Page 47 (1/2)

"It’s a dangerous path," Lynch said bluntly

"Less so than my previous one" She took a deep breath "Do you rele froned to power an autoh for a h firepower to handle four of the Echelon’s metaljackets"

Lynch’s eyes narrowed on her "How h Not yet," she admitted "And ht This can’t be won by outright war"

He scraped a hand over the back of his neck "That doesn’t ease est? That I pursue a hearth and ho?"

The sudden saze unnerved her "That’s not quite what I had in mind Besides, you would probably stab so needle"

Rosalind couldn’t help herself Her heart began to quicken, her fingers toying uselessly with each other Her gaze dropped to the her "I see And what did you intend for ain she lived in uncertainty Looking up, she found the hard line of his jaw clenched He had never been ain his pale eyes and pinched nostrils A o

But one of them must Or they’d exist in this exquisite politeness until the carriage pulled up and then he would help her down and offer so as he left

To take that next step scared her But she wasn’t as afraid as she had been She’d thought once that to love again would be the worst that could ever happen to her, but it wasn’t To co him had shown her how small such a fear could be

"I waited for you for the last three nights," she said in a small, choked voice "I was so certain you would co without of ht--you weren’t there When I turned around you’d gone and… There were things I desperately needed to take care of"

"Oh?"

"Balfour," he said gruffly As she stiffened, he reached out and took her hand "He won’t bother you again, Rosa Indeed, he has no desire to hurt you He’s al that the prince consort never hears the truth of Mercury"

Heat flashed through her "Why?"

"I believe he regrets what happened No matter what you may feel, he seeers fro out, Lynch tried to touch her again but she was too agitated What was he saying? That in his fury, Balfour had done soretted? She shook her head No He’d killed Nate and crippled her brother That was unforgivable

"If it is a ploy, then I am prepared for him," Lynch said quietly "You mentioned that he asked you to assassinate several persons for him I would like the details, when you are ready I want to prepare a full case against him, in case he decides to manipulate you I’ve spoken to Barrons about it and he’s prepared to press the case forthe hard knot in her throat "I would never have expected it"

"Leverage," he corrected "Balfour once said I am predictable Maybe I was But not any manipulated by those in power I won’t be threatened anymore--and I won’t have those I consider ave her left her in no confusion as to whom he referred to

"And us?" she whispered "What of us? You said--"

"I knohat I said" His face darkened, his eyes going black with heat and need "Rosalind… When you walked into that chamber…" He shuddered, each word said so precisely that it was clear he was barely holding on "I knohat you intended I could see it all over your face Don’t you ever do that again"

"What was I to do? Let you die in my place? It nearly killedthat she’d been holding inside for the last few days boiled up Heat raced behind her eyes "You stupid man! You should have told ! I can’t believe you… You--you didn’t even say good-bye…"

She couldn’t help herself She was so angry Or hurt Or…so toward him, Rosalind balled her fist and drove it into his ar her forward

"Damn you," she snapped, then his mouth took hers and the words were lost

She slid her hands into his hair and yanked his face closer to hers The hard edge of violence rode hi with restraint as she raked her hands down them She didn’t want restraint She hated it, hated the distant politeness, the way her emotions sat in a hard ball in the center of her chest She let it all out, biting at his tongue just enough to sting

As if the rowled deep in his throat, one hand fisting in her hair as he arched her back, his other hand grabbing a handful of her arse and hauling her closer Rosalind’s knees drove into the hard leather seats, her skirts bunching between them as he settled her firht a fistful of them and wrenched them out of the way, and then she could feel the hard steel of his erection between them, separated from her own flesh by his trousers and the barest silk slither of her drawers