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Why had he come? Furthermore, how had he known that I’d be here?

You’ve been spending too ue until we reached the large party chaents had rented for their revelries I couldn’t make myself cross the threshold, not until I felt Dredmore’s hand at the small of my back

"Afraid?" he et rid of him in front of six witnesses Perhaps when he lit one of his infernal cigars I would accidentally tip an oil lalance Rina’s party rooant drapes Then I noticed hoide the settees were, and soolden liquid, lengths of satin ribbon, and, of all things--

"Peacock feathers?" One of the gents reeled over to a basket and plucked out a long plume "Nohat can you do with one of these beauties, love?"

His struy brunette who had thin lips beneath toohihter

Dred fire in the hearth Rather than sit I leaned against one arm and held outhim "You shouldn’t have run froled rateful that you left Velvet at a decent stable"

"Velvet" Of course, because he was black

"I didn’t name him" He ca alone in the dark"

I glanced up at him "Disappointed?"

His mouth twisted "I caed "Yet you neverby the prisoner’s gate," he said "When they brought you out, I was going to take you froe"

"For which I aardedalready?" The drunk thrust a tuin into Dredmore’s hand and then presented lass He lifted his own drink, sloshing a bit over the brier curls, be they east or west, they shag you best"

"To the coentlemen" I pretended to take a sip and watched Dredave me a playful push that alet acquainted"

To avoid another shove, I went and sat on the end of the settee farthest away fro himself directly beside me

"That’s more like it" The drunk pattedback over to the blonde

I felt Dred le will not allow you to re doesn’t seem to fancy you as much as me, mate," the drunk called out, and slapped the blonde on the hip "This one’s , if you want a swap"

"Oh, I fancy him, sir" Before Dredmore could accept the offer, I turned and linked my arms round his neck "I just take a little while to war hiht, which allowed me to hide the hand I slipped between our bodies I slidsecure hold of his testicles before I put my lips next to his ear

"Tell him you’re pleased with me," I warned, "or I’ll squeeze until your eyes pop out your ears"

The grip I had on him demanded immediate obedience, but Dredmore only turned his head to brush his mouth acrosse ofhis shaft When I jerked he held ht I must hold on to my Prudence," he told the drunk He looked into ht another round of laughter froo to our rooin to pay for your pleasures"

"An excellent suggestion" He released my wrist, clamped his hands on my waist, and stood withto him as he strode out of the room and into the hall, where he did not put me down but continued on to the A this a little too far?" I asked as he entered and kicked the door shut behind us "Imy life doesn’tfor you" He set me down and went to theto check the street "If I could find you, so can they We have to go, now"

"I am not--"

He came to me, seized my shoulders, and shook me hard "For once in your life, you daft twit, listen to e wasn’t the only one sent after you And what Walsh’s men did to your flat is what they were told to do to you When they learn that you’re here--and they will--they’ll corip and folded my arms "Let them Rina has Wrecker"