snow has created characters that leave an indelible mark. Kathleen could be anyone of us and what she goes through feels very, very real. To me, that is what draws me to this series. It's these wonderfully written characters that want to stay with you for a very long time.