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"We’ll cross that bridge e coave her a searching look "You’re brave enough to risk that?"

"I am"

"I doubt that You’re just confident of your hich is dangerous, because it aligns the fates against you"

"I don’t know about that Victory goes to the bold, I’ve always heard Let’s play and see"

"Okay" He nodded "You’ve na I get" Her brow furrowed "Me tied up" Though even saying it made butterflies do nosedives in her stomach She’d better win, or she’d painted herself into a corner she wasn’t prepared to be in

"I intend to have that regardless, win or lose" He gave her that direct look "So if I win, the stakes have to be so I can’t obtain for ions, but she covered it with a sultry hip cock Laying her long-nailed hand on the doorfra personality?"

At his dour expression, she chuckled "You don’t really want one of those Okay If you win, you get your clothes back"

Mikhael closed his fingers over her wrist, holding her there "Try again"

"Fine" Telling herself she was insane, especially with her pulse tripping beneath his hold, she threw it open "What would you like the bet to be if you win?"

"Free croissants from Matilda, whenever I stop by, from here forward Forever"

Her brows rose in surprise "You’ll have to take that up with Matilda and her spirits She doesn’t do anything I say"

"I can work it out Woet you, restrained and naked, atto tell Matilda how poorly you value her skills I’ve tasted the croissants, and I think those are proportionate stakes I don’t get home-cooked food too often I want a lifetime supply of free croissants It seems reasonable"

It was aboutit clear the stakes would be hiular visitor to her place Someone to fence words with, someone who made her feel…the way he made her feel It wasn’t an act of co toFar ood they were

"Perhaps I’ll tell Matilda to give you a meal with those rolls On occasion"

It h his stoers curved closer over hers, a squeeze that became a clasp, ahly than I expected"

Arrogant ass But you have no idea how true that is

Straightening, she slipped her hand free "When I win, if entleman and honor the bet Pretend to be helplessly restrained, like I did with those thin silver chains of yours"

"That was Underworld silver," he said "It’s unbreakable and configured so that only I can break its hold You would have had to harm yourself or break the balusters I wouldn’t have allowed you to harm yourself You were helpless, Raina" His voice becaaze "But the moment your mind surrendered to me, you were my slave, with or without the chains"

He had a way of looking at her that was total Bad Guy, but not He kne to stroke that part of her, yet twist it as well, like dragging a feather down someone’s back, only to have it turn into a poisoned barb Andunder his ar a little space, she sauntered over to the far wall and the a to put on so noise and headed back toward the table, she let out a breath She shuffled one of her favorite playlists, buying herself so table

Of course, when Mindy McCready’s "Ten Thousand Angels" ca about needing a legion of angels to resist the teht at one, taking a seat at the table It wasn’t contrived; it was just the way the damn race, with the dangerous profile of a hawk

He glanced at her, raised a quizzical brow as she schooled her expression into indifference, fast enough she probably looked like she’d sed a bug Sliding into her seat, she picked up the deck "So if you don’t have a ho? Hotels, cottages? Caves?"