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"I can’t leave the house unattended" The female shook her head, her eyes worried and sad "This is all I have in the world What if they--"

"I could stay here," he offered "If you’re worried about the property, it would be uest room, or even sleep here on this sofa, so that you are assured all is well in your absence"

Minnie looked at Ahna, and the granddaughter was right on it "Granhenerous offer by Saxton Most generous"

Miniahna refocused on Saxton "I cannot ask you to do that"

"Madaive you peace of mind, that is all the repayment I shall ever need"

Besides, it wasn’t like he was leaving his own home behind More like a hotel suite with an elevation

Ahna went over and dropped down to her knees by her granhh I’ that is co you"

Minnie’s fallen shoulders were answer enough "All right If I ot to his feet "Now, perhaps there are soather? If there is ht have his hands full running the Brotherhood’s lives, but there was nothing that doggen liked better than a probleet you packed"

"But I could coht and--"

"Granhmen"

Minnie rose from the sofa and looked around With her white hair and another version of the saht, she seemed every one of her years, not just old, but worn out and discouraged

"I’m worried that if I leave…I won’t ever come back"

"That is not true," Ahna said "This will always be your home"

"You wantto ood This is about safety, not because you’re frail and can’t live independently You will absolutely co, but then the fe for the second floor In their absence, he took out his phone to call for the butler to send a car And then he cursed He had to work all night, yet he’d pro and he answered it without checking to see who it was "Hello?"

There was a pause And then Ruhn said, "I’ht?"

"Yes I aht you were, Saxton amended in his own head

"Where are you?" he asked

"I’ back to the Brotherhood’s co, but I was concerned about a retaliation against Minnie--I’hter as soon as she has soood"

There was a pause And just as Saxton was trying to re-for, Ruhn spoke up "Listen…I want to explain things to you I know that you are shocked, and I just…I’m not that person I mean, a part of ood at so I hate, and I used that skill for a number of years for my family That is not me anymore, however--and I don’t want it to be That is ht about the male who had sat across from him at that little table The one who had been so careful as he had eaten things he could not pronounce, but had loved The one who had sheepishly tried to tackle escargots à la Bourguignonne and ended up with one shooting off onto the floor The one who had sipped white wine and held the delicate glass as if he were afraid he would break the steht of the lover who had bent hie

That could be a thin line to walk, however

In the end, he had to go with his gut "Could you do "

"Can you come to Minnie’s? We need to transport her stuff don She and her granddaughter can des to thereat"