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The tautly strung barbed wire anger fell into a tangle inside Chloe M She reached out then, clurasp Marguerites hand Unless she initiated it, Marguerite often stiffened at sudden contact, but this tiers over hers, she brought her other hand down on top of therip

M, about your dad You have to know, I dont blale second From what I knohat I learned, of what he was to you, I think you are one of the strongest, most incredible people I know Which is maybe why I hate ry at what you and Brendan have A nd confused, about what that brand means, how that affects what he and I have I dont knohat to say or do toward you I feel like slapping you or scratching your eyes out, because youre so bloody perfect, how could any s like that bother me, because I know people are meant for each other or not, and I used to feel beautiful and desirable, but Ive felt so ugly and miserable lately

Then, on top of that, theres this whole part of his life that I cant feel, you know? I can learn it, I can learn the language, but theres no way I can feel it, you understand? So where does that leave us? A nd you and me? She could barely talk now You and Gen, the tea roo onto what shred of sanity I have, and when I found out about the brand That was taken away as well Oh Chloe Marguerite grasped her other hand, holding thehtly My family was broken apart, you understand? But I found one, made one, and I did that with your help Yours and Gens, Tylers Even Brendan You are my family I love you so very much, Chloe, and I dont think you realize how much I need to love you Whatever else there is, ork it out, I pro, have hope in it I need you back, Chloe Your laughter and your joy

Her grip tightened further There have been tione into e It haselse I valued was taken because of this pestilence that was my childhood It has hurthow to fix it, how to give you back what uerite broke off Not only was it the longest e Chloe had ever heard frouerites voice tre with the hint of an actual tear

Before the attack, Chloe had never feared her own ey had been to euerite had known such fear in her childhood that it was Chloes night on the train tracks, multiplied by a factor of ten A s a result, the austere owner of Tea Leaves had always been so regis Each emotion was carefully vetted before it was sent out to represent her

Therefore, seeing her close to a breaking point shocked Chloe to her toes,her realize the true vulnerability of the invincible Their need for reassurance could be co self-absorbed, she ht up in Brendan, and it never occurred toyou this Marguerite pressed her lips together, gave her hand a squeeze and sat back, closing her eyes and picking up the tea

Though she said nothing further, Chloe understood she needed a azed down at the carareen teas, probably one of her concoctions specifically geared toward dissipating tension However, as they sat there quietly, she heard a foot on the cobblestones Despite the intensity of the moment, she felt a rush of waruerites needs

Tyler stepped into the garden, his paper under his ar in with her before he left Marguerite kept her eyes closed, and when he bent to touch her cheek, she stayed that way Her head tilted into the press of his h, as his other hand cupped her skull, held her that way

A fter a aze to Chloe With a bemused expression, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead as well, stroking her hair Chloe found herself leaning into that same reassurance She mumbled her Im sorry, into his shirtfront

When he leaned back, his eyes were as kind and co earlier Forgiven, little flower

Youre really scary, you know I guess youve convinced terrorists to give up their plots and everything, so you have practice

The women in my life require a different approach Humor rippled across his handsome face The terrorists are far less work

A fter he left the was between theht, and late blooht at the carnival, Chloe asked at last You disapproved of uerite adjusted the tea pot on the cozy, s setting A sub for someone whos not a Do emotions, a push-pull, so to speak

Its also difficult for a submissive like Brendan to instruct a Mistress, because he is wired to please Plus, for so like that can overwhelm you with the physical side of what it ical Its a power exchange, where a Dom takes the surrender of a submissive and makes the most of that for both of them

So he needs a Mistress, sos like I saw at the carnival Chloe sighed ILevel Ten pain threshold? Iuerite Its not that I couldnt learn, it just doesnt feel like ht way, Brendan will respond the sae as he would to being whipped A t that astounding statement, she leaned forward So to be fulfilled But not him