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Ha

"That’s uys A handicap to a career" She’d tried to be the perfect daughter at first When that didn’t gain her any increased affection or attention, she’d gone the other way Perhaps not the best thought-out scheme, but at least when she’d misbehaved, they noticed her

As if to coainst her chin

She rubbed back "Maybe they’d have done better with cats" Or not At ten, she’d begged for a pet and received a list of reasons for their refusal Scratched furniture, pet dander, noisy… "They’d only like you two if you were silent and hairless Without claws"

Hareen eyes; he’d always been lance at the clock, she groaned "Guys, I need to getour dear, sweet buddy, Dickhead--and the other two agents--at some Clearwater beach hotel" Rhodes would probably spend the entire tient Galen to assign her a different agent, but Rhodes had specifically requested the Shadowlands Of course, he’d prefer the ritzy private club to the others Because of his seniority in the Tampa office, they couldn’t arbitrarily remove him

Horatio flicked his ears forward as if to ask why she didn’t just diseent What else were claws for?

"Don’t tes down and sat up "What bothers n off to the parental units, who’d iine I’d want to behave? Well…behavehow she’d stepped out of the shower before Marcus, then reached back to push the lever to cold The man had a relish

And a hard hand

And ahed He’d wasn’t quite as conservative as she’d thought

Then again, his decor see And the way he talked sometimes--Mr Lawyer She shook her head No, they weren’t really alike at all

And he doesn’t like brats, so she sure wasn’t his type He’d only taken her home because she’d been aexample of overprotectiveness Well, if she’d been his pity fuck for the weekend, she’d enjoyed it Even if the thought did hurt

She picked up Hamlet, kissed the top of his furry head, and set hi her purse over her shoulder, she glanced around the aparte on bland on insipid Very creative decorator

Haust at her abandonuys Only teeks and we go home" Back to her cozy, colorful apartment, back to their cat condos andperches

Back to a life without a stuffy, do more

Once in the fancy Clearwater hotel, she checked toDickhead’s cursory lesson that she’d titled "How to Be an Agent in Five Easy Steps" Nonetheless, she dutifully got off the elevator two floors early and clie to do this covert stuff without feeling like idiots?

Winded, she stopped in front of the door to the hotel room and watched the elevator and stairway for a rew heavier as she stood there Her amusement died as she remembered why she was here Because someone wanted to sell her, to break her like an animal, to use her until she died Oh, Kient Rhodes stepped back to let her in "About ti inside faded She glanced at her watch Two minutes late She turned away to look around at the roohted with tropical oranges and reds Still a little winded, Gabi dropped onto the L-shaped, sectional sofa without waiting for an invitation Next tihts above the hotel floor and walk down And the ym She ?" she asked, glancing around the empty room

"A conference call in Buchanan’s room Kouros said they’d return shortly" Rhodes took a seat at the other end of the sofa and smoothed down his black suit, adjusted the cuffs of his white shirt He wore J Edgar-approved conservative clothing, undoubtedly chosen to facilitate his way up the ladder