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A shiver of strings whispered through the air, then a ed everyone to their seats

"So your brother was the only reason you infiltrated the guild? Or were you planning so else?"

"Believe what you will, but Jere since he went "

"And the boiler pack fro that was set in o"

"Fitz suspects it’s similar to the aze sharpened "What are you planning, Rosa? Or is that even your real na to say to that Each word only daainst the wall beside her head

Rosalind flinched

"And your husband?" he de real?"

"Almost all of it" She closed her eyes, unable to bear the demand in his own "The best lies are based in truth"

The cool rasp of his breath stirred against her cheek as he leaned closer Rosalind’s breath caught and she steeled herself A blow she could tolerate But not this… Not his gentle cruelties

"Don’t," she whispered,his eyes "Please"

"Why?" A stark de "Or do you only use your body for the sake of the cause? You kissed ave yourself tome to my knees?" His hand lifted, hesitated by her face He wanted it to be real; she read it all over his expression

Rosalind turned her face aside, letting out the breath she’d been holding as she pressed back against the wall Anything to stop hi her

"Please…"

"You do that so well It alives a damn But as you say, the best lies--especially this--are based on truth" His fingers caught her chin and tilted her face to his His other hand brushed against her ht in his black eyes "Don’t you dare look away You owe me this"

Owe him or not, this was no lie This was her only real truth, but she’d never convince him of that, even if she found the words to say She never had the words--to bare herself so coainst every harsh lesson she’d ever learned--but this…this she could do Only with her mouth, her hands, her body, could she tell him what her heart could not

With his body so close to hers, Rosalind could barely think Anger vibrated off hiiven her He probably never would But he was as trapped by this as she was, desire weaving a thick net around the hiss of the orchestra strings swelling in the background, getting louder, alry themselves, she could nearly pretend that they were alone Somewhere else Somewhere where the lemon verbena perfume of Mrs Marberry stained the air and the rustle of sheets shifted beneath theo back to that To be Mrs Marberry again, a woman whom he had admired and respected, a woman he’d loved

But she wasn’t and he didn’t There was truth again, so painful that she wanted the lie that he offered as he stroked his fingertips across her mouth

Rosalind looked up The naked desire in his eyes was fueled by anger She didn’t care Not any heated moment they simply stared at each other Lynch’s face lowered, his eyes half shuttering and her breath caught Yes Please Her hands fluttered near his chest, not quite daring to touch him

He stopped, his face barely a half inch from hers, his breath cool on heronto her toes, she reached for him

"I never make mistakes twice," he whispered harshly, his lips al hers Then he pushed away, dark shadows flickering through his eyes Looking at her as if she were a stranger "It hurts, doesn’t it? To be played for a fool"

The ache in her chest solidified into soainst the wall, hope dying a short, painful death This was the end She’d lost him Truly lost him

"You bastard," she whispered without heat

"Now that, I cannot claihout the theatre, thick with anticipation The red velvet curtains swept back with a whisper, a circle of light highlighting a buxoer opened hereruption barked fro at the conductor before resu

Steam curled up from the orchestral pit So it an effect

"Lynch," she called sharply

He looked, then strode to the edge of the box, his white gloves curling over the balcony Another coughing roar echoed in the theatre below Steaoyles that lined the walls and whispered out from beneath chairs Several of the blue bloods exclai beneath their seats curiously One of the on his knees in the aisle

It would be a massacre